Nordic Skiing/Biathlon Thread

[Libertine Seguros]

Massive disaster for Germany, Vanessa Voigt has been so solid on leg 1 all season, but that's been against the opening leg likes of Knotten and Leshchanka, not against the likes of Røiseland and Alimbekava.

Now the problem that I would root for Tiril over Doro ordinarily, but her shooting is the only thing that stands between us and an extremely predictable and uninteresting Norwegian win now the field is spread out like this. It would take an implosion of the kind that Tarjei Bø doesn't really do, and Johannes has only done once or twice (and not in this kind of high profile situation since Östersund three years ago), for them to fall apart from here.

The wind is pretty unpredictable, mind, it seems to have calmed down somewhat now, but it was gusting like crazy a few minutes ago.

...not that that helped Rocket Tiril, who remembered what she used to be like before a couple of years ago and why I liked her in the first place.

Winterton: "who do you feel is still in the running to win this, Mike?"
Dixon: "I think we can't write Norway off"

Yes, they're in second place, only 13" behind, and with clearly faster skiers than any of the Italians on all three remaining legs. Anybody that was writing them off at that moment in time is colossally stupid.

USA as ever overperforming at the major championships, and the nice and objective commentators shout "YAY!" as Egan clears up.

 

[BullsFan22]

Fossesholm 4 minutes behind as 2nd best Norwegian doesn't give me a lot of hope for the relay.

She skied a predictably good skate portion. The issue is who will they put in with those two? Haga didn’t look good at all today. One of the Weng twins as the first leg? There’s a danger they won’t be able to hold on. I imagine they put Johaug in 2nd or 3rd. If Weng decides not to actually go to China, then I don’t see how they win the relay, maybe even a medal at all.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Tarjei losing a lot of time at the very start of his leg there, somewhat unexpectedly but apparently he had a fall on the course yesterday so not sure if he's maybe a bit circumspect?

Complete carnage at shooting 6 and it looks like America are going to podium this hahahahaha

 

[BigCoward]

Something very wrong with Boe. Losing time hand over fist.

 

[BigCoward]

Poor france. What a disaster.

 

[KZD]

Tarjei losing a lot of time at the very start of his leg there, somewhat unexpectedly but apparently he had a fall on the course yesterday so not sure if he's maybe a bit circumspect?

He is faster now, but Loginov is doing great and Russia might actually going to the gold here if Latypov holds on.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

He is faster now, but Loginov is doing great and Russia might actually going to the gold here if Latypov holds on.

Latypov has been a good anchor the last couple of years, however he missed a few events with Covid in January so that will be the question mark around him. He also had some trouble earlier in his career in the shooting, that is long behind him but there's always the chance of those gremlins to come back in a high pressure environment like this.

 

[BigCoward]

This is going to the wire. Boe probably did the least work so far.

 

[BullsFan22]

When people said it was going to be a lottery, they weren’t kidding. Latypov should have let the other two go by him once they caught him so he could catch a second win. He tried a bit of an acceleration on the final climb, but you can see that the Covid he had and the training he missed last month played a role, of course the other two are better skiers, but he looked cooked already at the start of his second lap, after the first shoot. Still, a very good result for the Russians. Italy completely collapsed. Germany’s anchor had a very good leg, perhaps feeling little to no pressure and just skied and shot relaxed.

 

[Mayomaniac]

It today's race says anything about tomorrow then Niskanen will go hard in the first half of the race (he always does)
My slightly outside pick for a medal is Spitsov. Good in classic mass starts and with these conditions on a hard course he can skate as well as anyone.

 

[BigCoward]

It today's race says anything about tomorrow then Niskanen will go hard in the first half of the race (he always does)
My slightly outside pick for a medal is Spitsov. Good in classic mass starts and with these conditions on a hard course he can skate as well as anyone.

I'm surprised the bookies have Klaebo above Bolshunov.
Bolshunov I'm sure is hoping that Niskanen does go hard, and they get a chance to wear Klaebo out.

 

[BullsFan22]

It today's race says anything about tomorrow then Niskanen will go hard in the first half of the race (he always does)
My slightly outside pick for a medal is Spitsov. Good in classic mass starts and with these conditions on a hard course he can skate as well as anyone.

