Norway defy snow and Swedish support to win men's relay
Dec 03, 2023·Cross-Country
With two of the podium finishers from Saturday’s 10km freestyle, Haral Ostberg Amundsen and Iver Tildheim Andersen, rested and Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo missing the event, other teams might have fancied their chances. But Norway proved their class, and the unrivalled depth of their men’s squad, to win in the first men’s 4x7.5km relay of the season in Gällivare on Sunday.
Like the women’s relay earlier in the day, the first two legs required skiers to use the classic technique, with the remaining two legs raced freestyle (skate technique). But unlike the women’s race, there was no early breakaway, with 11 of the 12 teams still together at the end of the first lap.
In -10 temperatures in northern Sweden, nobody seemed to want to take the initiative with Ben Ogden (USA 1), Mikal Novak (CZE) and Paal Golberg (NOR) – who was back racing his favoured classic technique after winning the 10km freestyle on Saturday – among those sharing the early running.
The modest pace was caused, in part, by a fresh layer of powdery snow on the course. “It was a bit boring with the snow, but that’s life,” Golberg said. “That made the relay even more exciting.”
With the field bunched up, negotiating the tight bends while maintaining technique and steering clear of other skiers proved difficult.
Indeed, Alvar Myhlback in Sweden 2 was given a verbal warning for a technical violation as the pack jostled for positioned but the 17-year-old didn’t let it affect him, handing over for the second leg in a commendable fourth place.
At the end of lap four, Norway’s Martin Loewstroem Nyenget made the first break of the race, with the experienced Calle Halfvarsson (Sweden 1) the only other athlete able to respond, taking the gap to third place out to 8.9 seconds at the halfway stage.
“With the snow, I tried to just stay calm and push really hard at the finish,” Nyenget said. “Hopefully give us a few seconds’ lead.”
On the third leg, Canada’s Olivier Leveille tried to stay with Simen Hegstad Krueger (NOR) and Sweden 1’s Leo Johannson but this burst cost him and he soon dropped back into the pack.
A triple world champion and double Olympic gold medallist, Krueger looked like gradually extending his lead but, he admitted, “it was a little bit tougher” than he would have liked. “Roared on by the home crowd, Johansson fought back, handing over in to Edvin Anger in front, as Germany, USA and Finland closed the gap behind.
Anger put in an early burst, but Norway’s anchor, Thomas Jan Jenssen – buoyed by his 20km Mass Start win in Ruka, Finland, last week – responded. By the final lap, it was a straight shootout between the two, with Germany’s Anian Sossau 19.1 seconds back but clear in the bronze medal position.
As the snow continued to fall and the Swedish crowd tried to cheer their home favourite on, Jenssen burst clear with one kilometre to go. Anger couldn’t respond and Norway crossed the line in one hour, 11 minutes and 50.5 seconds.
Anger was 17.4 seconds back, while Germany kept the chasing pack at bay to finish third, 38.1s behind Norway.
Jenssen, who is proving to be the surprise package of the men’s season, said: “To beat the Swedish in front of their home crowd was amazing”
Click here for full results from the men's 10km individual free.
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