Cross-country Skiing: Ebba Andersson Tired of Questions About Therese Johaug – Maja Dahlqvist Warns Norway

Cross-country Skiing: Ebba Andersson Tired of Questions About Therese Johaug – Maja Dahlqvist Warns Norway

Ebba Andersson is tired of questions about Therese Johaug already, while Maja Dahlqvist sends a warning to Norway. At the same time, the coach has a gloomy prediction.

The Swedish women's cross-country team has soared high in recent years. Will Therese Johaug's return change that?

Johaug has stated her goal is to compete in four distances at the ski World Championships in Trondheim, and that whenever she starts, her aim is to be the best.

"I think she needs to compete in qualifying races and be selected first. That's where we are. I'm sure she will do quite well, but I think she will find it tough," predicts Dahlqvist.

Johaug's comeback has raised expectations, but Dahlqvist sees it as a challenge that she is ready to embrace.

The Question of Johaug's Impact

Maja Dahlqvist talks about Sweden's strong distance team, which has seen significant success in Johaug's absence. Before Johaug retired, Frida Karlsson and Ebba Andersson had three World Cup victories between them, all by Karlsson. In the two years since Johaug's retirement, Karlsson has won nine races, including the World Championships and the Tour de Ski.

"I'm not afraid of her return. I see it as a challenge, and I like that. If not, I wouldn’t be in competitive sports," Andersson said.

Andersson expresses her frustration with the recurring questions about Johaug’s comeback. She hopes that it will be advantageous for her, as it adds excitement to the competition.

Coach's Perspective on Johaug

Swedish national team coach Anders Byström describes Johaug's return as a bit of "extra spice" in the competition. He asks himself two critical questions: Have others improved while she was away? And has Johaug gotten worse?

"I don’t think so; I believe she is at least as good as before. She will be very strong this winter," he concludes, but he also acknowledges that expectations for Swedish medal wins must be tempered with the reality of Johaug's prowess as a competitor.