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Therese Johaug emphatically knocked down the Swedish long-distance runners in the Oberstdorf WC. If Marit Bjørgen (41) wins the 97th Vasaloppet in the comeback, then there will be one more Norwegian knockout.
The comments expresses the views of the writer.
Well yeah, it’s not that bad.
Sweden finished with great effort at the World Cup and took seven medals, one of which was individual gold for sprinter Jonna Sundling. While Frida Karlsson and Ebba Andersson were never close to pushing Johaug off the throne.
The Vasaloppet, which has been celebrated since 1922, is considered almost a Swedish national day.
On the first Sunday in March, a couple million Swedes will follow the nine-mile classic between Sälen and Mora in Västra Dalarna. It is also followed by a few hundred thousand Norwegians.
Even in Vasaloppet, Norway has taken over.
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Since 2013, Norwegian men have been the first to enter the goal portal in Mora. The reigning king of Vasaloppet is Petter Eliassen in Team Ragde Eiendom. On the women’s side, Lina Korsgren of Team Ramudden is the reigning queen.
Lina Korsgren and Britta Johansson Norgren have dominated the cross-country skier cup, Visma Ski Classics, for several years. This year they meet an old acquaintance again; the Marit Maritgen icon.
At 07.40 on Sunday morning, start number 538, Marit Bjørgen, will start challenging the cross country specialists.
Bjørgen, with 41 Olympic and World Cup medals, has not competed since April 7, 2018. She then completed her last race as an elite runner and finished second in the NM three miles behind Ragnhild Haga.
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His return is world-class interesting!
A victory in the Vasaloppet should make Bjørgen’s CV almost unbeatable. So you have won as much as can be won.
Only one woman has managed to win on the first try; Polish Justyna Kowalczyk in 2015.
Bjørgen will be leaving for Jørgen and Anders Aukland’s Ragde Eiendom team. They both won the Vasaloppet and paved the way for the Norwegian cross-country wave, which for Sweden has meant that we haven’t had a blue-yellow winner since Jörgen Brink in 2013.
Therefore; eight consecutive victories for Norway.
Here you can read more posts by Torbjörn Nordvall.
In the women’s category, no Norwegian has won since Laila Kveli in 2014.
In September, I followed Marit Bjørgen in fencing training from Bogstadvannet to Tryvannstårnet in Oslo. A single long climb. Bjørgen was very strong!
I think he can win the Vasaloppet this year. He appears to be leading fast and with an estimated victory time of around 3.50 hours.
A super-trained Bjørgen is reported. But if you want to win, you must perform at your best. Stake specialists Lina Korsgren and Britta Johansson Norgren have been among the 75 fastest to finish in the past two years; including male runners.
We Swedes want to rule at home.
A victory for Bjørgen in the women’s category and a new winner for the Norwegian men will be hard to digest in Sweden.
So I hope and believe that Korsgren or Norgren can take the inside corner at Bjørgen, and that Emil Persson in Team Lager 157, or Oskar Kardin in Team Ragde Eiendom, will win the men’s category.
Here you can read more posts from the Norwegian debate.
If Bjørgen wins, it will be a huge PR success for Vasaloppet.
This year’s edition of the Vasaloppet is a crown variant with only elite classes. 270 men and 75 women will start.
/ Torbjörn Nordvall
NRK begins broadcasting from Vasaloppet on Sunday at 07.35
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