Nordic Skiing/Biathlon Thread

[BigCoward]

So nothing has happened in the Middle East in the last 30 years? Is that what you’re saying?

I'm saying Russia is the worst of a bad bunch, not that anyone else is a saint.

 

[BigCoward]

Why don’t you go there yourself, if you feel so morally superior?

What a silly post. I don't feel morally superior, but you know you are only supposed to kiss the boot, not deepthroat it.

 

[BullsFan22]

I'm saying Russia is the worst of a bad bunch, not that anyone else is a saint.

Not even close.

 

[BullsFan22]

What a silly post. I don't feel morally superior, but you know you are only supposed to kiss the boot, not deepthroat it.

You’ve been doing all sorts of things. That’s all I am gonna say.

 

[BullsFan22]

I find fake morals even weirder.

I'll take the banning of Russians seriously when NATO countries are banned for supplying bombs to drop on babies in Gaza...and if FIS really are concerned about wars/invasion when are they going to ban the United States?

They won’t. They’ve had decades of opportunities and have done zilch. Shows their true colors.

 

[Sciatic]

So the highest placed Finn was 32nd today. Has Finland ever done so poorly in a World Championship or World Cup event before?

 

[BullsFan22]

So the highest placed Finn was 32nd today. Has Finland ever done so poorly in a World Championship or World Cup event before?

Without Niskanen (he’s out of the worlds, btw) they have no major contenders. They should be ecstatic with a bronze medal in the sprint.

 

[Sciatic]

Without Niskanen (he’s out of the worlds, btw) they have no major contenders. They should be ecstatic with a bronze medal in the sprint.

I know they didn’t have any top-rung competitors in this race. But 32nd?

 

[BullsFan22]

I know they didn’t have any top-rung competitors in this race. But 32nd?

Yeah it’s not good

 

[No Excuses]

Klaebo is on his way to reach goat status.
If things go well for him he will have 13 - 14 gold medals at WCs and a hundred world cup victories at the end of the season.
Was a little bit disappointed by Krüger and Anger.

 

[BigCoward]

You’ve been doing all sorts of things. That’s all I am gonna say.

What have 'i' been doing exactly?

 

[Bavarianrider]

So why does the country that prouds itself as the Home of xc skiing culture come up with such a wack ass course? WHAT A ShitShow of a race.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Iivo Niskanen out of the whole WC, ffs!

 

[KZD]

Klaebo is on his way to reach goat status.
If things go well for him he will have 13 - 14 gold medals at WCs and a hundred world cup victories at the end of the season.
Was a little bit disappointed by Krüger and Anger.

Even if we just follow the stats, Klæbo isn't the GOAT until he wins a couple more Olympic gold medals.

However, in my opinion, a guy that has just won his first individual distance gold medal in a major Championship can’t be close to being the GOAT, especially when that gold medal was won with all circumstances playing into his hands.

 

[DenisMenchov]

Do we think Sundling has a chance here? Even Diggins is not out of it here with that long decent after the classics climb. She might just come back every time.

Johaug, Slind and Karlson must drill it in the classics if they want to medal here. Sundling/Diggins will smoke them in skating on that Mickey Mouse course if they don't get dropped in first leg.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

Im pretty sure Johaug will drill it from the start, and three times up that pretty long hill in classic will probably cook Diggins and Sundling.

Diggins lost 15 seconds to Andersson in the classic part last year, and that was when her classic form was really good, and this year there are more question marks because of the injury.

However, the big question is the conditions. It's been raining a lot tonight and apparently the courses have been (will be) salted before the race. It is hard to know if we get slushy conditions or very fast conditions. Slushy conditions will likely kill of Diggins and Sundling, but even with fast conditions there can be massive ski differences in conditions like this with the rain and the salt.

Apparently Johaug hasnt been beat in a skiathlon since 2016 and 20k instead of 15k is an advantage for her. Her biggest strength compared to the others (here im not only talking about skiathlon, but all disciplines) is the part in the skiathlon straight after the ski change, where she always seems to be able to change skiis fast and then go full speed directly from the change without needing "adjustment time" to get into the skating rythm. The skate course in Trondheim is weak, but the one bigger climb comes directly after the ski change, which I think is a huge advantage for Johaug compared to Karlsson and Andersson. Especially since Andersson always are so slow with the change. I think it was at the Worlds in Oberstdorf where Karlsson and Andersson kept up with her in the classic, then lost 2 seconds in the change and then Johaug killed them off in the first kilometer of the skating. It wouldn't surprise me if the same happens today.

However, I hope Johaug finally gets beaten, that would be nice.

 

[search]

Diggins lost 15 seconds to Andersson in the classic part last year, and that was when her classic form was really good, and this year there are more question marks because of the injury.

which is actually the other way around for Karlsson. She hasn't raced much, so it's hard to say, but apparently the worse results in freestyle came due to her foot injury. No idea if this has been fixed or not.

 

[OJRvE]

Myhlback just won Vasaloppet

 

[DonAragona]

Sundling will get dropped in the classic section, she hasn't had a good classic race all season(including sprint prologues - by her standard). Diggins has a terrible record in warm weather and the Americans usually struggle with skis in these conditions although she becomes the favourite if she hangs on for the first 3 laps.

Johaug has won both skiathlons this season although it was noticeable she wasn't as impressive in VDF with Ebba, Stadloder and Astrid hanging for much longer than expected...Astrid was actually strong enough to go with Johaug for longer but was blocked by Ebba(as usual). Johaug's skiathlon victory margins have been smaller than in the previous decade. The skate section will be Theresa's strongest part but it's such an easy course that if Frida or Digigns hang on in the classic, i just can't see how she wins Gold....for me it's going to have be the ski change, which is her number 1 strength, that's when she wins the Gold.

For me everything comes down to Karlsson, she's the best classic skier, if she changes her skis ahead of Johaug then i think she wins the Gold.

Assuming everyone has equal skis(which they won't)

Karlsson - Johaug and Diggins.

 

[Bavarianrider]

Even if we just follow the stats, Klæbo isn't the GOAT until he wins a couple more Olympic gold medals.

However, in my opinion, a guy that has just won his first individual distance gold medal in a major Championship can’t be close to being the GOAT, especially when that gold medal was won with all circumstances playing into his hands.

He can never be the goat. You cant be the greatest if you only win cause you and your criminal gang robbed your biggest rival of his career.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

Myhlback just won Vasaloppet

Hopefully he is now happy with what he's done in Ski Classics and actually fully focus on the real thing and start working properly on his technique in diagonal stride and skating.

His engine is of course great, but he's got huge faults in his technique so he is far away from being competitive among the world class skiers in the World Cup. It's no guarantee that he can ever correct these deficiency, and the longer he waits with really addressing it (to be fair, it might be that he's actually working hard on it without it showing yet, but the way he and the team are speaking about things and how they prioritize certain things make me doubt it) the higher the risk for never resolving it.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

You cant be the greatest if you only win cause you and your criminal gang robbed your biggest rival of his career.

Ah yes, I forgot it was Klæbo that banned Russia from competing.

 

[Bavarianrider]

Ah yes, I forgot it was Klæbo that banned Russia from competing.

He has stated countless Times that the should not compete, like all other Norwegians, too.

 

[OJRvE]

Hard conditions today apparently. Waxing should be relativly easy according to reports

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

He has stated countless Times that the should not compete, like all other Norwegians, too.

Still doesnt mean he has actually been involved in robbing Bolshunov. It's no problem to me if you disagree with the decision to ban Russia, but to use that to attack Klæbo or other skiers that are not involved in taking decsions is in my eyes really stupid.