Swede victory: Anger roars to first World Cup win in Les Rousses sprint
Jan 18, 2025·Cross-Country
Long talked about as one of cross-country skiing’s stars of the future, Edvin Anger (SWE) proved that he is very much one of the men of the moment after taking his first individual FIS World Cup victory in Les Rousses, France on Saturday.
The giant 22-year-old, the 2020 Winter Youth Olympic sprint champion, took advantage of the absence of sprint king Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR) and Italian star Federico Pellegrino to stand on top of the podium.
Regarded as a potential sprint champion because of his size and power, Anger has also shown promise as an all-rounder in recent weeks, following up a second place in the 15km Classic in Toblach, Italy in the recent Tour de Ski with a sixth place in the 10km Freestyle in Les Rousses on Friday.
“I’m so happy,” Anger said. “I had a good day and good skis. The final, I had a good body. It was my first final for this year, and I did it. I won.”
Asked how he would celebrate his sprint victory, Anger showed his mindset by saying: “I will go back and maybe eat some cake and look forward to racing again tomorrow in the 20K.”
It remains to be seen whether his body will hold up after winning Saturday’s sprint final the hard way.
Having qualified fifth fastest for the finals, 2.99 seconds behind pace setter Ben Ogden (USA), Anger was happy to sit back and rely on his finishing power in his quarter-final and semi-final. But the Swede decided his best chance in the final was to hit the front early – and stay there.
This approach certainly quietened the home crowd, breaking the resistance of Lucas Chanavat (FRA), a four-time World Cup sprint winner. It left Anger with three Norwegians for company but only Ansgar Evensen, another rising star, could keep pace.
The 24-year-old, in just his third World Cup race of the season, pulled level with Anger on the final bend, a sharp left-hander. But this still left a 200-metre race to the finish down an undulating home straight.
But Anger’s superior power told, and he found a second wind to finish in two minutes, 42.99s, 0.51s ahead of Evensen, who claimed just the second individual World Cup podium of his career.
Erik Valnes (NOR), one of the pre-race favourites, finished a further 0.65s back to complete the podium.
Victory also puts Anger into second place in the race for the Crystal Globe, albeit 340 points behind overall World Cup leader Klaebo, who is absent from Les Rousses because of illness.
Skistad looking good for Trondheim after first victory of the season
Kristine Stavaas Skistad (NOR) put early-season injury and illness woes behind her to win the women’s race in Les Rousses – a timely return to form ahead of a home world championships in Trondheim next month.
Fresh from winning the Norwegian national championships, this was Skistad’s first FIS Cross Country World Cup podium of the season in just her second outing and 11th victory overall – all in sprint races. It also came at the same venue she claimed her first World Cup victory almost two years ago to the day.
“I’m very happy, I like it here,” the quietly spoken 25-year-old said. “It was really hard today.”
In truth, Skistad cruised through the quarter-final and semi-final alongside Olympic champion and long-time rival Jonna Sundling (SWE) but in the final it was the Norwegian who had the edge.
She hit the front on the final corner only for Maja Dahlqvist, the Olympic silver medallist, to power through the field, as she had done to take the second semi-final. But this time the Swede had given herself too much to do. Skistad found an extra gear to take victory in a time of 3:05.70, 0.28s ahead of Dahlqvist. Sundling took third, a further 0.38s back.
Jessie Diggins (USA), winner of Friday’s 10km Freestyle, retains a healthy lead at the top of the World Cup standings, despite failing to make it past the qualifying round in the sprint.
The FIS Cross Country World Cup continues in Les Rousses on Sunday with the women’s and men’s 20km Classic Mass Start races.
For the full results from Les Rousses, click here
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