Norwegians celebrate in Lillehammer.
Therese Johaug’s talents came into their own on the Lillehammer track. PASI LEISMA
Therese Johaug was the queen of Lillehammer on Friday in the intermediate start of the 10 km freestyle skiing.
Johaug made the bases on every intermission base and struck out all but one by Heidi Weng by more than 40 seconds.
– He has returned straight to the top. There’s no denying it, IL’s ski expert Reijo Jylhä sums up the 1st, 4th and 2nd places of the Norwegian start in the World Cup this season.
Competition Manager Axel Teichmann predicts before dawn on Friday that the toughest endurance athletes will do well in Lillehammer.
Jylhä says that the big differences between women are partly explained by the fact that the track profile specifically favored Johaug’s exceptional oxygen uptake capacity.
– That latuhan is like made for Johaug. It is the hardest track of the entire World Cup tour in the way that there is no single climb anywhere for such a long time, Jylhä emphasizes and adds that the situation will probably level out when going elsewhere.
Jylhä adds that, in general, the success of the maintenance group was favorable for both women and men in addition to the conditions.
There was also a word of warning for those who fear Johaug’s superiority.
– If skiing goes in the direction it was when he finished the last time, then the gap will surely grow. That frequency and angularity is still there, Jylhä analysed.
Women’s 10 km (v) intermediate start, results
1. Therese Johaug, Norway 25.16,4
2. Heidi Weng, Norway +11.4
3. Astrid Slind, Norway +43.2
4. Frida Karlsson, Sweden +46.4
5. Jessie Diggins, USA +48.7
6. Silje Theodorsen, Norway +1.02.7
–––––
20. Kerttu Niskanen+1.58,7
41. Vilma Nissinen+3.13,7
43. Anne Kyllönen+3.15,4
Weng in attack
According to Reijo Jylhä, Kerttu Niskanen’s skiing is “work”. PASI LEISMA
IL’s expert wants to single out Heidi Weng, who finished second (+11.4). The ballpark was already the second of the season.
– Weng’s performances have been almost at Johaug’s level. He has also returned to his best level, where he was a couple of years ago, Jylhä gives credit to the 33-year-old Norwegian, who won the overall World Cup in the 16–17 and 17–18 seasons.
Norway’s triple victory was completed Astrid Slind (+43.2).
Finns were lazy. Kerttu Niskanen 20’s, Vilma Nissinen 41st and Anne Kyllönen 43:s.
Free is of course not Niskanes’ preferred way of progressing, but on the other hand, the hard terrain of Lillehammer should have suited the Vieremä woman.
The number one of the day ran away by almost two minutes.
– When that result is so far away at the moment, there is a lot of back ground. Although the beginnings of the season have been slow, so much has to happen to be able to challenge Johaug in the games, says Jylhä.
Niskanen has not yet finished in the top 15. It is not a good situation in terms of the overall situation of the World Cup.
Iivo builds
Iivo Niskanen did not keep up with the pace of the top until the end. PASI LEISMA
In the men’s race, the Norwegians’ dominance was even more fierce than in the women’s, as the first six names on the score sheet competed in their home countries.
Iivo Niskanen skied behind the Norwegian crowd for a long time, but eventually fell to 15th place.
– In free skiing, the endurance and functionality of the muscles takes over, especially in that heavy weather. If the weather had been faster, I believe that Iivo would have been able to keep the ranking better than it was today, Jylhä estimates.
In Jylhä’s opinion, the signs for the future are good, because Niskanen’s tactics for the first free starts of the season have been such that they build the foundations for later success.
The best in Finland was Arsi Ruuskanenhe finished 14th. The difference to the top was 57.7 seconds.
– Teemu Pasanen (the head coach of the national team) already said before the season that Arsi is one of them who has been in good shape all summer. Now you can see that he is in the top 15 in the world at the moment. One could assume that if he continues that, he will ski into the top ten.
Norway brought a big team to Lillehammer for the home competition, which was reflected in the final results. In addition to the skiers from the host country, one German finished ahead of Ruuskanen and Niskanen (Friedrich Moch7:s), one Austrian (Mika Vermeulen8th) and one British (Andrew Musgrave11.s).
The yellow-blue crew is not doing well.
– Reindeer country (William20:s) was quite close, but Sweden is right in the middle of the men’s side at the moment. They are really far as a team.
Men’s 10 km (v) intermediate start, results
1. Martin Nyenget, NOR
2. Simen Krüger, NOR, +4.1
3. Harald Amundsen, NOR, +7.8
4. Iver Andersen, NOR, +10.2
5. Andreas Ree, NOR, 10.4
6. Mattis Stenshagen, NOR, +38.3
…
14. Arsi Ruuskanen, FIN, +57.7
15. Iivo Niskanen, FIN, +1.01,4
27. Remi Lindholm, FIN, +1.28.5
47. Lauri Lepistö, FIN, 2.07.9