08:06
First timing
At the first timer, Calle Halfvarsson comes through in the lead. The Swede wants to avoid any skirmishes in the field and run his own pace at the front.
08:04
Slow start
As expected, nothing happens at first. The cross-country skiers move in a closed group in the classic style through the trail, taking it easy.
08:00
begin
The starting gun has just sounded. The 70 athletes rush off from five corridors at a crisp nine degrees below zero and in bright sunshine.
07:59
favourites
Others are preferred. Alexander Bolshunov starts as reigning world champion. The Norwegians are counting on overall World Cup leader Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, but they also have Hans Christer Holund, third at the World Championships, and Sjur Røthe, the 2019 World Champion, with them. The absence of defending champion Simen Hegstad Krüger caused by Corona can almost be overcome. To bring another nation into play, of course we also pay attention to the Finn Iivo Niskanen. And a few more Russians are also in the draw.
07:52
Swiss trio
Dario Cologna is missing for the Swiss. The skiathlon Olympic champion from 2014 and world champion from 2013 wants to divide his energy and concentrate on the 15 kilometers. Thus, with Jonas Baumann, Jason Rüesch and Candide Pralong, there remain three Confederates who also have reasonable prospects of placing at the very top.
07:46
Austrian lone fighter
The only Austrian cross-country skier is likely to have a little less chance. Mika Vermeulen now lives and trains in Norway. And we will see to what extent this has already had an effect. However, the only 22-year-old himself admits: “My winter games are coming up in four years.”
07:39
German quartet
At best, the German athletes have very small outsider chances. Four of them want to face the challenge. The 22 seeded athletes include Friedrich Moch, Lucas Bögl and Jonas Dobler. The first two were able to convince at least on the final climb of the Tour de Ski with 3rd and 4th place. For today, however, this has little meaning. In addition, there are no records of the men’s World Cup results worth mentioning this winter – not even from the fourth DSV starter, Florian Notz.
07:31
task
The 70 athletes have eight rounds – four in each style. The classic part takes place on a 3,826 meter long track. The freestyle lap is given as 3,844 meters. In total, we even exceed the competition distance of 30 kilometers by 680 meters. Depending on the conditions and profile, such a race lasts about an hour and a half.
07:22
skiathlon
After pursuit races in the two techniques, such as biathlon, were initially held on different days and later with a break on the same day, skiathlon in its current form has existed at world championships since 2005 and at the Olympic Games a year later. Sometimes there is a change of material not only halfway through the race, i.e. between the two styles. The athletes have their box in the transition area, which they can go to to get freshly prepared skis. Of course, this takes time and you have to weigh up whether the following advantages outweigh it.
07:13
Welcome
Welcome to the second cross-country skiing event of this Olympic Games! After the women yesterday, the men are now competing in their skiathlon and have to cover twice the distance – i.e. 15 kilometers each in classic and free style. The mass start starts at 8:00 a.m. CET.