• The Cycling News forum is looking to add some volunteer moderators with Red Rick's recent retirement. If you're interested in helping keep our discussions on track, send a direct message to @SHaines here on the forum, or use the Contact Us form to message the Community Team.

    In the meanwhile, please use the Report option if you see a post that doesn't fit within the forum rules.

    Thanks!

Nordic Skiing/Biathlon Thread

Page 222 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.
Nepraeyva did an amazing sprint today too, she will likely be second in the World Cup for the second straight year.

Meanwhile the big change is that Sweden's sprint heroics have collapsed too, or they are just not good in classic. Only 1 girl in semifinals. Now their whole XC operation is in tatters.
 
Speaking of skis, Niskanen had subpar skis again. It lost him a podium last weekend and may have cost him a podium today as well.

Well, I think perhaps it starts to show that financial differences between teams is not reflected only in the amount of talent coming through (Russia & Norway vs the rest), but also in equipment... It's a real shame if a skier of Niskanen's ability can't fight at the front due to poor equipment...

By the way, speaking of skiathlon I'm not really fond that they have added so many bonus checkpoints into the race. Basically you can earn the equivalent of a 3rd place finish (60 pts) without finishing anywhere near the front at the end. This can't be right...
 
  • Like
Reactions: KZD
I think that the fight for the World Cup is over, a 235 point advantage is too much for Klaebo to overcome especially considering that the 30km Falun individual

due to a lack of snow in Falun, it was now changed into a mass start, as FIS just announced, and "also the distances have to be adapted", which should be more in Klaebo's favor (and is very unfortunate in general, of course)
 
Well, as here has been discussions about the future of the sport and how the amount of sprints are being increased, it has to be said that climate issues also tip the balance towards more sprints on the calendar. If you have lack of snow, it is easier to prepare a sprint course than a longer one... So the next couple of seasons will be decisive in terms of which direction XC as a sport takes, but I can't see it being a good one...

What concerns Bolshunov vs Kläbo for the overall, then of course at the end of the season there is the sprint tour in which Kläbo can make up a fair amount of deficit. However, considering, how much he is down already, I think his only chance to beat Bolshunov in the overall is to beat him in the Ski Tour. Not sure how realistic it is though.
 
The Swedish team is struggling at the moment, particularly in distance races. The only skier to really challenge for podium spots on a consistent basis has been Andersson. They've had issues with ski preparation lately. Another big issue has been that Rikard Grip, the head coach for the past number of years, maybe a decade or close to it, resigned. I guess there were some internal issues and they decided to go separate ways.

They have a very good, very deep women's team, particularly in sprints, but they haven't performed as well as one would think. Linn Svahn is the only Swede to win a race this season, and she's their youngest skier.
 
There does seem to be a systemic problem in the Swedish team, because the entire WCH relay champ distance team has gone backwards or been missing this season. Sprints are better off due to sheer amount of talent pool (even if two are missing, another two can do the job), but they have proven to be vulnerable in classic. No classic sprint victory this season yet. If the ski waxing issue is true, it could explain something, because in classic it's easier to get things wrong. Because there you need grip wax too in addition to glide, which means the margin of error is greater.

Generally speaking the most positives are about skiers, who are newcomers and weren't even part of the A-team last year (Svahn, Lundgren). Maybe they haven't been burdened with overtraining yet? The best-placed Swede in the overall world cup is 12th. Well, whatever it is, I guess they can be relieved there are no major championships this year. And the best they can do is to learn your lessons, and prepare for the next seasons in which there are major championships.

---

A short comment about Russians too. It's been established that after some skiers decided to take a sabbatical this year, their XC has been completely on Nepryaeva. However, this is the season in which some other prospect could have stepped up and shown at least something, but this hasn't happened. The 2nd best Russian woman in the overall standings is only 39th. Which is probably below expectations too.
 
  • Like
Reactions: search
due to a lack of snow in Falun, it was now changed into a mass start, as FIS just announced, and "also the distances have to be adapted", which should be more in Klaebo's favor (and is very unfortunate in general, of course)
Looks like it won't help Klaebo in the end, but it still sounds a bit fishy to me. Why a mass start when there's a lack of snow, that doesn't make a lot of sense. Replacing a skiathlon with 15km individual because there's a lack of snow is the logical thing to do, but this one is a bit strange.
 
60+ skiers on that sketchy right hand corner in the soft, broken up + some mix of ice will not be pleasant for the athletes and I think we might be in for a rollerderby. I really don't understand why an interval start wasn't kept. Shortening is fine, considering the lack of snow, but why a mass start? What will having a mass start do?
 
