13:54
Jouve triumphs!
Richard Jouve is still in the lead and actually makes it to the finish. The Frenchman not only wins this classic sprint in Falun but also gets the small crystal globe for the Sprint World Cup at the last minute. Half a second behind, Joni Mäki is second. As in Drammen, Lucas Chavanat finished third on the podium. Federico Pellegrino has to settle for 5th place.
13:51
Jouve runs from the front
Jouve confidently takes the lead. Pellegrino makes contact immediately so as not to let the French escape. Wiig also stays tuned. Mäki looks for a completely different route and a somewhat firmer surface on the turbulent climb. Hjelmeset falls behind early.
1:48 p.m
final
Now we look at the men’s final and Richard Jouve’s fight for the Sprint World Cup. Will the Frenchman be able to win like last time in Drammen? Federico Pellegrino would certainly have objections. Sivert Wiig also made a good impression recently. The prologue fastest Joni Mäki, on the other hand, seemed to run out of power in the semifinals. The other starters are Lars Agnar Hjelmeset and Lucas Chavanat.
13:36
Can’t beat Pellegrino
Then Jules Chappaz falls on the descent, so the Frenchman also has no chance. On the home stretch, Federico Pellegrino brings his qualities into play and runs to a sovereign victory. Lars Agnar Hjelmeset follows in second place in the final. Oskar Svensson and fourth-placed Janosch Brugger are ultimately too slow and get stuck in this semi-final. Lucas Chavanat and Joni Mäki remain in the competition as lucky losers. Now let’s switch to women again.
13:32
Second semi-final
In the second semi-final we surprisingly have a German man with us. Janosch Brugger has to deal with Calle Halfvarsson and Federico Pellegrino, who are strong today. Lars Agnar Hjelmeset initially takes the lead. Jules Chappaz is looking for his board ends. Halfvarsson brings up the rear and then falls. The Swede is gone.
1:30 p.m
Jouve keeps his chances
Jouve is now running from the front, but does not get away. Wiig and Mäki stay tuned. Chavanat also keeps in touch. Everything is still relatively close together, which doesn’t speak for the highest speed. This leaves reserves for the final sprint. There, Richard Jouve is way ahead. Second is Sivert Wiig. Lucas Chavanat and Joni Mäki have to hope for the time.
13:26
First semi-final
Back to the men! In the first semi-final we see two Norwegians, two Finns and two French. One of the latter is Richard Jouve, who still has theoretical chances for the Sprint World Cup. However, the two fastest in the prologue, Joni Mäki and Sivert Wiig, are also there. At first, Lucas Chanvanat braced himself for his French compatriot.
13:11
Svensson in front at the end
Ultimately, one of the Swedes decides the race for himself. Oskar Svensson wins ahead of Frenchman Jules Chappaz. Only these two remain in the competition. Janik Riebli retires in fifth place. As a result, Janosch Brugger and Lauri Vuorinen stay ahead in the Lucky Looser ranking and complete the semifinals. The women continue with this.
13:08
Fifth Quarterfinals
Now it’s up to the only Swiss. Janik Riebli does not have the really big names in his career. The Confederate holds up quite well at first. The three Swedes put him to. Suddenly there is an attempt to stand on the climb. So nothing will change for these six athletes over time.
13:07
Hjelmeset and Halfvarsson
In the last descent, Calle Halfvarsson uses the good material and is the first to turn onto the home stretch. Although the Norwegian Lars Agnar Hjelmeset pushes past. The two Scandinavians make it to the semi-finals. Everyone else is too slow – including Michael Föttinger, who ended up sixth.
13:03
Fourth Quarterfinals
Now the second Austrian participant is ready. Michael Föttinger has to deal with Calle Halfvarsson, Ristomatti Hakola and Qiang Wang, among others. And the ÖSV runner tackles it courageously and even sits at the top. Further back, the Chinese falls twice and loses ground.
