Petter Northug Hard on the Ski Federation: – We May Miss Fantastic Careers

– If I were to start thinking about all of that, I would just get angry. So I try not to use much energy on it, says Jan Thomas Jenssen.

He has just completed a physical test on the roller ski treadmill in Granåsen and is speaking with NRK about his exclusion from the national team and its consequences.

The 28-year-old from Hommelvika in Trøndelag had his long-awaited international breakthrough as a skier almost a year ago. He joined the reserve list for the season opener in Ruka and climbed to the top in the 20 km freestyle race.

The weekend after, he stepped in as the anchor leg on the Norwegian relay team in Gällivare, leading Norway to victory. During the Tour de Ski, he had the best stage time when he finished third in the pursuit in Toblach.

However, when the Ski Federation announced the national teams for the 2024/25 season on April 24, with the World Championships on home soil in Trondheim as the highlight, Jan Thomas Jenssen was not among the ten men's names on the list.

REJECTED: Jan Thomas Jenssen stood atop the podium after two World Cup races last year. That wasn't enough for a national team spot.

Could Have Ruined Many Things

– I was angry, yes. I could have ruined many things. I felt like I had something to prove.

– Did you ruin anything?

– No, I didn't.

Someone who understands Jenssen's reaction is Petter Northug.

– I can very much relate to Jan Thomas, and it's frustrating. You feel like the world is working against you. It can be demotivating, says Northug to NRK.

He points out that Jenssen was not the only Norwegian male skier who performed on the international level last winter without receiving spots on the national team as a reward.

Northug: – It Can Break You

Mattis Stenshagen, Henrik Dønnestad, and Gjøran Tefre all stood on the podium in World Cup races but did not receive offers for national team placement.

– They are at a stage in their careers where they should be on the national team. For soon it may be too late, and time flies quickly for elite athletes. When you don't have an offer, it can also mentally break you a bit, says Northug.

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP OUTSIDER: Petter Northug himself has a slight hope of competing in the World Championships in Trondheim.

– Should they have received a better offer from the Ski Federation?

– They absolutely should have received a better offer.

Northug elaborates:

– It could very well be that we miss out on some fantastic careers simply because they could have had some really great years as athletes, which they're now losing out on due to insufficient offers from the federation, he says.

This is a concern not shared by the head of the cross-country committee in the Ski Federation, Torbjørn Skogstad.

– I believe that these skiers, as far as I know, have good offers. Jan Thomas is part of a team under our umbrella in our organization. As far as I know, the other three have chosen to decline offers to join the Elon team and opted for private endeavors, which they believe are better, says Skogstad.

Tefre is part of Team Aker Dæhlie, while Stenshagen and Dønnestad are part of Team Swix.

Must Pay Own Costs

So what are the advantages of being on the national team?

First, the athletes receive support from the coaches and support staff of the national team. They get to compete against the best Norwegian cross-country skiers during gatherings covered by the Ski Federation.

The national team members also receive salaries, whereas Jan Thomas Jenssen must pay out of pocket to be part of the regional team Team Elon Midt-Norge. He also has to cover expenses related to competitions.

National team members are also prioritized in selections for the initial World Cup weekends, which are important qualifying races for the World Championships. This is what Jenssen likes the least.

He believes that the national season opener on Beitostølen this coming weekend should have served as an American selection for the World Cup opener in Ruka. That is, the fastest skiers at Beitostølen should get the World Cup ticket.

– Even if you are on the national team, you cannot just stroll into Beitostølen and think you have a free pass. I hope they don’t think like that, those who are meant to select the team either. Because I believe that the level in Norway is so high that the best must get to race regardless, says Jenssen.

Skogstad points out that despite this, there are many skiers outside of the national team who get opportunities in the World Cup, as Jenssen did a year ago.

Justification: Economics and Quotas

At the same time, Skogstad emphasizes that national team skiers are selected for a reason, namely that they are the skiers the national team management believes have the best chance of performing in championships.

DEFENDING EXCLUSION: The head of the cross-country committee, Torbjørn Skogstad, believes it is right to have only ten male skiers on the national team.

– Then the coaches whom we place great responsibility on must be allowed to make their priorities based on how they believe the best path to being good and staying on top when you reach Trondheim is, says Skogstad.

– But why is it 10 and not 14 skiers on the national team?

– It has to do with economics and the financial framework. We have very high expectations for the skiers we select for the national team in Norway, both from us and from the public. Therefore, we must ensure that they have good conditions around them to achieve the goals and expectations we set for them, says Skogstad.

The committee leader points out that it also relates to Norway's base quota in the World Cup, which is no more than six skiers per competition.

WORKING HARD: Under the supervision of coach Kristian Skrødal (behind), Jan Thomas Jenssen is doing everything to prove that his exclusion from the national team was a mistake – and that he should compete in the World Championships at home in Trondheim.

Determined to Succeed

Jan Thomas Jenssen does not intend to let his exclusion from the national team break him. Instead, he has decided to use it as motivation – and turn it into something positive.

The positive aspect is that he has been able to continue his collaboration with his coach Kristian Skrødal in familiar surroundings around the World Championship venue in Granåsen.

– I have a team that means a lot to me, and a coach who means an incredibly lot to me. Starting to shake things up before a World Championship season might be foolish. So maybe it’s okay that I am where I am right now, says the man who dreams of great things at the end of February/beginning of March.

– My dream is to take a medal, says Jan Thomas Jenssen.

This is a dream that Petter Northug hopes will come true.

– There is no other wish than for Jan Thomas to now bounce back, become a world champion, and for all of Hommelvika to come with their tractors and create havoc in Granåsen. And that such a type of skier shows the way into a home World Championship, says Northug.