Winter Olympics: Why viral clip of 'absolute machine' Johanes Hoesflot Klaebo at Milano Cortina is even more impressive than it seems

The wider world has come to learn about the mighty force that is Johanes Hoesflot Klaebo in cross-country skiing, after a clip of the Norwegian climbing uphill went viral on social media. TNT Sports expert and former World Cup biathlete Scott Dixon, though, explained why Klaebo's pace is even more impressive than it seems as he attempts to make Winter Olympics history on Friday.

Johanes Hoesflot Klaebo is a force which cross-country skiing has "never seen before", TNT Sports expert Scott Dixon says.

Klaebo received worldwide attention after footage of his staggering uphill dash went viral as he stormed to gold in the classic sprint on Tuesday.

The Norwegian left the sporting world stunned as he clocked a fastest time of 11.4 mph running uphill - per Reuters - as he claimed his second gold medal at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, and his seventh overall.

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Dixon, a former World Cup biathlete, explained why the conditions of the cross-country course make his feat even more impressive than it seems.

"Just to put this into perspective, these skis and poles, they actually have some weight to them," Dixon explained.

"So you're moving this equipment, and look at the speed he's going. There's also wax on his skis, so it's not as if there's a great connection to the snow. He's hurtling up this hill because he's an absolute machine that we've never seen before in the world of cross-country skiing.

Within the sphere of cross-country skiing, Klaebo has already sent records tumbling.

He was the youngest man to win a World Cup, World Championship and Olympic medal in cross-country skiing. He then claimed gold in all six cross-country events at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in 2025.

He is the most decorated male cross-country skier in World Championships history, with last year's clean sweep making it 15 gold medals.

And he is not done yet.

Klaebo could further etch his name into cross-country skiing history should he win gold in Friday's 10km interval start free.

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Having scooped gold in the skiathlon as well as the classic sprint, he is angling for a third gold in northern Italy - which would match the three-gold medal haul he achieved eight years ago in PyeongChang.

Should he manage to do so, he would level Bjorn Daehlie, Ole Einar Bjorndalen and Marit Bjorgen with a tally of eight career gold medals - the most ever achieved in Winter Olympics history.

"I'm sure Klaebo is going to be wanting more," Dixon said. "He's got an extra gear he can give."

And he could well surpass those records, as he is also due to compete in the two relay events as well as the mass start.

Watch: Klaebo mounts late attack to storm to first gold of 2026 Winter Olympics

Video credit: TNT Sports

But Klaebo is not getting carried away at the prospect of making history.

"We'll see," Klaebo said. "I'm going to take one race at a time. But it’s a pretty good start. With the weather and the crowds, it was amazing out there."

Ben Ogden, who finished just less than a second behind Klaebo for silver in the classic sprint, gave some insight into the difficulty of facing the all-conquering Norwegian.

"When you have to face Johannes in every single race, you know that you have to bring the best version of yourself and bring your A-game and you have to keep dreaming," Ogden said.

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