Nordic Skiing/Biathlon Thread

[Libertine Seguros]

Niskanen going full Niskanen, trying to drop everybody including himself.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Go Krüger, drop that twink for good!

 

[DenisMenchov]

And you know Klaebo will start this race in Trondheim. You have to feel sorry for all the Norwegians who fight against him with so many disadvantages.

 

[Mayomaniac]

And you know Klaebo will start this race in Trondheim. You have to feel sorry for all the Norwegians who fight against him with so many disadvantages.

Amundsen is built like a brickhouse, Bolshunov style.

 

[KZD]

FIS are so incompetent that they didn't even update the overall rankings in their website for the men's after yesterday's sprint.

Amundsen getting his second win of the season in a 20km race and increasing his lead in the overall. Jenssen and Nyenget complete the podium. Schumacher the best non-Norwegian in fifth.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Meanwhile Gismondi just won her first senior Fesa cup race, after winning her first national senior race last weekend. She'll probably start the next world cup races.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

And you know Klaebo will start this race in Trondheim. You have to feel sorry for all the Norwegians who fight against him with so many disadvantages.

Klæbo won the skiathlon in Trondheim last season and he’s been sick between Ruka and this weekend. His selection for the skiathlon at the World Champs isn’t controversial at all. As Krueger is the reigning champion there is space to all top 4 today and Klæbo in that race.

The controversial selection might be in the 50k. There you can argue that there are 4 (in addition to Golberg with his personal spot) that might be better qualified.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

Meanwhile Gismondi just won her first senior Fesa cup race, after winning her first national senior race last weekend. She'll probably start the next world cup races.

I saw she was only 10th in the classic race yesterday, so I guess she won’t have much to offer in the 20 km classic interval start in Davos next weekend. But on the other side, not many of the the Italian girls are competitive on this level, so always nice to give the talents a chance.

Do you know what’s up with the Italian men? Pellegrino has shown good form in the early season, but the rest seems far away from where they could be. Especially Barp I had high hopes for this season.

 

[Mayomaniac]

I saw she was only 10th in the classic race yesterday, so I guess she won’t have much to offer in the 20 km classic interval start in Davos next weekend. But on the other side, not many of the the Italian girls are competitive on this level, so always nice to give the talents a chance.

Do you know what’s up with the Italian men? Pellegrino has shown good form in the early season, but the rest seems far away from where they could be. Especially Barp I had high hopes for this season.

Either sickness or a really heavy training block right now to peak for the all Italian Tour de Ski.
But yeah, only 2 guys starting today is a bit embarassing...

 

[Mayomaniac]

Also, Italy doesn't give young talents that many chances.
Johaug going balls to the walls because she kinda needs to distance Weng and Diggins in the classic leg.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Can't say that I missed the Duracell bunny show...

 

[Discgear]

Can't say that I missed the Duracell bunny show...

Nah, even the usually quite over-the-top one-eyed Norwegian public seems to have lost interest...

 

[Mayomaniac]

Nah, even the usually quite over-the-top one-eyed Norwegian public seems to have lost interest...

That high frequency hunchback V1-offset...

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Can't say that I missed the Duracell bunny show...

It's either that or watching Diggins Gerrans her way along on the back of three non-sprinters, it's kinda Hobson's choice.

 

[DenisMenchov]

Klæbo won the skiathlon in Trondheim last season and he’s been sick between Ruka and this weekend. His selection for the skiathlon at the World Champs isn’t controversial at all. As Krueger is the reigning champion there is space to all top 4 today and Klæbo in that race.

The controversial selection might be in the 50k. There you can argue that there are 4 (in addition to Golberg with his personal spot) that might be better qualified.

But it looks like Ree won't make it to any World Champs race. And his been constantly better than Klaebo in free distance races so far.

 

[BigCoward]

The controversial selection might be in the 50k. There you can argue that there are 4 (in addition to Golberg with his personal spot) that might be better qualified.