13:02
Chavant in front of Pellegrino
Persson is pushing at the front, followed by Chavanat and Pellegrino behind. These three stand out. In the end, the Frenchman is the fastest on the home stretch, the Italian is content with second place. And no matter how hard Anton Persson fights, it’s only enough for third place. And the time is too slow. Janosch Brugger stays ahead of the Lucky Loosers.
12:56
Third Quarterfinals
The most notable runners in Heat 3 are Lucas Chavanat and Federico Pellegrino. Jincai Shang can’t wait, starts too early. Everything back again! The Chinese gets the yellow card, a lady of the jury is with him. Shang was already charged and is therefore disqualified. Five athletes remain – Anton Persson from Sweden, as well as Canadian Graham Ritchie and Briton James Clugnet.
12:54
Skaane wins
Håkon Skaanes is no longer relinquishing his top position. On the home stretch, Richard Jouve actually moves up to 2nd place and keeps his small hopes for the Sprint World Cup. Janosch Brugger is a good third and is ahead in the Lucky Looser classification – ahead of fourth-placed Finn Lauri Vuorinen.
12:50 p.m
Second Quarterfinals
Now Janosch Brugger, the only German participant, goes to work. Richard Jouve, Francesco De Fabiani and Håkon Skaanes are among the opponents. The latter Norwegian runs at the top. Jouve gets stuck in the steepest climb and loses some ground.
12:48 p.m
consider Maki
Joni Mäki runs home from the front and doses it at the end. Sivert Wiig arrives second. Gjøran Tefre and Truls Gisselman have to hope for the time. Benjamin Moser is sixth and retires.
12:45 p.m
First Quarterfinals
Now the men begin their quarterfinals. The prologue fastest Joni Mäki from Finland has to deal with Sivert Wiig from Norway, who came second in the qualification.
12:10 p.m
favourites
Without reigning world and Olympic champion Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, it could be a men’s affair for France’s Richard Jouve and Lucas Chavanat, who recently finished on the podium in Drammen. We are excited to see the sensational second there, Qiang Wang from China. And of course there was the Olympic silver medalist Federico Pellegrino. After the numerous corona cases in the sprint team, the Norwegians have to compete with the second guard today.
12:01
Riebli for Switzerland
The only remaining federal representative is Janik Riebli, who finished seventeenth in qualifying. In contrast, Cedric Steiner (40th) and Erwan Käser (52nd) failed.
11:51
Two more Austrians
Unusually many Austrians faced the qualification in the morning. Michael Föttinger (18th) and Benjamin Moser (30th) did indeed manage this and can pick up World Cup points in the quarter-finals. Philipp Leodolter (53rd) and Lukas Mrkonjic, on the other hand, are denied.
11:41
Brugger’s only German
Of the two Germans who were in the starting field of 68 athletes in the qualification, Janosch Brugger came through in 19th place and can therefore compete in the quarter-finals in heat 2. Friedrich Moch, on the other hand, had to give up in 51st place.
11:31
crystal balls
For the men, only the overall World Cup was already decided before this weekend. With a lead of almost 500 points, Johannes Høsflot Klæbo has secured the big crystal globe. After Friedrich Moch got stuck in qualifying in the morning, the Russian Alexander Terentyev, as a spectator from afar, doesn’t have to worry about the U23 ranking, which can no longer be taken from him. While we take care of the distance World Cup and tomorrow’s leader Iivo Niskanen, let’s look at the sprint standings. Klæbo is ahead there with 95 points, but the Norwegian had to end the season early due to a coronavirus infection. So if Richard Jouve wins today’s race and scoops a whopping 100 points, the Frenchman would grab the little crystal ball.
11:21
Welcome
Welcome to the end of the cross-country skiing season in Falun! In Sweden’s stronghold of Nordic skiing, the last World Cup races of the winter are on the program up to and including Sunday. The classic sprints will start on Friday. The men let the women go first and, according to the official schedule, start their quarterfinals at 12:43 p.m.