Northug has been invited by Anders Aukland to join his long-running team Team Ragde Eiendom.

13 World Cup gold and two Olympic golds became during the skiing career for Northug. Many victories came in the longest distance 50 km. So Northug is aiming to win other big titles like Birkebeiner, Marcialonga and not least the Vasaloppet.

- The Vasa race I will certainly put in. In a few years I will have higher ambitions, to win the race, but now it will be the most fun to participate, Northug tells VG.

Northug has been in a long race before. He was 10th at Marcialonga 2012.

It is there in Italy that the first competition is supposed to take place in the new venture. On January 26, he is in the starting line of the classic Italian race

But he will be far behind.

"I'm going to try to be invisible, I'm going to hide," says Northug.

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