[ad_1]
Historical performance by Nadine Fähndrich and Laurien van der Graaff in Oberstdorf. Our Swiss sprinting duo withstood the pressure and won the medal they were hoping for at the Nordic World Cup. It’s silver!
Fähndrich takes over the leading Swedes and Russians a little behind. But the 25-year-old turns on the turbo. First leave Slovenia, the United States and Norway. Then she attacks the top.
With a strong start on the last climb, she left the Russian Natalja Neprjajewa and attacked Jonna Sundling. Even gold is only a few meters away. In the end, Sundling went ahead by 0.95 seconds, securing gold for Sweden alongside Maja Dahlqvist. Anamarija Lampic and Eva Urevc take bronze for Slovenia.
Fähndrich: “The others wanted to use tactics”
“World Cup silver, that sounds amazing. We always said we wanted this medal and now it’s here. These emotions are indescribable, ”Laurien van der Graaff tells SRF. The Davos wife suspected that Faehndrich would bring the precious metal home. “I know he has one indescribable last lap.”
Not so Fandrich. Especially between the semifinals and the final, he had doubts, also because of the disappointment in the individual sprint on Thursday. “That’s why the medal is a great relief,” said the owner. “I didn’t feel like I wanted to.”
At the latest, when Van der Graaff sends it on the last lap, the doubts have disappeared. “I felt that others wanted to use tactics. But I wanted to attack, I just felt good. “
Only Evi Kratzer won a medal
Fähndrich and Van der Graaff win the seventh Swiss World Championship medal in the history of cross-country skiing. And only the second for women. Evi Kratzer took bronze in 5 kilometers in 1987. The Grisons woman also achieved this shot in Oberstdorf.
In the historical context, the result is sensational. But if you look at the present, it is a logical consequence. Fähndrich and Van der Graaff are simply world class in sprinting. At the World Cup, he has always been on the podium in the last four team sprints. So now they continue the brilliant series in title fights.
Resisted the pressure
“Anything but a medal would be a disappointment,” Faehndrich and Van der Graaff said at the start of the World Cup. Consequently, expectations were high. But the two of them could withstand the pressure.
Probably because he fits in between the duo. “We have a lot of confidence in each other,” reveals Van der Graaff. “We feel good. There is respect and friendship. That fits well. “
Swiss beaten
In the men’s category, Jovian Hediger and Roman Furger finished ninth. The podium dream explodes on the penultimate lap. After all: after a crash in the semi-finals, participation in the final was in grave danger.
The gold goes to the Norwegians Johannes Hösflot Kläbo and Erik Valnes. Finland secured silver with Ristomatti Hakola and Joni Maki, ahead of Russia with Alexander Bolschunow and Gleb Retiwych.
