Norway’s poorly formed cross-country skier and record world champion Petter Northug (32) can still look forward to a start at the Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang (9th place). till 25. February) hope.
Norge head coach Vidar Löfshus indicated in the daily VG that he could appoint the record world champion to the team for the competitions in South Korea if necessary.
“The races in Planica at the weekend are definitely Petter’s last chance to qualify for the sport. If he doesn’t succeed, we have to decide at our discretion,”said Löfshus:”I don’t want to write him off. If he gets in shape, we have the opportunity to nominate up to twelve runners. I don’t want to slam the door shut for Petter.”
Northug, double Olympic gold medallist of 2010, had not made it to Norway’s World Cup team after a disappointing 2016/17 season. At his only appearance in the Olympic Winter World Cup over the national group in Lillehammer he was only 32. have become.
Northug will be making his comeback in Planica, Slovenia, where a sprint and a 15-km race will be held this weekend. Northug would have to run for the podium on a regular basis in order to make it into the Norwegian team, but he is still suffering from the consequences of a cold.
In Pyeongchang, Norway is without two of its most prominent winter sportsmen. Biathlete Ole Einar Björndalen (44) was not nominated after poor performances, the seven-time cross-country skiing world champion Therese Johaug (29) is missing because of a doping ban.