For me, you don't piss off the person who guarantees you 2 golds at least. Its not like ìts a 'huge' controversy to select him for the 50.

 

[BigCoward]

The hatred for Johaug on here is really irrational.

 

[dobrien]

It's either that or watching Diggins Gerrans her way along on the back of three non-sprinters, it's kinda Hobson's choice.

Will you f***ing stop with this sh*t already? She does plenty of pulling in her races; she's no Gerrans, not even close. I'm out of here. Between you and f***ing BullSh*tFan22 this forum is unbearable. Jeezus h christ.

 

[dobrien]

The hatred for Johaug on here is really irrational.

Almost as irrational as the Diggins hate.

 

[BullsFan22]

Will you f***ing stop with this sh*t already? She does plenty of pulling in her races; she's no Gerrans, not even close. I'm out of here. Between you and f***ing BullSh*tFan22 this forum is unbearable. Jeezus h christ.

Take a chill pill

 

[BullsFan22]

Almost as irrational as the Diggins hate.

Some people don’t like fake behavior and acting in front of the camera

 

[Mayomaniac]

For me, you don't piss off the person who guarantees you 2 golds at least. Its not like ìts a 'huge' controversy to select him for the 50.

Yes it is a controversy!

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

But it looks like Ree won't make it to any World Champs race. And his been constantly better than Klaebo in free distance races so far.

Ree has been brilliant this season, but hes not faced Klæbo in a single skate race this season… Yes he did beat Klæbo today, but as i said, Klæbo has been sick between Ruka and this weekend, so it’s pretty fair to give him some slack and accept that it’s not the best Klæbo we saw today.

Klæbo won the last World Cup skiathlon, he won Norwegian NC in Skiathlon, he was second in the previous World Champs skiathlon (which was 30 km and therefore on paper less optimal for him than 20 km) and last season he also won two 20 km skate mass starts and was second in the one won by Kruger. Ree has been brilliant, but he’s yet to even get a podium in the World Cup…

I honestly think it would be absolutely idiotic to pick Fjorden Ree over Klæbo for the skiathlon at World Cup based on what we have seen so far (if Ree starts winning every weekend and Klæbos form drop monumentally it will of course be different, but that’s not very likely).

I was and is still talking about the skiathlon selection. For the 50k there are some good arguments to leave Klæbo out, but also some good arguments to let him race it.

 

[Mayomaniac]

But it looks like Ree won't make it to any World Champs race. And his been constantly better than Klaebo in free distance races so far.

They are gifting Klaebo an easy skiathlon course, so the pampered hometown hero will race that one + the individual start (the later seems like an obvious call).
At this point Golberg has to perform to qualify at all, or he'll pull an Iversen...

 

[Mayomaniac]

Ree has been brilliant this season, but hes not faced Klæbo in a single skate race this season… Yes he did beat Klæbo today, but as i said, Klæbo has been sick between Ruka and this weekend, so it’s pretty fair to give him some slack and accept that it’s not the best Klæbo we saw today.

Klæbo won the last World Cup skiathlon, he won Norwegian NC in Skiathlon, he was second in the previous World Champs skiathlon (which was 30 km and therefore on paper less optimal for him than 20 km) and last season he also won two 20 km skate mass starts and was second in the one won by Kruger. Ree has been brilliant, but he’s yet to even get a podium in the World Cup…

I honestly think it would be absolutely idiotic to pick Fjorden Ree over Klæbo for the skiathlon at World Cup based on what we have seen so far (if Ree starts winning every weekend and Klæbos form drop monumentally it will of course be different, but that’s not very likely).

I was and is still talking about the skiathlon selection. For the 50k there are some good arguments to leave Klæbo out, but also some good arguments to let him race it.

Skiathlon with 5 spots is reasonable, Krüger has a free one, Amundsen and Nyenget should also be a lock and then maybe Jenssen in addition to Klaebo.
Ree needed a world cup podium this week (at least) to get on the world championship team.