Sprint fall fuels Golberg (NOR) to win as Musgrave returns to podium after five years

Overall World Cup leader Pål Golberg said he used the frustration over Friday's sprint as fuel as he brought home the men's 10km individual start classic race in the Coop FIS Cross-Country World Cup at Beitostølen, Norway, on Saturday.

The Norwegian 32-year-old had got tangled up with Italy's Simone Mocellini in the sprint final and fallen, having to settle for a fourth place despite a strong comeback in the race.

On Saturday, things looked more like they have done this season for Golberg, who won 7.6 seconds ahead of compatriot Didrik Tønseth as Great Britain's Andrew Musgrave finished third.

"Today was another good day. It was a really frustrating day yesterday but that's a part of the game and I had a lot of revenge coming today," Golberg said after claiming this season's fifth podium position.

The home hope had the best time after the first 5km lap, but only by a 0.4-second margin. In the second and final lap, however, Golberg increased the gap to the rest in a strong display of pace control.

"I tried to ski at a steady pace. I thought I managed to do that pretty well and I had some power at the end so I am happy," he said.

"I was a bit afraid that I dragged Musgrave to victory but I was stronger than him in the end."

Musgrave, who had finished sixth, fifth and fourth this season, was not too disappointed that he missed the top spot. For the Brit it was his first podium position since finishing third in the 15km free race at Toblach, Italy, in December 2017.

"It was very, very nice. It's been five years since I was at the podium last time so I feel like it was about time I was back up there," said Musgrave, who lives and trains in Trondheim, Norway.

The 32-year-old assured it will not take five years until next time, as he aims to get his first World Cup victory this season.

"I've trained a lot and trained hard," he said.

"I would have liked to be a couple of steps further up but that's going to come later in the winter."

Tønseth was in fifth place halfway through the race but had saved some energy for the last 5km lap, earning his second podium spot of the season 2.7s before his British opponent. Musgrave was the only non-Norwegian in the top five as Emil Iversen finished fourth and Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget claimed fifth.

Click here for full results of the men’s 10km individual start classic.