Nordic Skiing/Biathlon Thread

[OJRvE]

Is Poromaa ok after that crash?

He said it was ok in swedish TV just after the race. Very typical him being disappointed and not taking notice even if it was bad luck indeed.

Actually “impressed” by Calle, a few years ago he would have DNFed instead of fighting for 6th place. If the forecast is right and. it is going to be colder next week the relay can be fun for Swedish men.

On another note I cannot see Diggins or Kern in tomorrows startlist so assume it’s all in for the team sprint.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Yea, likewise no TU Weng so the Norwegian team is surprisingly light. All in for Pace or Hennig.

 

[KZD]

The race ended up more or less as I expected, Krüger showed once again that, at least without the Russians he is the best skating distance skier in the world ( he is favourite for the 15k as well). For Klæbo to be dropped and then catch back Røthe it means that he is in good shape so he will be really difficult to drop in the 50k (Niskanen wasn't exactly great today either).

As for Weng, I don't really have much sympathy for her to be honest, though she is a good skier she is sometimes too much of a crybaby and a wheelsucker but even well below her best shape blow for Norwegian women.

If Diggins doesn't race tomorrow then a Swedish win, either with Andersson or Karlsson its almost inevitable.

 

[BullsFan22]

Diggins missed the team sprint two years ago to focus on the 10km and relay. They’ve clearly noticed that her classic is not good, she’d most likely lose a lot in the classic portion tomorrow and her chances of making a comeback in the skate portion are not great. It still won’t be easy as the conditions will likely be snowy and slower. That doesn’t benefit the Americans too much, but even if they don’t get a medal the 10km skate and relay are two more good opportunities.

For tomorrow, I hope the Finns have good skis, and they can make things happen in the classic portion. We’ll see if Karlsson has fully recovered from the TDS and what sort of tactics she’ll employ. Hennig should also take her opportunity and push the pace tomorrow.

 

[BullsFan22]

Yea, likewise no TU Weng so the Norwegian team is surprisingly light. All in for Pace or Hennig.

You really think Eiduka will be a major factor tomorrow?

 

[DonAragona]

Kruger was brilliant on a tough course. Bolshunov would have won by about half a lap and very funny to see diva Klaebo still can't win gold without the Russians.

Andersson and Karlsson looking strong for tomorrow, Bronze for Ingvild or can Rosie/Kerttu get involved?

Diggins and Kern it is, will be interesting to see if it's Ribom or Dahlqvist with Sundling and the order as neither will want Diggins on that course in snow. Tirl goes for Norway but is clearly not in shape as we saw yesterday, don't think they win a medal. Fingers crossed Finland goes with Niskanen and Parmakoski...

 

[Discgear]

A plain bizarre victory interview with SHK. Fluttering eyes, platitudes, blushing.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

You really think Eiduka will be a major factor tomorrow?

Who I cheer for and who are realistic options for victory in a given race do not always (or even often) match up.

But she is better at distance and with recovery as seen in the TDS, she's good in both techniques and obviously the big teams have some limitations on numbers and some athletes resting (plus Eiduka almost certainly doesn't do the Team Sprint since she's more or less alone for Latvia out there).

I mean it would take some serious luck with other teams making a travesty of the waxing or similar for her to come into the medal hunt, but I think she can get a solid top 10, maybe even hit 5th-6th kind of area.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Diggins missed the team sprint two years ago to focus on the 10km and relay. They’ve clearly noticed that her classic is not good, she’d most likely lose a lot in the classic portion tomorrow and her chances of making a comeback in the skate portion are not great. It still won’t be easy as the conditions will likely be snowy and slower. That doesn’t benefit the Americans too much, but even if they don’t get a medal the 10km skate and relay are two more good opportunities.

For tomorrow, I hope the Finns have good skis, and they can make things happen in the classic portion. We’ll see if Karlsson has fully recovered from the TDS and what sort of tactics she’ll employ. Hennig should also take her opportunity and push the pace tomorrow.

