The Swede Linn Svahn made the fight for victory in the overall World Cup even more exciting in the cross-country sprint in Drammen. In contrast, there were only disappointed faces among the DSV athletes. Among the men, Johannes Hoesflot Kläbo also came closer to his leading compatriot Harald Östberg Amundsen in the fight for the big crystal ball.
Jessica Diggins has to worry a little more about the big crystal ball among the cross-country skiers. While the American failed in the classic sprint finish in Drammen in her quarterfinals, her pursuers from Sweden scored points.
Linn Svahn in particular gained a lot of points on Diggins, who is leading the overall World Cup: The Swede took second place on the course in the center of Drammen, collected 95 points and is now only 102 points behind Diggins with three races still to go. As in the previous year, the Norwegian Kristine Stavaas Skistad secured the day’s victory.
Svahn’s teammate Frida Karlsson also made it to the final, where she slowed down on the home straight and settled for sixth place. Karlsson also had a mathematical chance of competing for victory in the overall World Cup. But now it will be difficult to endanger Diggins and Svahn.
Result: Cross-country skiing – women’s sprint in Drammen arrow right. Overall World Cup cross-country skiing women arrow right
No German runners in the semi-finals
The German cross-country skiers tended to have long faces. For all five athletes who survived the prologue, the final stop was in the quarterfinals. Laura Gimmler, fourth in the prologue, only came in third in her quarter-finals and was eliminated, as were Coletta Rydzek in fourth, Katharina Hennig in fifth and Pia Fink in sixth in her heat.
Victoria Carl had also secretly hoped to progress and get a few more World Cup points. And for the 28-year-old from Zella-Mehlis, who had just qualified for the quarter-finals in 30th place, it looked for a long time as if she could actually make it one more round. In her quarter-finals she worked her way from last to first place, only to be intercepted by four competitors on the long home straight. In the end, Carl was left with at least a few World Cup points.
Kläbo increases pressure on Amundsen
There is also a lot of movement among the men in the fight for the big crystal ball: Johannes Hoesflot Kläbo won the sprint in Drammen and is now putting pressure on his compatriot Harald Östberg Amundsen, who is leading in the overall World Cup. He already failed in the semi-finals and now has to get the necessary points in the final three competitions.
Second and third places also went to two Norwegians: Havaard Solaas Taugboel and Even Northug. The only German in the quarterfinals was Jan Stölben (Ernstberg). As sixth place in his heat, the 22-year-old had no chance of progressing.
Result: Cross-country skiing – men’s sprint in Drammen arrow right. Overall World Cup cross-country skiing men arrow right