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Just wait for Northug to come past the rest of that group on the straight having not put his nose in the wind once then spend four minutes laying on the floor pretending to be more exhausted than he is... just hoping Polto can outdo him at the end, distance Classic is his thing and he looks to be building up to form...
I really wanted Sjur Røthe to win
I really wanted Sjur Røthe to win
...what roethe showed in (not his favourite style) today AND if extrapolated to his obvious current endurance allows me to speculate he'll be the 2nd overall after the climb up cermis. until today, i though the 2nd will be krogh ...a somewhat similar consideration i'd extend to ustiugov who is normally better at skating except i dont see him on the podium overall (yet)
True. I don't think him at his best would have been able to follow Martin, but he would at least have been in the Northug group.
What Sundby is doing is more majestic than any skier ever. He's skiing better than anyone in history, perfect technique and never showing any signs of sloppiness. That doesn't of course mean he's the best skier ever, or even close to it, but his current level is previously unmatched. Alien-like.
What Sundby is doing is more majestic than any skier ever. He's skiing better than anyone in history, perfect technique and never showing any signs of sloppiness. That doesn't of course mean he's the best skier ever, or even close to it, but his current level is previously unmatched. Alien-like.
Re:
Flugstad is a hell lot more complete than Weng will ever be. The next Bjørgen perhaps?Libertine Seguros said:
Re: Re:
Heidi's biggest problem is what jsem94 puts - she's basically got the same skillset as Johaug, but she isn't as good. Therefore, she can't win any races because she's simply not good enough in the short distance races to compete with the specialists; though she's better in the sprints than Therese she hasn't a prayer of actually winning one realistically, but in the long distance races Therese will always drop her. What she really needs is one race that's of a long enough distance for it not to suit the converted sprinter type all-rounders where Johaug fluffs her form or is ill or something. Her getting a win was regarded as a matter of time for quite a while, and now it's getting to the "when will it happen?" phase.
What she really is, I guess you could argue, is a new Kristin Størmer Steira. But then, I loved Steira too, the eternal nearly woman, a distance specialist in an era when that type of racer is being progressively more marginalized (although this season they can little help that with the need for shorter loops due to the lack of snow) who gets terrible luck and is always among the best on any given day but seldom actually the best when it counts.
Ingvild is more complete than Heidi, no doubt about it, but Weng is by far the best athlete on the World Cup without an individual victory, and it seems to be having an effect psychologically on her. For two or three years now Heidi has been, season-long, the third best distance racer, with Bjørgen skiing into the distance, and then Heidi sitting on Johaug's heels until the last lap when Therese drops her; at the bigger events she's mistimed peaks and been less successful. This season, Therese has stepped into Bjørgen's domination level in the distance races, but now Heidi has a new obstacle in her way as Østberg's distance racing has improved from last season, when she'd often be in the first pack behind the Johaug/Weng chase until late on, and if necessary using her sprint at the end, to skiing with Weng and sometimes dropping her.Cance > TheRest said:
Heidi's biggest problem is what jsem94 puts - she's basically got the same skillset as Johaug, but she isn't as good. Therefore, she can't win any races because she's simply not good enough in the short distance races to compete with the specialists; though she's better in the sprints than Therese she hasn't a prayer of actually winning one realistically, but in the long distance races Therese will always drop her. What she really needs is one race that's of a long enough distance for it not to suit the converted sprinter type all-rounders where Johaug fluffs her form or is ill or something. Her getting a win was regarded as a matter of time for quite a while, and now it's getting to the "when will it happen?" phase.
What she really is, I guess you could argue, is a new Kristin Størmer Steira. But then, I loved Steira too, the eternal nearly woman, a distance specialist in an era when that type of racer is being progressively more marginalized (although this season they can little help that with the need for shorter loops due to the lack of snow) who gets terrible luck and is always among the best on any given day but seldom actually the best when it counts.
Why the hell are todays pursuits a joke distance of 5 and 10km? Makes no sense what so ever after a sprint and a long distance race with a huge amounts of bonusseconds and therefore huge gaps in the overall standing. hardly anything can happen today due to the shorst distance. Basically a waste of a day. Should have been AT LEAST 10 and 15 km.
Agreed. I think they wanted to have a shorter pursuit to make the race a bit closer, without erasing all the gaps (like the old 35 kilometer pursuit used to do).Bavarianrider said:
However, they probably didn't anticipate the enormous time gaps we have already.
