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OBERSTDORF / OSLO (Dagbladet): With 17 degrees Celsius and wet snow, Johannes Høsflot Klæbo kept a cool head and proved once again that he is the hottest sprinter.
Defending champion Klæbo defended the gold of the Seefeld sprint in 2019 and went to the top and won the gold in the sprint of the World Cup in Oberstdorf.
The men’s final was packed with stars and comprised of giants Erik Valnes, Aleksandr Bolshunov, Sergej Ustjugov, Oskar Svensson, Håvard Solås Taugbøl and Johannes Høsflot Klæbo.
In the 17-degree sprint final in Oberstdorf, Klæbo pulled the longest drop, in the third consecutive championship final. Klæbo also won the World Cup sprint in Seefeld in 2019 and the Olympic sprint in Pyeongchang i 2018.
Erik Valnes challenged Klæbo on the last hill and came first in the race, but there Høsflot Klæbo sped up and was in a separate class in the last few meters to the finish line.
– It has been a demanding year with many difficult decisions with the intention of doing well here. When successful, it tastes great, Klæbo tells NRK.
TRIPLE NORWAY: Norwegian cross-country skiing jubilee in Oberstdorf. Photograph: Bjørn Langsem / Dagbladet
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– It was hard sitting at home watching the Tour de Ski, but when I can be here with two good teammates on the podium, it’s worth it.
Swedish ski blister
The 24-year-old from Byåsen became world champion for the fourth time, while Valnes won the first World Cup medal of his career.
Håvard Solås Taugbøl completed the Norwegian team’s effort by winning bronze ahead of Russian stars Aleksandr Bolshunov and Sergei Ustyugov.
Like Valnes, this was Taugbøl’s first World Cup medal. They both touched after the end.
– I’m very happy. The medal is huge. Johannes is only stronger, says an excited Valnes state channel.
Swede Oskar Svensson chose something surprising to go on gleaming skis without tightening the lubrication and he was gambling throughout the sprint finale. There was no chess move and Svensson finished last in the final.
– Suddenly I saw Oskar put on shiny skis. I don’t think it was a chess move, Høsflot Klæbo agrees.
Emil Iversen was one of the biggest medal contenders before the World Cup sprint, but he vanished in the tough first semi-final. Pål Golberg, who was also among the biggest favorites for medals, advanced to the second semi-final.
BEST IN THE WORLD: Johannes Høsflot Klæbo. Photograph: Bjørn Langsem / Dagbladet
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Unique
At the age of 24, Johannes Høsflot Klæbo can already call himself the greatest long-distance sprinter of all time.
He now has two individual World Cup golds and one Olympic sprint gold individually. He is the only man on the men’s side to have won the speed cup a total of four times. The Trøndelag resident has even done it four times in a row.
Eirik Brandsdal, who retired after last season, believes that Johannes Høsflot Klæbo has changed cross-country skiing.
– Especially when Johannes pushed his way too far, the speed accelerated violently from the start. There are fewer tricks and matches and fewer people who can win when it goes that way, Eirik Brandsdal tells Dagbladet.
World Cup Hero: Hasn’t experienced anything like it
– What changes did you have to make after Klæbo entered the manege?
– For my part, I had to chase down even more details and gather even more margins in my favor, such as air resistance and sitting position in downhill racing. I think it’s great when there is a change and a new level.
Read more about this and Klæbo’s answer here:
