Norway names first cross‑country skiers for the 2026 Olympics – Davos World Cup winner left out for now

Norway has named the first eight cross‑country skiers for the Milan–Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. The initial selections are:

• Harald Østberg Amundsen
• Einar Hedegart
• Johannes Høsflot Klæbo
• Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget
• Erik Valnes
• Kristine Stavås Skistad
• Astrid Øyre Slind
• Heidi Weng

Einar Hedegart has been one of the revelations of the season. Known also for competing in biathlon, he placed second in the 20 km mass start in Ruka and won the 10 km freestyle races in Trondheim and Davos.

By contrast, fellow Norwegian breakthrough Karoline Simpson‑Larsen, who won the Davos 10 km and has finished inside the top 11 in every World Cup race this season, was not included in this first wave of selections. National team coach Per Elias Kalfoss told NRK that a single win may not be enough given the current level and that the staff will continue evaluations through the Norwegian Championships in Steinkjer in mid‑January.

Norway’s current Olympic quota allows eight women and seven men in cross‑country. The Olympic roster can still be expanded or adjusted until mid‑January following the national championships. The Milan–Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics take place 6–22 February in Italy, with live coverage on Yle.