He fell asleep quietly on Saturday evening after a long battle with illness, reports say Television 2.
Kaggestad became seriously ill in autumn 2020.
For many, Kaggestad became synonymous with summer and cycling. When TV 2 started cycling in 2003, Kaggestad was the man who guided Norwegians through hours of the Tour de France on the screen.
Kaggestad and partner Christian Paasche, who entered the following year, eventually became a radar couple in the commentary box.
In addition to his expertise, regular features such as the “agricultural half hour” and expressions such as “be aware of it” have made Kaggestad immortal among Norwegian TV viewers.
For the “agricultural half-hours” and his sharing of knowledge and passion for France, in 2012 Kaggestad was appointed a Knight of the French Order of Arts and Literature.
Coach
Kaggestad grew up in Oslo, where he was active in several sports. He was part of the junior national cross-country team for a period, and as a footballer he got to the National Championship final for Lyn’s junior team and a few matches for the first team.
Nevertheless, it is as a runner that he made the most of his mark. He was part of the national athletics team for a period, but in competition with runners such as the brothers Arne and Knut Kvalheim and Per Halle, he was never able to establish himself at the top.
In the running environment, he was probably best known as a coach. He was national team coach for nine seasons, which resulted in 13 medals in the Olympics, WC and EC. In particular, he was successful as a coach for Ingrid Kristiansen, who for a long time held the world record in the marathon.
He also supported Jack and Grete Waitz throughout the latter’s career. A career which, among other things, ended in nine victories in the New York Marathon and World Championship gold in 1983, the first gold to be awarded in a world championship in athletics.
Versatile
Outside of athletics, he has, among other things, been a physical trainer for Vålerenga’s men’s soccer team, part of Peter Müller’s support staff at the national ice skating team and sporting coordinator for a number of summer sports in the Olympiatoppen.
Kaggestad, who had a diploma in economics from BI, helped start the shoe manufacturer Nike’s venture into Norway in the 1970s.
He was also a pioneer in the use of physical activity in the treatment of psychiatric patients, and worked part-time with this at Modum bad for a number of years.
Kaggestad married his wife Jeanette in 1968. They eventually had three children and settled in Vikersund in Modum.
In October 2022, Kaggestad was awarded the Norwegian Sports Journalists’ Association’s honorary award.
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