Klaebo claims Crystal Globe No.5 after Sprint triumph in Tallinn

Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR) won the Men's Sprint Free in Tallinn (EST) on Wednesday, securing his fifth overall Crystal Globe in the penultimate Coop FIS Cross-Country World Cup stage this season.

The 28-year-old superstar, who made a strong case for himself as the greatest Cross-Country skier of all times as he won six out of six gold medals at the FIS Nordic Ski World Championships in his hometown Trondheim, Norway, a couple of weeks ago, did not have to wait for long before reaching another career milestone.

Cruising to his eighth World Cup Sprint victory this winter, Klaebo brought his score in the overall standings to 1,928 and a 329-point lead over No.2 Edvin Anger (SWE) that the Swedish 22-year-old will not be able to close with two individual events reamaning of the season.

Last year's Crystal Globe winner Harald Oestberg Amundsen (NOR) shared the second place with Jules Chappaz (FRA) after the duo crossing the finish line 0.18 seconds behind Klaebo could not be separated.

"It feels really good," Klaebo said.

After the Trondheim World Championships and the World Cup stage in Oslo (NOR) last week, the winner said he also sees the Estonian capital as something of a home soil as his grandfather lives there.

"Last time I saw him was here two years ago," Klaebo said.

"I saw him now before the race started and he looks in good shape and it's always fun to race here when you have your family cheering for you."

Klaebo had been fastest in the qualification but it had been Anger, with the seventh best time, who had won taken charge in the final. The U23 World Cup leader had won his quarter- and semifinal and pushed himself into a lead after the first of two climbs, looking to grab a fourth podium this season.

Coming into the second uphill section on the narrow city center course, however, the long season, where Anger has done 28 of 30 races, caught up on him.

Chappaz pushed past the 190cm tall Swede on the inside and Klaebo overtook him on the outside, Klaebo finding himself in his favourite position, in second place right behind the Frenchman, in the last downhill part.

In the final corner, Chappaz took the faster inside track but Klaebo surprised him with a long turn on the outside. In a tight space where few if any in the one-day World Cup stage had managed to overtake the leader, the Norwegian exploded with a few fast skates to get a lead that Chappaz could not respond to, claiming the 96th World Cup victory of his career.

"It's always tight here, I feel like. It's a difficult track but it's also a lot of fun," Klaebo said.

As Klaebo slowed down to celebrate his 16th consecutive Sprint victory a couple of meters before crossing the finish line, Amundsen, who had followed the front duo, caught up with Chappaz to share the second place on the podium. 

Anger finished 1.58 seconds behind the winner to grab the fifth place after also Federico Pellegrino (ITA) had overtaken him. Erik Valnes (NOR) had lost touch with the rest and had to settle for sixth and last place in the final.

In Oslo, Klaebo had finished in 14th place in Saturday's 20km Interval Start Classic before making it to the podium with a third place in the 10km Interval Start Free on Sunday. With one more World Cup stage to go, in Lahti, Finland, this weekend, Klaebo said he is ready for a last push before taking a well-deserved break.

The Tallinn triumph puts Klaebo, who struggled with illness for much of last season, on par with Gunde Svan (SWE) on five overall World Cup titles. Only compatriot Bjoern Daehlie (NOR), who claimed his sixth Crystal Globe in the 1998-99 season, has won more.

After two days of rest, the Lahti weekend starts with the Men's and Women's Sprint Free on Friday.

Click here for full results from the Men's Sprint Free in Tallinn and here to see the World Cup standings.