The Italians have horrible skis, they really can't get it right on this kind of snow. Some of the Skiers already moaned about the organizers not using Salt today, but you can't use salt form the start, otherwise the tracks are ruined towards the end of the WC. The skiers don't talk about the bad skis, but how they have problems on this kind of snow (Mocellini saying that this kind of conditions and course brings out his technical deficits makes sense). The other central European skiers seem to have good skis, so no idea what's their problem.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Kruger was brilliant on a tough course. Bolshunov would have won by about half a lap and very funny to see diva Klaebo still can't win gold without the Russians.

Andersson and Karlsson looking strong for tomorrow, Bronze for Ingvild or can Rosie/Kerttu get involved?

Diggins and Kern it is, will be interesting to see if it's Ribom or Dahlqvist with Sundling and the order as neither will want Diggins on that course in snow. Tirl goes for Norway but is clearly not in shape as we saw yesterday, don't think they win a medal. Fingers crossed Finland goes with Niskanen and Parmakoski...

With these conditions Spitsov would have been flying in the skate part, he'd have been a problem for everyone.

Also, Claudel for Bronze!

 

[Mayomaniac]

He said it was ok in swedish TV just after the race. Very typical him being disappointed and not taking notice even if it was bad luck indeed.

Actually “impressed” by Calle, a few years ago he would have DNFed instead of fighting for 6th place. If the forecast is right and. it is going to be colder next week the relay can be fun for Swedish men.

On another note I cannot see Diggins or Kern in tomorrows startlist so assume it’s all in for the team sprint.

I was more impressed by Burman's shape, he's suddenly in great shape again. The Swedish team is looking good for the relay...

 

[Mayomaniac]

Central Europe + Warm weather = Finnish wax techs completely clueless.

Looking at the Holmekollen 50km last year warm weather in Scandinavia is also not any better for them. For them it's as bad as wet snowfall around 0 degrees is for the Russians.

 

[DonAragona]

Cheering for Claudel, Eiduka hell even Ishida anyone but the Scandinavians.

 

[Discgear]

I was more impressed by Burman's shape, he's suddenly in great shape again. The Swedish team is looking good for the relay...

Yes. Really surprising.

 

[Mayomaniac]

For me the highlight of the race was Cologna as a co-commentator on Swiss TV:

• Talked about how Roethe prefers to use very little kick wax and how that can cost some extra energy on certain parts of this course
• Mentioned how with such deep conditions uphill V2 is actually more economical that V1 because a wider angle between your skis means that the conditions/extra resistance will slow you down even more.
• Talked about how a hard effort uphill right after changing skis can really kill your legs (when Calle cracked, he also said that those conditions just make skating races brutal for a bigger guy like him)

 

[OJRvE]

I was more impressed by Burman's shape, he's suddenly in great shape again. The Swedish team is looking good for the relay...

The snow conditions certainly helped him and so did the distance. Had he been able hang on the Moch train it would been something.. I think he made his way into the relay now though. Rosjö was just awful and even if Häggström looked very good yesterday he is not suited for relays.

 

[BullsFan22]

With these conditions Spitsov would have been flying in the skate part, he'd have been a problem for everyone.

Also, Claudel for Bronze!

Spitsov had a rough skiathlon today in the Russian races. He was shelled off the back midway through the classic portion. Most of the national team members trained at altitude in Sochi, while Ustiugov stayed at lower altitude in Syvtyvkar. Some of them commented on how fresh he was compared to them, and you could visibly see that he had more energy and snap. He was doing a Northug, going back, going to the front, with relative ease. When Bolshunov made his decisive move, Ustiugov waited a couple km before making a pace change, but they were more like ‘feelers,’ seeing how the others would respond. The fact that he looked so comfortable in classic made me wonder why he didn’t try to respond to Bolshunov’s attack. He also, predictably, won the sprint for 2nd place.

