Commentary: Johannes Kläbo is an incredible athlete, but he is not yet close to the title of the greatest skier of all time

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When Falun hosted the Nordic Ski Championships ten years ago, the question of whether a male skier could win every distance in a single event arose during this current era of skiing that began in 2005 (current distances).

This question first related to Petter Northug, who dominated the time trial distance championship at the previous World Championships in Val di Fiemme.

By the time he reached Falun, the only missing piece from Northug's collection of significant championship victories had surprisingly been the individual sprint.

This gap was filled by Northug right on the opening day of the championship. However, the dream of a six-gold sweep dried up just two days later in the skiathlon, in which the Norwegian finished 11th.

Nonetheless, the championships were successful for Northug: he accumulated four golds and set a record that stood for ten years for most gold medals in a single World Championships.

On March 8, 2025, Johannes Hösflot Kläbo crossed the finish line at home in Trondheim for the first time as a World Championship winner in the 50 kilometers, completing his perfect gold medal haul at the championships: six distances, six championships.

This performance is unparalleled in the history of cross-country skiing. The closest to achieving such a feat is Russian skiing legend Yelena Välbe, who swept five golds 28 years ago when Trondheim hosted its last World Championships.

The dream of Norwegian organizers and ski officials was, of course, that when the Trondheim World Championships are recounted in the future, their local hero would not only lead discussions but also statistically outrank Välbe, known for her support of the embattled Vladimir Putin.

This dream became a reality in front of an ecstatic Trondheim crowd.

The overwhelming mass of spectators followed the 50-kilometer contest.

Kläbo's final push during the 50 kilometers.

All the Stars Aligned

The path to six golds was paved even before the Trondheim Championships began when the only major challenge loomed—Iivo Niskanen, who dominated the traditional skiing periodic trials, fell ill.

Tuesday's 10-kilometer race was held under difficult conditions where Finland's support crew performed admirably, helping Ville Ahonen secure a tenth place.

Had Niskanen been in good health on a ski suited for him, he likely would have disrupted Kläbo's gold medal run, but medals are awarded based on how the competing athletes perform at the start line.

The skiathlon, shortened from 30 kilometers to 20 kilometers, and the easy free course proved toxic for the sport specialist, Kläbo's fellow countryman Simen Hegstad Krüger, who openly expressed disappointment after the race about the changes to men's distance skiing.

When coupled with the absence of Kläbo's greatest career rival, Russian Aleksandr Bolshunov, his status remained luminously absent due to Russia's military activities, all stars were aligned for the Norwegian to accomplish the pursuit of six straight victories.

An emotional Johannes Hösflot Kläbo in an interview with Yle after the 50 kilometers—"This is completely wild."

Olympic Winter Will Set Much

With his gold medal in the 50 kilometers on Saturday, Kläbo rose to become the greatest male skier in history measured by individual championship victories in World Championship history.

Like Kläbo, Northug has also seven individual world championships and two silvers, but the balance tilts toward Kläbo, favorably owing to his one individual bronze.

This bronze was Kläbo's first senior championship medal, which he achieved at the 2017 Lahti World Championships at just 20 years of age.

After this historic gold run in Trondheim, it is pertinent to ask, has Kläbo already become the greatest skier of all time? The answer is no. Not even close.

While Kläbo is the best male skier measured by World Championship medals, in the women's category, the Norwegian Marit Bjørgen boasts a staggering 12 individual world championships.

Including relays, Bjørgen leads Kläbo in overall World Championship gold medals 18 to 15.

And this isn't even the most important measurement. Olympic success surpasses World Championship titles.

Kläbo has five Olympic gold medals hanging around his neck. With this, he ranks as the second most decorated male skier after his compatriot Bjørn Dæhlie, who has eight.

Among women, the best medalists additionally include Bjørgen (5) and Russian Lyubov Yegorova (6).

However, this measurement does not suffice when searching for the greatest skier of all time. Individual Olympic victories are the number one measurement. Dæhlie holds six, Bjørgen five, and Yegorova four.

Kläbo has, so far, only two individual Olympic victories. This number is thus equal to that of Iivo Niskanen.

Between this pair appear Swede Dario Cologna (4) as well as three-gold holding Norwegians Thomas Alsgaard, Swedish Sixten Jernberg, and Soviet athlete Nikolai Zimyatov.

Kläbo is 28 years old now. In terms of recent male history, both Dæhlie and Alsgaard reached their last individual Olympic victory at 30 years of age, and Cologna at 33.

In women, Bjørgen was as young as 37 when she ascended to the highest platform after a 30-kilometer event at the Pyeongchang Olympics in 2018.

With Kläbo now on the brink of redefining the limits of ski mastery, it is theoretically possible for him to achieve greatness as soon as next year.

Should Kläbo win all four individual golds at the Olympic trails in Val di Fiemme in Italy, he would then share the Olympic victory record with Bjørgen and Dæhlie.

Niskanen and possibly also Bolshunov will definitely have their say on this matter.

Kläbo is not yet close to the title of greatest skier of all time, but as demonstrated during the World Championships in Trondheim, he is breaking barriers in his sport in unprecedented ways.