American shock victory at home – Gus Schumacher took the USA’s first victory since 1983 – Dagsavisen

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23-year-old Schumacher delivered a super performance on home soil. Never before has he been on the podium in the World Cup.

– It is hard to believe. I am so grateful to the whole team. It feels like I represent something big. It has been absolutely fantastic and the best day ever. Everything worked perfectly, the American told the organizer after the victory.

The triumph made former cross-country runner Niklas Dyrhaug gape.

– If you have tipped Schumacher as the winner today, you have become rich on the odds. He provides this year’s bomb in the World Cup in 2024. A well-deserved victory, concluded Viaplay expert Dyrhaug.

Norwegian-Irish top six

World Cup leader Harald Østberg Amundsen was second, while Pål Golberg took 3rd place.

– I felt like I was lifted forward by the audience, so I can only imagine how he felt. The Americans have created a good environment, so we look at that with big eyes. It’s a good addition to the circus, Golberg told Viaplay after the race.

– It is absolutely unbelievably cool that Gus wins. That finish of his was absolutely wild. Gus has experienced the same things as us plus a little more. There has been enormous pressure here, Amundsen added.

Norwegian-Irish Thomas Maloney Westgaard nailed it with a very surprising 6th place for Ireland.

Johannes Høsflot Klæbo was fourth. He has won all of the last four sprints in the World Cup, but the Norwegian had to see himself beaten in both distance races in Canmore last week. On the 20 kilometer long joint start in classic style, the speed cannon was in a winning position, but teammate Pål Golberg drew the longest straw.

Håvard Solås Taugbøl, who on Saturday took a strong 3rd place in the sprint, entered in a modest position. Mattis Stenshagen did the same.

Folk festival

The American public has created a folk party in Minneapolis this weekend.

– I think it should be fixed on the World Cup calendar. It is important in view of the interest in Jessie (Diggins) and the American national team, Klæbo told Viaplay.

Just Jessie Diggins has carried American cross-country skiing for a number of years, and has finally been able to compete on home soil again for the first time since she was 19 years old. The American star was clearly the USA’s greatest hope for a victory on home soil, before Gus Schumacher thus swept the world elite off the snow and secured a particularly surprising victory.

– It was the most emotional day in my career. The whole country turned up. This has been very special and something we have been working towards for so long. People love cross-country skiing here, and I’m so grateful, Diggins told Viaplay after Saturday’s race where 15,000 spectators had turned up to cheer her and the other American ski stars on.

In just under two weeks, the cross-country circus moves on to Lahti in Finland. There will be team sprints, 20 kilometer classic and individual sprints in the period 1 to 3 March.

Also read: Jessie Diggins brought to tears: – Most emotional day of my life