UPDATED: All-rounder Amundsen (NOR) lays down marker with skiathlon win in Lillehammer

Harald Oestberg Amundsen proved his determination to hang on to the Crystal Globe he won last season by claiming the 20km Men’s Skiathlon at the FIS Cross Country World Cup in Lillehammer, Norway on Sunday.

With the skiers racing 10km (four laps) of classic technique before changing skis and skiing 10km (three longer laps) more in freestyle, this is a test of technique as well as tactics, speed combined with stamina. And Amundsen passed with flying colours.

Meanwhile, the winner of last season’s sole skiathlon, Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR), could only finish down in eighth, after the other competitors worked together to break the sprint king on the penultimate climb, a tactic that had worked at the world championships in Planica, Slovenia in 2023, albeit over 30km, when Klaebo had to settle for silver.

After soft, snowy conditions on Friday and Saturday, a firmer, faster course greeted the athletes for the skiathlon.

On a technically challenging layout with lots of sharp turns and undulations the athletes head out in blanket format according to their positions in the overall World Cup standings.

And for the 12 Norwegians, this was a race within a race as only four of them can compete in the Skiathlon at the world championships on home snow in March. Win here and they could all but punch their ticket to Trondheim.

And the tactics were clear from the start: push the pace to ensure that Klaebo was not left with a downhill sprint to the finish, where his supremacy is clear. Indeed, the one time he did hit the front, he attempted to slow the pace.

Either side of that, fellow Norwegians Martin Loewstroem Nyenget and Andreas Fjorden Ree took it in turns to stretch the field; so too Hugo Lapalus (FRA), Andrew Musgrave (GBR) and Iivo Niskanen (FIN).

By the skate (freestyle) leg, the leading pack numbered 14, a burst of speed ahead of the ski swap ensuring minimal congestion in the changeover area.

Despite leading out the competitors as holder of the yellow jersey, Amundsen rarely set the pace at the front, preferring to tuck in behind and bide his time.

At the start of the final lap (16.6km), just 1.1 seconds separated the top five, with Klaebo positioned in fifth and seemingly set to strike.

But the leaders had other ideas. They increased the intensity and with 1.5km to go, Amundsen made his move, attacking the last but one hill – a long, brutal climb – to leave Klaebo languishing.

Just seven skiers remained in contention and it came down to the final sprint. Amundsen, much improved over the shorter distance, lunged for the line with Jan Thomas Jenssen (NOR). It took a photo finish and several minutes to confirm Amundsen was the winner by a toe.

Nyenget was just 0.2 seconds further back, beating Krueger to third – meaning a repeat of the 20km podium in Ruka last weekend. That the next best Schumacher, Musgrave and Ree all crossed the line within 2.2 seconds of Amundsen proved what an exciting finale it was.

Klaebo, though, was 9.4 seconds back in eighth place, with much to ponder in the weeks ahead.

“I was not sure at all if I had won,” Amundsen admitted. “I had a good sprint but I saw Jan Thomas Jenssen really close to my right. I had a good feeling and now it seems that I have won.

“It was really hard from the beginning with a high pace and I was struggling on the classic part, but on the skating part I felt really strong. I was a bit surprised that I was the one who picked up the pace on the last longest climb but I felt strong and I knew that I had to be in front on the last uphill.”

Amundsen won last season’s Crystal Globe with just four World Cup wins – he already has two this season. The signs are ominous.

The FIS Cross-Country World Cup season continues in Davos, Switzerland on Friday 13 December with the Men’s and Women’s Team Sprints.

To watch all the action, click here

For the full results from Lillehammer, click here

• Last season’s Crystal Globe winner Harald Oestberg Amundsen (NOR) leads the World Cup standings on 528 points, ahead of compatriots Simen Hegstad Krueger (401) and Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (397)

• Davos, Switzerland was the middle stop on the Tour de Ski last season, but moves to earlier in the calendar this time with three days of racing instead of two; Sprint Relays have been added

• Lucas Chanavat (FRA) won the Sprint Freestyle in Davos last season, with Amundsen taking the 20km Classic Pursuit

• Klaebo has four World Cup victories in Davos, all in sprints, but none since 2021