Norwegian skier Johannes Hösflot Klaebo in the free technique sprint during the World Cup race in Falun, Sweden on March 18, 2023.
Falun (Sweden) – Norwegian skier Johannes Hösflot Klaebo won sprint free technique in Falun and secured a small crystal globe ahead of the remaining two events in the discipline. Overall, he claimed his 17th win of the World Cup season and cemented his lead in the series standings. His compatriot Kristine Skistadová dominated the women's race. Both repeated their four-day-old triumphs from Drammen. Czech runners were eliminated in the quarterfinals.
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Photo gallery: SP 2022/23 – cross-country skiing, jumping and Nordic combination
Michal Novák was third in the quarter-final run, in which he started, among others, with Klaeb. He was classified 16th overall and maintained his ninth position in the SP. “I'm very sorry today. At the transition on the downhill, the Swede passed me, there was a gap, and if there wasn't, I had a better chance to fight for progress at the finish. This is how I came to the finish line third, and even though I felt that I have good speed, so unfortunately it didn't work out,” said Novák on the association's website. He still believed in progress over time, but he didn't make it. “I'm sorry but overall I got some points and there will be another chance on Tuesday,” he said.
Ondřej Černý was unable to follow up on the tenth place from the classic sprint in Drammen. Although he advanced from the qualification with a time of 14th, he finished penultimate in his quarterfinal and took 22nd place. “We drove the heat very tactically, I think I also rode relatively well tactically. I was surprised by how I felt, that I had no strength at the end, especially in my legs,” admitted Černý.
Kateřina Janatová, who qualified in twelfth place, finished seventeenth. “I was quite satisfied with qualifying, but things didn't go well in the heat and I lost it at the end. I have to work on the finals. But at least there is a top twenty, which is better than nothing. I'm not very satisfied. I think I want a little more, still in addition to this difficult sprint, which might just suit me. I'm a little sorry,” stated Janatová.
Twenty-six-year-old Klaebo was rejoicing on the sprint track in Falun the day after he dominated the classic 10 km race with interval start. In the final, the star Norwegian defeated compatriot Erik Valnes and Italian Federico Pellegrino.
In the overall ranking of the SP, Klaebo leads by 309 points ahead of another Norwegian, Paal Golberg. He has won 17 of the 27 individual races so far in the season, which is a record among men. If she also dominates the remaining three SP races, she will equal the absolute maximum of compatriot Therese Johaugová, who collected 20 victories in the 2019/20 season.
In the sprint, Skistadová won for the third time in the season in a tight finish ahead of the domestic representatives Jonna Sundlingová and Maja Dahlqvistová. The fight for the small crystal globe between the women will be even more exciting. Leader Nadine Fähndrich of Switzerland, who finished fourth today, is separated by two points from runner-up Dahlqvist.
Women's SP leader Norway Tiril Udnes Weng finished 22nd, 102 points ahead of second-placed American Jessie Diggins, who was in the sprint thirteenth.
SP in cross-country skiing in Falun – sprint freestyle:
Men: 1. Klaebo 2:52.73, 2. Valnes (both Nor.) -0.73, 3. Pellegrino (It.) -1.18, 4. Chavanat -1.90, 5. Jouve (both Fr.) -1.96, 6. Asdoel (Nor.) -2 ,90, …16. Novák, 22. Černý (both Czech Republic) – both eliminated in the quarter-finals.
Progressive WC order (after 28 out of 31 races): 1. Klaebo 2370 , 2. Golberg (Nor.) 2061, 3. Pellegrino 1483, 4. Holund 1218, 5. Krüger 1185, 6. Tönseth (all Nor.) 1175, …9. Novák 916, 39. Černý 372, 72. Šeller 192, 131. Fellner (both Czech Republic) 53.
Women: 1. Skistad (Nor.) 2:55.62, 2. Sundling -0.34, 3. Dahlqvist (both Swedes) -4.98, 4. Fähndrich (Switzerland) -6, 42, 5. Myhreová -10.90, 6. Myhrvoldová (both Nor.) -13.80, …17. Janatová (Czech Republic) – eliminated in the quarter-finals.
Current order of the World Cup (after 28 out of 31 races): 1. T. U. Wengová (Nor.) 1834, 2. Diggins (USA) 1732, 3. Niskanen (Fin.) 1632, 4. Brennan (USA) 1462, 5. Fähndrich 1236, 6. Karlsson (Sweden) 1220, …24. Janatová 707, 39. Razýmová 426, 45. Beranová 341, 87. Antošová 91, 126. P. Nováková 25, 155. A. Nováková (all Czech Republic) 6.
