The cross-country skiing talent pulls the emergency brake in the middle of her Olympic preparations. Now the 25-year-old is out for an indefinite period.

She was the splash of color in the field, always smiling, attacking, and seemingly positive. But behind the façade, Sophia Laukli has been fighting a tough battle. After a brutally difficult season opener in Ruka, the American cross-country skier is putting her career on pause.

“Out of commission alert – temporarily of course. But it’s been a long time coming to truly address the struggle and hole I’ve been in and finally take a substantial step back. Maybe a year or two late, but trial and error is often the only way to find out,” Laukli writes on her Instagram account.

Highly accomplished

Laukli is part of the Norwegian private team Team Aker Dæhlie in addition to the U.S. national team. She has several medals from national championships and Junior Worlds, finished second in the 30km at the Norwegian Championships in 2023, crushed the competition up the final climb in the Tour de Ski 2024, finished top 10 in the World Cup as recently as last winter, and won the overall title in the prestigious trail running series, the International Golden Trail Series.

“I’m not one to change my plans, even when I know it’s necessary. There’s always a hope of defeating the odds and logic. But wake up calls eventually happen, and the frustration of not feeling myself or reaching my potential has finally outweighed my love for planning and following that plan,” Laukli says, and continues:

“Time to get logical. I’m going to take a step back so that I can, in fact, find my level again, and get the fun back. That means pulling the plug on World Cup and racing for the time being, and leaving the rest of the season unknown. That was not the plan of course, but it’s the only way I can make that comeback I’m dreaming of, and am 100% confident in, possible.”

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Thanks her support team

Laukli says she’s not yet ready to share all the details, but thanks those who support her.

“I’ll eventually get into the story behind my crash and burn, how I found myself here, why it’s been two years of the same old story, and why it takes a long ass time to know what the right thing to do is. But lastly, and most importantly, why the comeback is possible because of the people and support I have behind me,” she writes.

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