If Niskanen’s skis are the same quality as the women’s team had today during the classic part, there’s no reason for him not to push the pace and even try to get away. If Bolshunov is in form, he will need to use that opportunity and follow Niskanen. We’ll see what the wind does. It may also be hard to get away with that sort of wind. You are right about Spitsov. Similar conditions as the skiathlon in Korea, where he surprised everyone with a 4th in that race, after falling at the start. It’s also at altitude, and he does well altitude. Hopefully their skis are better for the classic half than their women had today.

 

[titan31]

That was a good biathlon race. Thought Norway had lost it after Echhoffs disaster. Not particularly sure why they put her in there over Tandrevold whos been doing a lot better than her this season.

Cross country less fun as expected with the Johaug show, and Karlsson not looking too strong.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Interesting that both Johaug and Stadlober came to China really late (with the same flight).

 

[search]

Interesting that both Johaug and Stadlober came to China really late (with the same flight).

the good old Johannes Dürr tactics, you mean? I guess if they head back home in between as well, that's a topic for the other forum then

 

[meat puppet]

After a rewatch, Niskanen just worked way too much. She was at the front for 15 or so minutes out of the 17min between the start of the skate leg and stadtlober attack. After catching Karlsson, she needed to stop working so that NN and TS start to worry about diggins and start to work. I think normally KN should beat TS in a 30sec anaerobic hill followed by the stadium section, and take bronze. Today she somehow decided that pulling the others for 15min was the right prep for the finale, which it never is.

I think if bro-niskanen wants a medal, he should hope for good skis and go for it from the gun. If so, probably bolshunov joins in and kläbo has to decide. Perhaps I am too pessimistic, but either way I can't really see past kläbo in the race.

 

[Koronin]

Crazy biathlon relay. I must give props to the US team for being in contention most of the race. I didn't expect that.

 

[Mayomaniac]

the good old Johannes Dürr tactics, you mean? I guess if they head back home in between as well, that's a topic for the other forum then

Nah, Stadlobers's late departure was Covid related. Besides that, her mother is now the president of the Austrian Skiing federation, so she wouldn't have to use bushleague tactics.

 

[Mayomaniac]

After a rewatch, Niskanen just worked way too much. She was at the front for 15 or so minutes out of the 17min between the start of the skate leg and stadtlober attack. After catching Karlsson, she needed to stop working so that NN and TS start to worry about diggins and start to work. I think normally KN should beat TS in a 30sec anaerobic hill followed by the stadium section, and take bronze. Today she somehow decided that pulling the others for 15min was the right prep for the finale, which it never is.

I think if bro-niskanen wants a medal, he should hope for good skis and go for it from the gun. If so, probably bolshunov joins in and kläbo has to decide. Perhaps I am too pessimistic, but either way I can't really see past kläbo in the race.

Niskanen's big medal chance will come next week, but he has to make the race hard from the start tomorrow and that's just the usual Niskanen tactics.

 

[BullsFan22]

Still surprised and disappointed by the decision to not start Ustiugov tomorrow. The Russians are definitely weaker without him.

I wonder what orders Chervotkin will be given. He doesn’t do that well at altitude, but will he be used as a pacemaker for Bolshunov? You’d think that he would be with the group during the classic portion and if his skating results the last couple seasons are any indication, he’ll get dropped at some point during the skate part. The Russians don’t often employ team tactics, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s some teamwork tomorrow, certainly in the first half, to maybe try and help Niskanen to break up the race. Spitsov could be a danger for the podium, and so could Maltsev, if he can stick with it in the first half. He also does very well at altitude.

 

[BigCoward]

Best guess for the finish time tomorrow? BST?

 

[BigCoward]

The Russians don’t often employ team racist, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s some teamwork tomorrow, certainly in the first half, to maybe try and help Niskanen to break up the race. .

Who would it be if they did though? Bolshunov always comes across as a bit of a douche, so I assume him?

 

[BullsFan22]

Who would it be if they did though? Bolshunov always comes across as a bit of a douche, so I assume him?

Wow. I just saw that. Stupid autocorrect. It was supposed to say ‘tactics.’

 

[Bavarianrider]

Only minus 7 degrees today. And why a 3,75 Loop? I thought they would at least do a 5km loop.

 

[Bavarianrider]

Niskanen and Bolshounov not playing around. Good stuff. But Spitsov Looks great too. As expected, Klaebo has no chance in real XC races.