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Petter Northug got involved when he saw kilometer 15 in Beitostølen.
BEITOSTØLEN (Nettavisen): Mikael Gunnulfsen took a very surprising victory on Saturday in the classic 15 kilometers in Beitostølen.
Words of praise did not wait for the 27-year-old cross country skier from Team Telemark, who took a serious aim in the battle for a place on the Norwegian World Cup team.
One of those who was impressed was Petter Northug.
Now he hopes to see Gunnulfsen at the opening of the World Cup in Ruka, Finland, next weekend.
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The Norwegian team management has already eliminated eight out of ten male runners allowed to travel to Finland, but there are still two vacancies in the squad.
However, the coach of the national team, Eirik Myhr Nossum, has made it clear that the two places are basically reserved for the players of the national team.
Northug believes, however, that the national team leadership should find a place for Gunnulfsen.
– When he wins at Beitostølen so superiorly, he should definitely get the chance at Ruka, writes Northug in a message to Nettavisen.
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Northug took action himself
The old ski king took action when he saw Gunnulfsen perform in Beitostølen.
Northug, who has his own “Northug” branded eyewear collection, was quick to contact Gunnulfsen after Saturday’s race.
Gunnulfsen posed with the new Northug glasses on Sunday and now the parties are hoping for a new collaboration.
– He goes to the same team as my brother Even in Team Telemark, so it was only natural that they were from the same show brand, says Northug.
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Gunnulfsen confirms to Nettavisen that he was contacted by the Northug camp after Saturday’s race for a glasses deal.
– It’s absolutely true. We have Even Northug on the team, I know John Northug well and Petter has been with us a lot in practice so the road was short. They were tour and I was not u-tour, Gunnulfsen tells Nettavisen.
The online newspaper receives confirmation that the formalities related to a deal are not yet fully in place, but that the parties will talk more after the weekend. In the first instance, they agreed that Gunnulfsen should wear the Northug goggles in Sunday’s race.
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– Empty me physically and verbally
However, runner Eagle was unable to follow up on Saturday’s achievement in Sunday’s 15-kilometer freestyle in Beitostølen. The 27-year-old finished in 18th place, 1 minute 28 seconds behind winner Hans Christer Holund.
– The rush to put on the glasses today may not have been necessary, Gunnulfsen laughs.
He explains that Saturday’s victory cost both physical and mental strength and thus made it difficult to claim first place on Sunday.
– It was a very special day on Saturday. I was hoping it was okay to restart, but on Saturday I emptied myself both physically and verbally. First physically on the road and then verbally in the mixing zone. It was a long day and last night I slept a maximum of four hours. There were many impressions in one day. I was hoping it would shake up today, but from the start I felt like it wasn’t a peak day. Still, I’m pretty happy, Gunnulfsen explains.
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Waiting for ruka
The 27-year-old was careful not to comment too much on vacant seats on the World Cup squad after Saturday’s feat, but says on Sunday that he agrees with Northug that he deserves to try his hand at the mini-tour in Ruka.
– I agree. It is a final stage in free technique and I do not do a crazy race today, but in a hunting start on a mini tour like this, it goes a little more in hitches and starts. It suits me quite well in free technique, explains Gunnulfsen.
Telemarkingen had a chat with national team coach Nossum on Saturday, but did not elaborate on what the two discussed.
– Now I’ll go home and relax, then we’ll see what phones and plane tickets should appear, says Gunnulfsen.
On Sunday, the coach of the national team Nossum will not say anything about who the last two places of the World Cup team will go to.
– We sat down and argued a bit later, Nossum tells Nettavisen.
However, he does not hide the fact that he was impressed by the 27-year-old from Telemark this weekend.
– There is no doubt that he applied to go to the World Cup for the future, no.
The Norwegian World Cup team will be announced on Monday.
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