Cross-Country Skiing: Petter Northug Defeated by Old Rival in Season Opener

Cross-Country Skiing: Petter Northug Defeated by Old Rival in Season Opener – NRK Sport – Sports News, Results, and Broadcast Schedule

Petter Northug, who turns 39 tomorrow, finally kicked off his season with a race in Val di Fiemme, Italy. After struggling through the competition, he finished fourth behind his longtime rival, Dario Cologna of Switzerland. Despite his fatigue, Northug expressed satisfaction with his performance, highlighting that he felt good going into the challenging parts of the course.

Northug spoke openly about his goals for the upcoming season, including the Norwegian Championships and potential qualification for the World Championships in Trondheim. He rated his performance a solid four out of five but acknowledged the competition from his rivals.

Dario Cologna humorously suggested a collaboration for the upcoming Olympics if Northug were to switch nationalities, sparking interest and speculation in the skiing community. Northug responded playfully, noting that they would need to ensure he maintained his speed.