The former biathlete has fully invested in cross-country skiing in the last season, and now he admits that he has already tested the Olympic trails.
"There weren't that many people who stopped me, so it was just a matter of walking straight in", says Hedegart to NRK.no
He explains that he was allowed to be in peace, apart from a couple of workers who were at the track. "They just carelessly looked at me, those who worked there, so it went perfectly well", says Hedegart to NRK.
Hedegard is among the favorites to win the 10-kilometer distance during the Winter Olympics. He has won the distance both in the World Cup in Trondheim and during the Norwegian Championships in Steinkjer.
While the last Olympic places were awarded a couple of weeks ago, Hedegart has been able to prepare for a long time. Since he had already been selected, he did not have to compete in the Tour de Ski, where many of the competitors got to test the Olympic trails.
"It was nice to get an impression of what the trail was like, because I've never been there before. But I didn't have any interval, or yes, nothing more than just getting an impression of it, actually", explains Hedegart.
The cross-country skier from Inderoy admits that the trails in Val di Fiemme are harder than what he is used to, and that is precisely why it's vital to know where to make your push and when to relax.
"It is a very difficult trail. Heavier than I think all the trails I've ever done. So certain things become very important. It becomes very important to know how to use your strength", says Hedegart and continues: