A golden start for Norway at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
Feb 21, 2019·Cross-Country
Double head start for the Norwegians at the beginning of the 52nd Nordic Ski World Championships in Seefeld. The ladies and men sprint competitions became an easy prey for the "Norsker". Just like two years ago, title holder Norwegian Maiken Caspersen Falla won ahead of the Swede Stina Nilsson. 3rd and thus bronze won Marie Eide from Norway.
In the men sprint Høsflot Klaebo as the odds-on favourite was unstoppable. The 22-year old showed his unrivalled class during the final sprint and was unbeatable. It is the first gold medal in a World Championship after his bronze medal in Lahti 2017. Federico Pellegrino became second and the Russian Gleb Retivykh third.
To fight for gold or not to fight for gold, that seemed to be the question in the final men heat. With the top favourites, Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, Federico Pellegrino, Emil Iversen, Richard Jouve, Lucas Chanavat and Gleb Retivykh playing this important final race right, was a challenge. It was made quite obvious when the athletes arrived at the top of the first hill where they stood still for a moment before Lucas Chanavat (FRA) and Emil Iversen (NOR) took the lead back into the stadium. Where Klæbo and Pellegrino excelled their excellent sprinting skills. They rounded up their finals with a magnificent sprint towards the finish line.
