When the national teams for the 2025-26 season are announced, one familiar name will be missing. After more than a decade on the Norwegian elite team, 32-year-old Håvard Solås Taugbøl is saying farewell—only to embark on a new journey as one of Aukland’s men in his Ski Classics Pro Team.

Jørgen Aukland confirmed the signing to Langrenn.com.

“Håvard has signed a two-year contract with us to start. We’re very happy that he has chosen to join our team,” Aukland said.

“Although he’s been seen as a pure sprinter on the national team, he possesses some exciting physical attributes that we believe are very promising for long-distance racing. With our knowledge, experience, and resources, we’re confident we can develop him into a strong contender.”

Since making his World Cup debut in December 2013, the Lillehammer native has secured one victory and a dozen podium finishes on the circuit, most recently in the Drammen sprint last year. Taugbøl won bronze in the sprint at the 2021 World Championships in Oberstdorf and also competed for Norway in the sprint at the 2023 World Championships and in Trondheim this winter.

While most newcomers must undergo a trial period or start in a support role, Taugbøl will step directly into a leadership position with Team Ragde Charge.

What role will Taugbøl play in the team?

“Our main goal is to win races—the biggest races. He’ll be a crucial part of the team, both in supporting the squad and seizing his own opportunities. It all depends on how he performs over the summer and fall in training, testing, and team sessions. The best athlete will get the chance to win races.”

Straight into a leading role

Last year, Mathias Aas Rolid entered the team on a trial basis as a support skier. Does Taugbøl get a direct entry?

“Yes, Håvard joins immediately. When you’ve represented Norway at the World Championships and have over ten World Cup podiums, you have qualities that very few possess. He has trained exclusively for sprint his entire career, yet he has recorded top-10 to top-30 results in Scandinavian Cup distance races without specific training for them. We’ve seen that World Cup sprinters often perform very well in long-distance racing.”

Aukland also emphasized that Taugbøl has previously won the 120-kilometer Troll Skimaraton, further proving his endurance capabilities.

“The path will unfold as we go, and it all depends on how he adapts to training. It usually takes at least a year to truly thrive in long-distance racing, so we need to guide him correctly and take it step by step. We’ll see how things progress and whether he can contend for victories as soon as next winter,” Aukland told Langrenn.com.

Humble and Highly Motivated

Taugbøl is excited about the transition. He looks forward to testing himself in a completely new environment but remains humble about the level of competition in Ski Classics.

“I’ve always loved long races. The competition in Ski Classics is tough, but I’m ready to work hard and believe I can be a strong contender in the years ahead. Now, I’m eager to get started on the work that needs to be done and am fully motivated for this new training approach.”

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