Langrenn: Petter Northug Makes Season Debut in the "Monsterbakken" – Fears Johaug Smash

Petter Northug has openly admitted that he fears falling behind Therese Johaug when he finally competes in a ski race again. This will mark his return to competitive skiing at the monsterbakken in Val di Fiemme, following some setbacks this season.

Northug stated, "I know I will be measured against some women's times here. I have to keep that in mind while climbing the hill." He jested about his chances against Johaug, saying, "Let's not get too ahead of ourselves, but I hope to beat Johaug."

Before the season started, Northug announced a full commitment to traditional cross-country skiing and gave himself a slight 1% chance to qualify for the World Championship in Trondheim. His initial plans to participate in competitions were thwarted due to a back injury and later, illness.

Now, he is registered for the popular recreational race "Rampa con i Campioni," where he is expected to meet his old rival Dario Cologna. He has expressed his determination to compete and has trained well in preparation for the event.

Northug's former teammate Niklas Dyrhaug and Chris Jespersen also plan to compete in this event, with Dyrhaug expressing confidence that Northug will need to perform well to beat him, joking, "If he doesn’t, then it would be pretty embarrassing."

As excitement builds for the upcoming competition, speculation surrounds Northug's performance, especially considering his past struggles with the challenging climb of the monsterbakken. However, he appears undeterred, confident he can show strong results this weekend when the event unfolds.

"If I don’t beat Niklas, then I’ll hang up my skis for good," Northug said with determination.

With a mix of light-hearted banter and fierce competitiveness, the weekend's event promises to be a thrilling one in the world of cross-country skiing, bringing Northug back into the spotlight as he faces these formidable rivals.