Well, at least Andersson gave Johaug a bit of a challenge. The day can't be far away in which Johaug gets beaten in a straight fight (again). Though in a short(ish) mass-start it's more likely to happen than elsewhere.

In men's race we didn't get a group finish, with 6th place some 30 seconds down. Lack of competition depth has started to show there. Groups get easily pulled apart as soon as some Norwegian or Russian is bothered to up the tempo.

But of course it's sad to see a place like Falun completely devoid of snow too and with +4 C. Short mass-starts will probably be the future of XC, now that FIS is using the argument this is what we have to have in case of lack of snow. And how many poor winters can Europe afford before it starts hurting the scheduling? This winter there has been snow only in mountains and in Lappland at least as far as Europe is concerned.
 
The widespread lack of snow is a drama for wintersports and it will continue to get worse.

Bolshunov continues unbeaten in distance races since the Tour de Ski and even if it was a 30km individual race he would have likely won too. He is as dominant in distance races as Sundby was four years ago.

In the women's, nice to see Andersson so close to Johaug and Karlsson back. Great race by Fosseholm as well, the Norwegian teeneger while Svahn is cementing herself has one of the top sprinters.
 
Well, at least Andersson gave Johaug a bit of a challenge. The day can't be far away in which Johaug gets beaten in a straight fight (again). Though in a short(ish) mass-start it's more likely to happen than elsewhere.

In men's race we didn't get a group finish, with 6th place some 30 seconds down. Lack of competition depth has started to show there. Groups get easily pulled apart as soon as some Norwegian or Russian is bothered to up the tempo.

But of course it's sad to see a place like Falun completely devoid of snow too and with +4 C. Short mass-starts will probably be the future of XC, now that FIS is using the argument this is what we have to have in case of lack of snow. And how many poor winters can Europe afford before it starts hurting the scheduling? This winter there has been snow only in mountains and in Lappland at least as far as Europe is concerned.
I think we should get at least some races in Russia, with Russia being one of the dominating nations it would only feel natural.
I know that there are political reasons and the suff that concerns Sochi, but there's not excuse for not having a race in Russia while having both a short sprint tour and the WC final in North America. There's no reason why we couldn't have a race in Tyumen or somewhere else close to the Ural Mountains. If FIS would want they could even add races in Almaty a week later.
 
This week also the biathlon world championships start. In World Cup JTBö and Fourcade have cleaned up almost all races and Eckhoff has won nearly half of the races. However, World Championships are a bit of a special event with a different competition structure. Pressure is different as well. It throws surprises and we usually get at least one unorthodox winner there. Also there are probably athletes/teams, who have specifically targeted the championships and haven't shown their best in the World Cup. Reminds me how Sweden impressed in 2018 Olympics having done little beforehand.

In general the six current leading nations (Norway, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Russia) are looking to take the lion's share of medals. Anybody else would be happy about any medals they can get. Usually about 10 nations end up winning a medal, so perhaps that's what we could be looking at here too.
 
Bolshunovs domination in the enduarnce races has reached a historic level. I cant recall anyonne dominating like that. Even Dhaelie didnt have such a winning streak. Hopefully he doesnt pay for this and blows up in the Ski Tour.
What about the snow situation? Does anyone know if the Tour is in danger as well?
 
Bolshunov has really been impressive in the 2020, apart from the Oberstdorf sprint he's been on the podium in every stage/race he entered - 6 wins and 4 third places. interestingly, no second places all season long, for a guy who was a synonym for the silver medal in the past 2 years. I'm really looking forward to this Ski Tour. A lot of nice distance races coming up!
 
I have really high expectations for Fillon Maillet. I think he might be Johannes Boe's biggest rival in this Championships although Fourcade will certainly be motivated.

Regarding the Ski Tour, glad that we finlly have a distance race with the same length for men and women, there is just no reason to have such a difference a length for men and women in ski races and I hope they change this in the future.
Unless they have a bad day, I can't see anyone beating Bolshunov in the men's side or Johaug in the women's.
 
I have really high expectations for Fillon Maillet. I think he might be Johannes Boe's biggest rival in this Championships although Fourcade will certainly be motivated.

Regarding the Ski Tour, glad that we finlly have a distance race with the same length for men and women, there is just no reason to have such a difference a length for men and women in ski races and I hope they change this in the future.
Unless they have a bad day, I can't see anyone beating Bolshunov in the men's side or Johaug in the women's.
Johaug seems to get worse durning a Tour compared to many of the other top Skiers, so maybe others have a chance to make it competitive with the 2 sprints and the lack of an Alpe Cermis like ascent.
 

TRENDING THREADS