Winter Olympics 2026 - The grandfather effect: How Johannes Høsflot Klæbo rose to the top of cross-country skiing

How did Johannes Høsflot Klæbo become the most decorated male cross-country skier ever?

There was the sacrifice of giving up his dream to be a footballer at 16. Meticulous training sessions followed, day after day, regardless of the conditions. And then there is Kåre Høsflot – the Norwegian’s grandfather and coach.

The 83-year-old has been alongside Klæbo since the very start, gifting him his first pair of skis as a two-year-old – or rather regifting them from his cousin, though that did not matter to the Trondheim native.

Without him, his grandson would not have reached the summit of cross-country with 105 FIS World Cup individual wins, more than any man in history.

“He's been the perfect granddad,” Klæbo told NBC. “From when I was 10 years old, he started picking me up from practice. Either it was soccer practice, or if it was cross-country skiing, he came and picked me up, drove me back and forth.

“He was the one helping me with different gear. If I needed new ski boots, he was the one buying them for Christmas for me. I've never had to call him 'coach' or anything. It's always been grandpa from the very start.”

Their journey together leads nicely to Klæbo’s third Olympic Winter Games, and first in Europe, at Milano Cortina 2026. Grandpa Kåre will be in Tesero, Italy, to spur on his grandson/prodigy on for more glory.

Johannes Høsflot Klæbo | All the stars of Milano Cortina 2026

Klæbo becomes most decorated male cross-country skier of all time

Milano Cortina 2026 – Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, choosing between football and cross-country

In a parallel universe, Klæbo would be a household name in Norway’s men’s national football team at this year’s FIFA World Cup. A team spearheaded by superstars Erling Haaland, Martin Ødegaard, and 29-year-old Klæbo.

Football was the five-time Olympic champion’s joint passion with cross country, growing up between the Norwegian capital of Oslo and on the banks of the Trondheim Fjord. At age 16, he knew he had to commit to one sport.

Klæbo referred to his mentor, grandfather and best friend – all in one person, of course – for advice. There was no denying the teenager’s natural talent on both the pitch and the snow, but it was the individual accountability of the latter that guided his decision.

“I really liked to play soccer and at that point, I needed to make a choice whether I would go in on the cross-country way or the soccer way,” explained Klæbo. “We talked about it for quite a long time, and I think we both agreed that I liked the part that if something goes wrong, I can blame myself.

“It was tough to make that decision, but he was really supportive. He wouldn't have been my coach if it was soccer, but he was really trying to help me figure out what was best for me. There were no discussions or uncertainty. He was just really down from the first second I said that I want to be the best cross-country skier in the world.”

Høsflot was all in to support his grandson’s cross-country trajectory, something which has never changed in the 13 years since their full-fledged commitment to the sport.

From the very start, the goals were clear: reach the top, win the World Cup crystal globe and become the greatest athlete on the trail. It is no understatement to say that the Norwegian grandfather-grandson duo have accomplished that.

Klæbo recalled: “When I decided that I wanted to go skiing, I also told him that I need someone to help me set up a plan. Not a plan for one year at a time, [but] a plan for the next five years. We're going to figure out how I can win the World Cup as soon as possible and how we are going to do that.”

Milano Cortina 2026 – The Klæbo family affair to achieve cross-country supremacy

The seven-time Olympic medallist relies on Høsflot for just about everything on the competition side. His grandfather sets up training regimes throughout the World Cup campaign and the off-season, analysing all the data he can get his hands on.

They have always shared a special relationship, frequenting fishing trips and long runs in their downtime. Klæbo fondly remembers cycling 10km to and from his grandfather’s home to spend time together in his childhood.

While Kåre is the “secret weapon” behind the success, he is not the only family member who plays a part in Johannes’ journey. His father acts as the manager, his mother manages the finances, and his brother doubles up as media manager.

They are no ordinary family, but Klæbo is no ordinary athlete.

The youngest male skier ever to win gold at the Olympic Winter Games, 15 World Championship gold medals and five World Cup overall titles, to name just a few of his accolades.

“My dad is my manager and he's cooking,” said Klæbo of his father’s multi-faceted role in his career. “He's my… in Norway we call it ‘potato’ [‘potet’]. You can use it for a lot of things, but I would say it's a compliment because he can really do everything.”

He continued: “My brother was the one who helped me when we started the YouTube channel. He was the one editing all the videos. My sister was the one translating them from Norwegian to English. My grandma was the one baking bread to bring to the World Cup. It's a lot of people who are really important in my life, and have a huge part in all the medals and victories we have had.”

It is often said that it takes a village to raise a child, and in the case of the five-time Olympic gold medallist, the entire family continue to play their part in his achievements on the snow.

Johannes Høsflot Klæbo: in pursuit of further greatness at Milano Cortina 2026

Ahead of the Olympic year, 2025 was a year to remember for Klæbo. A self-titled biopic documentary was released across cinemas in Norway, plus the 29-year-old got engaged to his partner, Pernille Døsvik.

In terms of sporting highlights, nothing could top the Norwegian’s fairytale story at the Nordic Ski World Championships. Held in Trondheim, 5km from where the superstar grew up, he was fixated on delivering on home snow from the moment Norway intended to host back in 2016.

Klæbo entered six events and came away with six gold medals, in turn becoming the sport’s most decorated male athlete ever. In front of his family and an adoring home crowd, the image of him wearing a crown and his medals speaks louder than words.

“It was really special,” he recalled of Trondheim 2025. “It’s a place where I've been putting in a lot of hours training, either interval sessions or easy sessions. At that time, I really knew that, ‘OK, this is going to be my Championships, when I really want to be at my prime’. For the last nine years I've been thinking about those races.”

Klæbo saved the best until last in the 50km mass start, one of the most gruelling and demanding events in the sport. The most special moment? Hugging his grandfather at the finish line, having previously kept his distance to avoid illness mid-competition.

“The hug we got to give each other after the 50k, it was amazing,” he said. “The 50k is probably the race that I have been thinking the most about. When you win that and you also won the first five [races], the last one is the most important, and you do the impossible.”

That race will also hold significance for Klæbo at Milano Cortina 2026: it is the only event he will compete in that he has not won a medal. At Beijing 2022, he did not finish in a race that was reduced from 50km to 30km due to weather conditions.

Four years later, the Norwegian star is aiming to add to his five golds, one silver and one bronze. If he can win four gold medals, he would become the most decorated Olympic male cross-country skier in the history of the Games – with the guidance of his grandfather.

“The goal is, of course, fighting for the gold medals. That's what I'm chasing,” Klæbo concluded. “It's going to be cool to have an Olympics in Europe, or at least closer to where we race normally - and also a shorter trip for him to travel. He will for sure be there, and it's going to be nice to have him on the sideline.”

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