Niklas Dyrhaug: "We've grown closer since retiring"

It's been a while since we saw him with a race number on his chest out on the track. Niklas Dyrhaug retired from elite sport a few years ago, and for many, he's still synonymous with those standout performances on skis. But life after the national cross-country team has served up something completely different from waxing cabins and interval starts. It's been a time filled with drama, a tough battle with his health, and, not least, a closer friendship than ever with another former skiing star.

The fight for his life

For those who've followed Dyrhaug in recent years, you'll know life hasn't exactly been a bed of roses. For a period, he was incredibly ill. It was serious, it was frightening, and he fought like a lion. He was fighting for his life, quite literally. Suddenly, it didn't matter who was fastest over the 50 kilometres; the most important thing was just getting through the day. The brutal transition from being an elite athlete in complete control of his body to becoming a patient in a system where his body was failing him was an enormous strain.

Looking back, he's been open about that tough period and just how close it actually was. It puts things in perspective. Suddenly, life isn't about medals and placings, but about breathing and a beating heart. It's in moments like that you really find out who your mates are and where you stand.

A thin line

In the wake of his illness and challenges, Dyrhaug has also been clear about how he experienced the media coverage of his life. He's questioned the boundaries of production companies and how things were portrayed. He felt he had no control, and that it made an already difficult situation worse. It's an important reminder that the flip side of celebrity life can be pretty ugly, and those in the middle of the storm often pay the highest price.

It's easy to forget that the people we see on screen or read about in the paper are real people with real feelings. Niklas Dyrhaug has been brave to speak out and put words to this, and it's undoubtedly resonated with many who've been through the same thing.

The friendship with Magnus Moan

Right in the middle of all this seriousness, something beautiful has also grown. The friendship with Nordic combined skier Magnus Moan. The pair retired around the same time, and it was only really then that their genuine friendship blossomed. As active athletes, they were often on different tracks, with their own routines and daily lives.

But once the skis were put away and the pressure was off, they discovered each other again. As Dyrhaug himself puts it: "We've grown closer since retiring." It's a statement that says a lot about the shift from elite sport to civilian life. Suddenly, you can relax your shoulders, be yourself, and find enjoyment in each other's company without it always being about performance.

They've become each other's support crew in a new and unfamiliar existence. For both of them, it's been good to have someone to share the ups and downs with, someone who truly understands what they've been through. It's a mutual respect and understanding that only comes from having been in the thick of the battle, and which has now developed into something much deeper.

So, what does this friendship actually look like day-to-day? Here are a few things they now share:

• Quiet time and reflection: Long walks where they can talk about life, both past and present.
• Shared projects: They've taken on things together, professionally and personally, that keep them busy and engaged.
• A shoulder to lean on: When everyday life gets tough, they know they can always give each other a call.
• Finding the joy again: They remind each other that life is more than competition, and that it's okay to just enjoy yourself.

You don't always find a lifelong mate out on the trails, but for Niklas Dyrhaug and Magnus Moan, life after their careers turned out to be the start of something new and good. It's a reminder that even after the toughest battles, strong bonds and new meaning can grow. And perhaps, that's the most important victory of them all.