The Norwegian cross-country skiing stars Johannes Hösflot Kläbo and Tiril Udnes Weng are worried about their participation in the start of the season in Ruka, Finland, due to corona diseases.
The five-time Olympic champion Kläbo (27) left the altitude training camp in Livigno, Italy, four days earlier than planned due to feeling unwell and tested positive in Trondheim on Tuesday. Weng (27), who like Kläbo was the overall World Cup winner last winter, also apparently became infected in Livigno.
“I’m not lying in bed, but I’m not healthy either,” said Kläbo. He hasn’t trained since Sunday because his body didn’t feel the way it should have. “Now I hope to get rid of this as quickly as possible.”
Like Weng, Kläbo planned to start the competition season in his home town of Beitostölen in a few days (November 17th to 19th). A week later, the World Cup winter begins with three races in Ruka (November 24th to 26th).
“It’s too early to say what consequences this will have for the start of the season. Beitostölen and Ruka have become more uncertain,” said Kläbo, “but we’ll see how quickly I can get rid of this crap.” Weng told Verden’s gang that Beitostölen was “hanging by a thread” for her.
For cross-country skiers there will be a winter without a World Cup or Olympic Games. The highlight of the season will be the Tour de Ski. Kläbo had already emphasized that his next big goal was the 2025 European Championships at home in Trondheim.