World Skiing Championships in Planica (Slovenia), men's 15 km freestyle, March 1, 2023. Race winner Simen Hegstad Krüger of Norway.
Planica (Slovenia) – Skier Michal Novák took 12th place in the 15 kilometer freestyle race at the World Championships in Planica. Six days after the sensational fourth place in the sprint, he confirmed his excellent form, nine seconds separated him from the elite ten. As expected, the Norwegians dominated the race and, just like two years ago at the World Cup, they occupied the entire podium, the gold was won by Simen Hegstad Krüger.
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Photogallery: 2023 WC Classic Skiing in Planica
Novák kept up with the fastest in the first third of the race and at the split time of the fifth kilometer he was third with a gap of 12 seconds to Krüger, who had already won the skiathlon in Planica. He gradually balanced on the edge of the top ten until the finish line.
“I can be satisfied. I already said before the race that around tenth place is my standard performance. Until three quarters I felt great, that I was under control and I was driving relaxed. But the circuit is extremely demanding. The climb is extremely long. Indescribably difficult. In the last circuit, I thought I was going to let my soul out,” Novák told Czech Television.
In the end, the effort to ride together with Harald Östberg Amundsen took more of his strength. “He overtook me, I knew he was going for the gold, so I had fun and tried with him. But it tired me so much that I had to get off the pace, because it is possible that I would fall into the pangate and lay there,” he said Novák.
Amundsen did not deprive Krüger of the gold, he lost by 5.3 seconds. Norway's dominance was underlined by defending gold medalist Hans Christer Holund and star Johannes Hösflot Klaebo, who was fourth.
Results of the Alpine Skiing World Championships in Planica
Run:
< strong>Men – 15 km freestyle: 1. Krüger 32:17.4, 2. Amundsen -5.3, 3. Holund -24.6, 4. Klaebo (all Nor.) -25.5, 5. Poromaa (Swed.) -48.9, 6. Röthe (Norway) -52.8, …12. Novák -1:30.3, 36. Fellner -2:47.3, 70. Lukeš (all Czech Republic) -5:06.9.
Nordic combination:
15:10 men's team – 4×5 km.
Jumps:
17:30 women's big bridge.
