Razýmová reached the top ten at the SP in Falun for the first time this season

Illustration photo – Czech cross-country skier Kateřina Razýmová.

Falun (Sweden) – Cross-country skier Kateřina Razýmová finished ninth in the 10 km classic race with an interval start at the World Cup in Falun and made it into the top ten for the first time this season. Michal Novák took 15th place on the same track for men. The women's race was won by Finka Kerttu Niskanenová, who claimed her first victory this year. The men were dominated by the Norwegians led by series leader Johannes Hösflot Klaeb.

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Photo gallery: SP 2022/23 – cross-country skiing, jumping and Nordic combined

For the thirty-one-year-old Razýmová, who returned to racing after a maternity break last December, the best place in the World Cup after the break so far was eleventh place out of the top ten in the January free style with a mass start in Val di Fiemme.

She returned to the top ten in Falun, where two years ago she was ninth in the free top ten. That was her last individual Top 10 finish among the elite. Razímová used the popular classic ten with an interval start. “It's one of my favorite disciplines and Falun is one of my favorite destinations. It's my best result since giving birth and I value it even more in Scandinavia. I'm very satisfied with my performance. I think I managed to distribute my forces well . I had a great time,” she said in a press release.

She appreciated the quality of the skis. “I haven't had better skis under my feet than today in the last year or two. It's a shame that it didn't work out at the World Championships, but sometimes is better than never,” added Razýmová, whose highest finish at the World Championships was 13th place in the skiathlon.

She was 49.2 seconds behind Niskanen today. But she won, among other things, the scalp of the leading woman of the SP Tiril Udnes Wengová. Thanks to a better finish, she beat the Norwegian by almost seven seconds. The second Czech representative at the start, Kateřina Janatová, took 37th place with a distance of 2:10 minutes.

After a quick start, Novák moved in the first half of the second ten. In the end, he lost 57.6 seconds to Klaeb, who claimed his 63rd WC triumph in his career. In the running order of the series, the Czech skier moved from eleventh to ninth place.

The Norwegian phenomenon won ahead of three compatriots, with a lead of 10.7 seconds over the second Martin Löwström Nyenget. Third Harald Östberg Amundsen had a deficit of 20.7 seconds, fourth was Paal Golberg. In total, Norwegians occupied seven places in the top ten.

Niskanen was 15.9 seconds faster than Germany's Katharina Hennig. Anne Kjersti Kalvaa finished third, the Norwegian representative was 22.3 seconds behind the winning Finn.

SP in cross-country skiing in Falun – 10 km classic:

Men: < 1. Klaebo 24:55.3, 2. Nyenget -10.7, 3. Amundsen -20.7, 4. Golberg (all Nor.) -23.0, 5. Hyvärinen -24.7, 6. Hakola (both Fin .) -30.4, ...15. Novak (Czech Republic) -57.6.