The Norwegian describes the drama in the book "Winner's heart: The story of Marit Bjørgen", which is written together with the journalist Ingerid Stenvold and will be released on Tuesday.
Bjørgen had just returned home from the World Cup 2017 - where she took four golds - when she received the shock message from the national team doctor Petter Olberg that the Finnish doping laboratory had found a deviation in a test after three miles.
- It was completely damn good to get that phone call, she says to VG.
- I got a big lump in my stomach.
It had been through it with Martin (Johnsrud Sundby) and Therese (Johaug) and I thought it was not possible.
The Norwegian urine sample contained traces of 19-norandrosterone.
The national team doctor asked Bjørgen to take it easy anyway because the rash could have something to do with her using the preparation Primolut-N, which is used to shift the menstrual cycle.
Bjørgen still could not let go of the thought of it.
- The tears fell and it was difficult to sleep, it was difficult to relax the next day as well, she tells NRK.
It took two weeks for her to exhale.
By then, the International Ski Federation (Fis) had come to the conclusion that her explanation was consistent with the findings in the doping laboratory.