Singer01
BANNED
Bavarianrider said:
and without bonuses at the end. northug has to win the C sprint, and hang on in the mass starts and take the sprint points from sundby.
on a separate note why are there 3 C mass starts and no freestyle?
In fairness it's probably to do with the lack of snow meaning they only have the short course layout available, so they don't want Sundby or Johaug lapping too many people.Bavarianrider said:
today was another example of how an 'unteam' sport like xc skiing can benefit certain teams and punish others...
2 nowegians behind a leading norwegian teamed up to keep ustiugov away(and they succeeded) while behind another 2 norwegians teamed up to chase ustiugov down, which they also succeeded. i have to credit the young russian though - he did the best of the situation losing as little as was possible...
further down belov was giving a splendid ride to another group of 4 which disposed of him as a used anti-pregnancy device with 1km to go. this of course speaks not very well of belov's tactical acumen. and a little further below legkov was the waggon horse with a half dozen happy passengers. to legkov's justification though, he really never knew how to race differently.
i like that polto showed himself well.
2 nowegians behind a leading norwegian teamed up to keep ustiugov away(and they succeeded) while behind another 2 norwegians teamed up to chase ustiugov down, which they also succeeded. i have to credit the young russian though - he did the best of the situation losing as little as was possible...
further down belov was giving a splendid ride to another group of 4 which disposed of him as a used anti-pregnancy device with 1km to go. this of course speaks not very well of belov's tactical acumen. and a little further below legkov was the waggon horse with a half dozen happy passengers. to legkov's justification though, he really never knew how to race differently.
i like that polto showed himself well.
Frankly Northug is doing pretty well. He hasn't been in that kind of an endurance shape in a long time. If it wasn't for the super human Sundby he really might have challanged for the win this year.
Libertine Seguros said:
No those distances had been sheduled right from the beginning when rhis years route was announced. they shortened the Oberstdorf races due to the lack of snow.
Singer01 said:
one classic mass start was originally a skiathlon before being changed because of the lack of snow
Nice women's pursuit today. The fast conditions probably favoured Flugstad, but refreshing nonetheless.
Northugs attack was the highlight of the men's race. Pretty much shows how dull it was.
Northugs attack was the highlight of the men's race. Pretty much shows how dull it was.
Libertine Seguros said:
And that is better for the sport? Not sure. MJS is at least a tolerable human being, Petter isn't.
I'm really surprised, pleasantly surprised by Ingvild. Raced brilliantly.
Disagree, MJS is not really tolerable either. Before he became a robot he was pretty much the least liked XC-skier in Norway, with all of his whining, unjustified cockiness and Lance-loving.jsem94 said:
MJS is not very likable and boring, and just skis away from everybody early on.
Petter is immensely hatable and boring, and races like Simon Gerrans on skis.
Sundby is pretty intolerable but massively preferable to Northug.
Petter is immensely hatable and boring, and races like Simon Gerrans on skis.
Sundby is pretty intolerable but massively preferable to Northug.
Sundby is arrogant, I agree. After winning today's pursuit he even went as far as calling his race a "møkkaløp", having just raced a perfectly balanced 10km...maltiv said:
Re:
some other impressions. the caldwell win was a pleasant surprise. doubt she herself still believes it. as expected, those who started in the last semi were disadvantaged in terms of recovery and it showed on sundby and northug. the krogh fall increased his handicap to northug and ustiugov, but i think he's still 3d overall (?) what else ? cologna was below par imo, poltoranin is getting into shape and i hope he will say his word in the remaining classic events.
ustiugov looks more and more like a guy for the podium. i would love to see if he can lift his massive body up cermes better that petter.
yep, iversen was the strongest. he proved it. a class above ustiugov who won all his heats in the conditions that did not favour heavy skiers ? i would not say so. btw, iversen looks a tad like some finns or as if he has a mix of eastern asian in him. not that it matters, but does anyone know ?..Cance > TheRest said:
some other impressions. the caldwell win was a pleasant surprise. doubt she herself still believes it. as expected, those who started in the last semi were disadvantaged in terms of recovery and it showed on sundby and northug. the krogh fall increased his handicap to northug and ustiugov, but i think he's still 3d overall (?) what else ? cologna was below par imo, poltoranin is getting into shape and i hope he will say his word in the remaining classic events.
ustiugov looks more and more like a guy for the podium. i would love to see if he can lift his massive body up cermes better that petter.
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