Career milestone set with World Cup victory for Northug & Larsen
Dec 19, 2021·Cross-Country
On the start list for Sundays Teamsprint at Dresden City Sprint included 36 teams on the Mens side. The first 18 teams in Semifinal A saw yesterdays winner Håvard Solås Taugbøl and his Norwegian team colleague Sindre Bjørnestad Skar take control of pace and lead. The winning team was closely chased by Team Norway II with 23 year-old Thomas Helland Larsen and 26 year-old Evan Northug.
The two leading teams had to defend their positions to a very strong Team France II with Arnaud Chautemps and Renaud Jay. The Italian Sprint duo with Francesco De Fabiani and Federico Pellegrino followed on step and all four first teams directly qualified for the finals. As the pace setting was faster than the following Semifinal B, also the fifth ranked Team Sweden I with Johan Haeggstroem and Marcus Grate as well as sixth ranked Team USA I with Kevin Bolger and J.C. Schoonmaker followed into the finals in the “Lucky Looser” position.
Semifinal B was paced by Alexander Bolshunov and Gleb Retivykh of Team Russia I. But also James Clugnet and Andrew Young, the Sprint experts from Great Britain were on the chase, along yesterdays third placed Lucas Chanavat and his team colleague from France, Richard Jouve. With 21 year-young Valerio Grond who was teamed up with Switzerland’s top male sprinter Jovian Hediger, the remaining qualification spot into the finals was taken.
Semifinal A saw yesterdays winner Håvard Solås Taugbøl and his Norwegian team colleague Sindre Bjørnestad Skar take control of pace and lead. But they were closely followed by Team Norway II with Thomas Helland Larsen and Evan Northug. The two leading teams had to defend their positions to a very strong Team France II with Arnaud Chautemps and Jay Renaud. The Italian Sprint duo with Francesco De Fabiani and Federico Pellegrino followed on step and all four first teams
The 10 teams in the finals consisted of 8 different nations, which showed an exciting diversity. But the lead could not be taken from the Norwegian teams. Despite impressive efforts as for example by British skier James Clugnet, who leaped into the front position in the slight uphill after the start, the lead could not be taken from the Norwegian skiers.
However, today it was not Team Norway I that naturally took the victory. This honor was reserved to set a milestone in the careers of Thomas Helland Larsen and Even Northug. The young Norwegians kept their head in the game and managed to fight for the win before Team Norway II with Sindre Bjørnestad Skar and Håvard Solås Taugbøl. Third over the finish line came Gleb Retivykh who got himself and Alexander Bolshunov a long awaited return onto the podium.
