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Meanwhile both Niskanen and Krüger are saying that the courses for the WC distance races are too easy, with Krüger suggesting that it's gonna be mainly a problem in the mass start races and that they did it to help out the hometown hero Kläbo.Anger decided to skip the interval (probably after realizing how tough the course is) to focus on the sprint so Myhlback will be doing the 10k skate as well. He is nowhere near the sprint team in fact he even failed to qualify for the sprint in Junior Worlds last year. (Ending fourth in the national test event behind Bergström, Lindberg & Danielsson with Grahn being champion from 2023). Myhlback best distance is arguably a classic mass starts so probably Skiathlon will be his best chance to earn a spot in Trondheim.
Sweden fills a b-team for interval with all sprint girls focusing on Saturdays sprint. Sundling could probably been in the top 10 (atleast) but for Svahn, Ribom and Dahlqvist the climb is probably way too hard. I remember Stina Nilsson really struggled a few years ago. She did great in the sprint and classic puirsuit but tackle that climb in skating technique was simply too much.
Klaebo is out of tomorrow as well due to illness, I doubt he is gonna race anything this weekend with the worlds at home snow he”ll be reluctant to take any risks.
Ofc it’s to help Klaebo and they are not even hiding it. The freestyle course in the skiathlon is extremely easy considering what they could have done if they wanted. The 50k is better because there they’ll use the climb from the classic course. But still I think they could have done more.Meanwhile both Niskanen and Krüger are saying that the courses for the WC distance races are too easy, with Krüger suggesting that it's gonna be mainly a problem in the mass start races and that they did it to help out the hometown hero Kläbo.
Krüger seems to be pissed and after the trick that the coach of the team pulled at the last WC by not selecting him for the 50km I can't blame him. Best chance for him is that Ree and Amundsen also qualify and then the go hard from the start.Ofc it’s to help Klaebo and they are not even hiding it. The freestyle course in the skiathlon is extremely easy considering what they could have done if they wanted. The 50k is better because there they’ll use the climb from the classic course. But still I think they could have done more.
With that said, Niskanen might actually have a chance in the Skiathlon if he decides to go. With soft conditions he could create splits in classic and the follow backs in the easier skate loop.
It was ridiculous excluding Krüger especially considering it’s not the first time. They didn’t bring him to Seefeld Skiathlon when he was Olympic Champion because Iversen won a mass sprint on an easy course and hard conditions in NC (his home course by coincidence) and Klaebo is the golden boy. I guess Krüger and Holund was pissed when Iversen and Klaebo halfway started softski to the finish so they could prepare for the team sprint.Krüger seems to be pissed and after the trick that the coach of the team pulled at the last WC by not selecting him for the 50km I can't blame him. Best chance for him is that Ree and Amundsen also qualify and then the go hard from the start.
I have to wonder what Iversen has that causes him to get all these selections as well. He's not what he used to be.
Sadly, I think that the fact Klæbo is perceived as the golden goose has meant that a lot of the skiers like Krüger are afterthoughts only, because being able to sprint and hang on in mass start distance essentially covers off 95% of the calendar now.
It was a bit better when Sundby was the main star, but even then there was a lot built around helping Northug, at least while he was still relevant. When people like Holund are retiring basically saying there's nothing for skiers like him on the World Cup anymore and people like Krüger are openly criticising their own country's organisation for biasing the courses, it kind of tells you how bad it has got.
But FIS seem to think that a close finish = a good race, so the 50km at Falun 2015 was a better race than the one at Holmenkollen 2013, and Lahti 2017 was better than Seefeld 2019 likewise.
That's the one thing I respect about Sundby (besides saying Cortina-Toblach was the most beautiful race in the World Cup), it's an individual sport and about giving yourself the best chance to win.Well these days the Norwegian men are mostly racing each other for the top spots, with only a couple guys here and there mixing it up.
Krüger recently said that without Bolshunov and the Russians there, there’s no team tactics, everyone for themselves.
Sundby wasn’t a fan of team tactics back in the day, and he and Northug didn’t like each other that much.
As much as we are missing him...The Norwegians are really missing Klaebo today.
This is a joke; 10 out of the top 13 places, and who knows how many got left at home who could crack the top 15 or 20. I guess the only way to enjoy this is focus on the competition between these guys for World Championship start spots rather than that they're all Norwegian. Every race they do is blood warfare between them; that will have to do for the time being. More individual starts please!The Norwegians are really missing Klaebo today.
Krüger recently said that without Bolshunov and the Russians there, there’s no team tactics, everyone for themselves.
Sundby wasn’t a fan of team tactics back in the day, and he and Northug didn’t like each other that much.
That's the one thing I respect about Sundby (besides saying Cortina-Toblach was the most beautiful race in the World Cup), it's an individual sport and about giving yourself the best chance to win.
Get out the fluoro detectors.....Obvious waxing advantage for the Norwegians.
Depends, in Switzerland the whole skiing federation, including the powerful and influential Alpine Skiing part of it, worked together to develop new alternatives/share know-how for those conditions. Last Tour de Ski they often had the best skis.Get out the fluoro detectors.....
I'm a decent waxer but no world cup tech, but in all seriousness, wondering if the fluoro ban is going to make it even harder for smaller nations to compete? Looks like grinds are going to become even more important, and with the bigger teams being able to grind onsite, just seems like the arms race is getting worse...if I'm way off on this I would welcome some education from someone who knows more about the world cup ski prep capabilities of different teams.