– Will give the team security and peace of mind

Both managers and coaches in the Norwegian Skiing Association say that it would mean a lot to get Therese Johaug (35) into the cross-country national team ahead of the WC in Trondheim.

On Friday, Marit Bjørgen and Pål Gunnar Mikkelsplass were brought in as coaches in the women’s team, and they both say they hope for a comeback for the former ski queen.

Johaug has impressed both on the ski track and with running shoes recently, and it is no secret that she has toyed with the idea of ​​betting again ahead of the Ski WC on home soil.

– We have reserved a place for Therese, and then it is up to her if she wants to make a comeback. She is most welcome on the team and would mean a lot there, says general manager Cathrine Instebø in the ski association to NTB.

Bjørgen: – Positive

Bjørgen knows Johaug well over many years as both a teammate and close friend. She does not want to bother the 35-year-old, but at the same time wants to get her into the team.

– We know Therese’s level. She has every opportunity if she wants to come back. And then I think it’s very positive for the whole team, and that it will create security and calmness, says Bjørgen.

– I don’t nag her about it. She has to make that choice herself. I don’t think we can influence that. But if she thinks it’s good that we (Bjørgen and Mikkelsplass) are here, then that’s positive.

Hope

Mikkelsplass was coach for Johaug when she was banned for doping in the period 2016-18. He believes that a Johaug comeback will be able to ease the pressure on the other national team runners.

– It will mean a kind of security for the athletes. She wants to take a lot of the pressure off, and she’s used to it. It will be a relief for the whole team, he says.

He is unsure how much influence he can have on Johaug’s election.

– I am quite relaxed about it, because she must have an inner feeling that it is fair to the family. If she gets the good conscience and a plan that suits her, and she goes into it, then she is 100 percent there. But she must be confident enough in what she does. And then we hope that the result will be that she invests further, says Mikkelsplass.