cross country skiing
Teresa Stadlober just missed out on the podium at the World Cup premiere over 50 km on Sunday. After a strong performance, the Salzburger crossed the finish line on Sunday in Oslo in fourth place in the shadow of the Holmenkollen ski jump, only 2.9 seconds behind the winner Ragnhild Haga. Stadlober only lost out in the last few meters in the fight for the podium.
Stadlober, who came back impressively after a World Cup marked by illness, was only 2.4 seconds behind the third-placed American Jessica Diggins. For the 30-year-old from Salzburg it was the best result of this season, and that after the longest race for women in the history of the World Cup so far.
The decision after 50 thrilling kilometers, in which a leading group of six with Stadlober was ahead until the last short climb before the finish, was made in the sprint. Haga was just ahead of her teammate Astrid Oeyre Slind, Diggins was the loser in the final sprint.
Brutal but casual
“I’m already done, but it was cool to run. I’m super happy, we can all be proud. It was a mega experience for us, but it’s brutal,” said Stadlober, who was drawn from hardship and happiness, in an ORF interview. “I went in with ease because I didn’t know what to expect. I felt good, had great material and the course of the race also suited me. It was just casual.”
Speaking of the World Cup: Unlike in Planica, where over 30 km was run in the classic style, this time there was no early attack over the unusual distance. “At the World Cup we ran away straight away, this time no one was stressed. It was really comfortable,” said the Salzburg native. As time went on, the competition turned into an “elimination race”: “The turning point was always the sticking point, you had to make sure that you stayed with it. We also knew that there was going to be a sprint to the finish, because it was always crowded on the descent.”
Cross-Country World Cup in Oslo
Sunday: