A former World Cup skier is making a comeback: The 27-year-old, now skiing for Røa IL, is one of eight athletes on the newly established long-distance team, Team Andiamo.

Super Talent
Marte Mæhlum Johansen is a double junior world champion in cross-country skiing, first in the 5-kilometer classic at the Junior World Championships in Rasnov, Romania, in 2016.

The following year, she won gold in the skiathlon at the Junior World Championships in Soldier Hollow, USA, where she defeated Sweden’s superstar Ebba Andersson.

Mæhlum Johansen also has one silver medal from each of these championships, amassing a total of four medals from Junior Worlds.

After winning both gold and silver at the U23 World Championships in Oberwiesenthal in 2020, Mæhlum Johansen secured a spot on the Norwegian national development team. The girl from Østre Toten was predicted to have a bright future.

But it didn’t turn out that way.

The transition to senior level was tough. She struggled with performance anxiety, and in 2022, she decided to step away from cross-country skiing at the World Cup level.

Read more: Unleashing mental toughness in skiing

“80 percent of the days were tough. There were more bad days than good,” Mæhlum Johansen told TV2 when explaining why she quit, adding:

“When I went to bed at night, I started dreading the next day’s training session. That’s when I began to reflect more deeply. Why am I doing this? Am I doing it for myself – or for someone else?”

Read more: Mental training makes a champion

Mæhlum Johansen began studying and also interned at the Norwegian Ski Federation.

“It was important that I quit while I still enjoyed it, before elite sports became too overwhelming. I still love skiing, training, and staying active. That has been crucial for me,” she said.

Read more: Collegiate skiing: Racing, studying and meeting the President of the United States

Now, Mæhlum Johansen is making a comeback, this time focusing on long-distance skiing and the Ski Classics series with the newly established team, Team Andiamo.

In addition to Marte Mæhlum Johansen, the team consists of Sigrid Bye and Hedda Nerdrum on the women’s side, and five men: Halvor Kleivi, Ivar Andre Ryttervold, Erling Moseby, Viljar Buer Kristiansen, and Kjetil Stuge Bånerud.

Ski Classics Season XVI kicks off with two consecutive races in Bad Gastein, Austria, in mid-December. The upcoming season includes a total of 14 races.

See the full schedule for Ski Classics 2024/25 HERE