It’s kind of pointless to say what would have happened had the Russians been in Planica, firstly they mentally would have prepared for it, knowing they would be allowed to race. I think a lot of them are not in the sort of form that they would be for a major championship. Maybe I am wrong.

 

[Discgear]

Spitsov had a rough skiathlon today in the Russian races. He was shelled off the back midway through the classic portion. Most of the national team members trained at altitude in Sochi, while Ustiugov stayed at lower altitude in Syvtyvkar. Some of them commented on how fresh he was compared to them, and you could visibly see that he had more energy and snap. He was doing a Northug, going back, going to the front, with relative ease. When Bolshunov made his decisive move, Ustiugov waited a couple km before making a pace change, but they were more like ‘feelers,’ seeing how the others would respond. The fact that he looked so comfortable in classic made me wonder why he didn’t try to respond to Bolshunov’s attack. He also, predictably, won the sprint for 2nd place.

It’s kind of pointless to say what would have happened had the Russians been in Planica, firstly they mentally would have prepared for it, knowing they would be allowed to race. I think a lot of them are not in the sort of form that they would be for a major championship. Maybe I am wrong.

Basically , I don't care. The horrendous attack on Ukraine is beyond comprehension. Russians simply have to wait, until you pay the price in throwing curropted maniacs out of the system.

 

[BullsFan22]

Basically , I don't care. The horrendous attack on Ukraine is beyond comprehension. Russians simply have to wait, until you pay the price in throwing curropted maniacs out of the system.

You don’t have to care. It’s your choice. This is a thread for cross country skiing. It doesn’t specify where the cross country skiing takes place.

All I am going to say is the conflict in Ukraine started in 2014. Too bad Scandinavian media won’t report on that or this: https://seymourhersh.substack.com/p/how-america-took-out-the-nord-stream

View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4kTdZLpEz5I

 

[BullsFan22]

Basically , I don't care. The horrendous attack on Ukraine is beyond comprehension. Russians simply have to wait, until you pay the price in throwing curropted maniacs out of the system.

And I was replying to Mayo, not to anyone else, with that comment.

 

[Discgear]

You don’t have to care. It’s your choice. This is a thread for cross country skiing. It doesn’t specify where the cross country skiing takes place.

All I am going to say is the conflict in Ukraine started in 2014. Too bad Scandinavian media won’t report on that or this: https://seymourhersh.substack.com/p/how-america-took-out-the-nord-stream

View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4kTdZLpEz5I

Well, I have spoken on the very same topic in Swedish forums with the very same alias. I truly believe that Seymour Hersh IS a a canary in the mine. More to come.
Even so, Putin is truly a maniac and a monster belonging to the horror gallery of history. Sadly.

 

[BullsFan22]

Well, I have spoken on the very same topic in Swedish forums with the very same alias. I truly believe that Seymour Hersh IS a a canary in the mine. More to come.
Even so, Putin is truly a maniac and a monster belonging to the horror gallery of history. Sadly.

I’d rather trust a Pulitzer prize winning journalist that’s been proven correct time and time again than anything else that’s been bloviated from the mainstream media.

 

[BigCoward]

Nah, in Nordic Combines Lamparter is in great shape atm. People don't talk about how much of a freak athete he is.

Bad start, 90 seconds is a lot to make up, depending on Riibers condition.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Bad start, 90 seconds is a lot to make up, depending on Riibers condition.

A bit surprising, he was flying from Chrismas onwards.

 

[Mayomaniac]

The positive surprise yesterday was the Japanese Ryo finishing 23rd. Not bad for an u23 athlete was almost no world cup experience, who mainly races in Asia. They should try to get him in an international training group in Europe, the guy has lots of potential.

Also, neutral waxing teams can't come soon enough. Prepare a few options for those conditions and then the athletes/coaches have to pick the right pair. That could already be a big equalizer for the smaller nations going up against the big armadas with monster waxing budgets.