Petter Northug criticizes Johannes Høsflot Klæbo over distractions

Former Norwegian cross-country skiing star Petter Northug has expressed concerns that Johannes Høsflot Klæbo is losing focus ahead of the Falun World Championships. In an interview with VG, Northug suggested that Klæbo has “lowered his guard” due to various off-track activities.

Northug pointed to Klæbo’s recent travels to the United States, attendance at events like the ESPY Awards and the FIFA World Cup, and a feature in Vogue Scandinavia as distractions that deviate from the intense focus required to remain the world's best skier. Klæbo has acknowledged that while he was traveling, his competitors continued to maintain rigorous five-hour daily training schedules.