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Nordic Skiing/Biathlon Thread

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Well hardly anything happened today. Bolshunoov loses sme time, the rest stays pretty uch the same So today's of Oberstdorf and only marginal changes in the Overall Standings. Really frustrating to see. They eed to do something about this. Either make thoose Loops harder or replace Oberstdorf with another venue.
 
That has to be some of the more cowardly skiing I’ve seen at the WC. Klaebo does literally no work, even when Ustiugov asked him to, several times. Then he speeds up, gets in front and purposely slows down the pace, impeding Ustiugov. Then he has the gall to celebrate and act as if he did something. Typical arrogance. I hope he gets crushed in the last two stages.
 
Sep 25, 2009
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it is now time to speculate how klaebo will climb on the cermis compared to ustiougov. he is 1 cm taller but seems a few kg lighter. also has no experience of the climb. obviously, grandpa already calculated everything :rolleyes:

unless the russians come up with a plan to dominate the remaining mass start classic, bolshu may lose the bronze to krueger who said he he's been waiting for the last climb. bolshu is as big as ustiougov (80+kg) and needs a 1:30 at least to feel some fat against the lighter challengers.

overall agree with bulls, klaebo skied with little class...
 
Apr 22, 2012
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BullsFan22 said:
That has to be some of the more cowardly skiing I’ve seen at the WC. Klaebo does literally no work, even when Ustiugov asked him to, several times. Then he speeds up, gets in front and purposely slows down the pace, impeding Ustiugov. Then he has the gall to celebrate and act as if he did something. Typical arrogance. I hope he gets crushed in the last two stages.
Actually Klaebo was working at the front several times, even when Utsiugov ask him to, but Klaebo's pace was just too slow for Ustiugov so soon after Ustiugov took over in lead. Klaebe was the one at the lead at the end, it was down to Ustiugov to try and do someting.

Finish was very smart from Klaebo, like it or not. He played his cards perfectly. What's cowardly about speeding up and getting in front? Ustiugov could speed up too. When Klaebo slowed down, I suspect it was more because he was very tired (as was Ustiugov at the moment) after that brutal acceleration, Ustiugov didn't have to slow down, right? He could could go at front, there was enough time before the top of the hill but Ustiugov simply didn't have it. Klaebo wasn't blocking Ustiugov, there was enough space. If Ustiugov had enough energy to get in front of the Klaebo but choosed to stay behind...I guess Ustiugov isn't that stupid, thus Ustiugov being tired scenario is the right one.
 
Apr 22, 2012
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Re:

python said:
it is now time to speculate how klaebo will climb on the cermis compared to ustiougov. he is 1 cm taller but seems a few kg lighter. also has no experience of the climb. obviously, grandpa already calculated everything :rolleyes:

unless the russians come up with a plan to dominate the remaining mass start classic, bolshu may lose the bronze to krueger who said he he's been waiting for the last climb. bolshu is as big as ustiougov (80+kg) and needs a 1:30 at least to feel some fat against the lighter challengers.

overall agree with bulls, klaebo skied with little class...
Actually Klaebo is one centimeter smaller. How do you he is few kgs llighter?
 
While Ustiogov is heavier, one must assume that Klaebo has a higher portion of fast twitching muscle fibres. Those will run out of gas on Alpe Cermis sooner or later. So unless Klaebo enters the climb with a significant gap I just don't see him beating Ustiogov. Alpe Cermis simply doesn't suit is muscle type.
 
Kokoso said:
BullsFan22 said:
That has to be some of the more cowardly skiing I’ve seen at the WC. Klaebo does literally no work, even when Ustiugov asked him to, several times. Then he speeds up, gets in front and purposely slows down the pace, impeding Ustiugov. Then he has the gall to celebrate and act as if he did something. Typical arrogance. I hope he gets crushed in the last two stages.
Actually Klaebo was working at the front several times, even when Utsiugov ask him to, but Klaebo's pace was just too slow for Ustiugov so soon after Ustiugov took over in lead. Klaebe was the one at the lead at the end, it was down to Ustiugov to try and do someting.

Finish was very smart from Klaebo, like it or not. He played his cards perfectly. What's cowardly about speeding up and getting in front? Ustiugov could speed up too. When Klaebo slowed down, I suspect it was more because he was very tired (as was Ustiugov at the moment) after that brutal acceleration, Ustiugov didn't have to slow down, right? He could could go at front, there was enough time before the top of the hill but Ustiugov simply didn't have it. Klaebo wasn't blocking Ustiugov, there was enough space. If Ustiugov had enough energy to get in front of the Klaebo but choosed to stay behind...I guess Ustiugov isn't that stupid, thus Ustiugov being tired scenario is the right one.


Did you watch the race? If you did, could you please tell me when exactly he went ahead of Ustiugov to do some of the work, before the final climb and into the stadium? They showed one instance where Ustiugov clearly motioned to Klaebo to go forward, but that must not have lasted very long because the next shot was Ustiugov being in front again.

To the bold, he purposefully went in front to prevent Ustiugov from launching an attack, then when Ustiugov got beside him, he sped up. He did a similar thing Northug did in 2011, when he impeded both Cologna and Hellner. In that stage Northug was penalized. It wasn't as blatant as Northug's, but the goal was the same. It has nothing to do with being tired. I suspect you've never done a cross country ski race in your life.

It is absolutely cowardly, but that's to be expected from the Trondersk.
 
Apr 22, 2012
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BullsFan22 said:
Kokoso said:
BullsFan22 said:
That has to be some of the more cowardly skiing I’ve seen at the WC. Klaebo does literally no work, even when Ustiugov asked him to, several times. Then he speeds up, gets in front and purposely slows down the pace, impeding Ustiugov. Then he has the gall to celebrate and act as if he did something. Typical arrogance. I hope he gets crushed in the last two stages.
Actually Klaebo was working at the front several times, even when Utsiugov ask him to, but Klaebo's pace was just too slow for Ustiugov so soon after Ustiugov took over in lead. Klaebe was the one at the lead at the end, it was down to Ustiugov to try and do someting.

Finish was very smart from Klaebo, like it or not. He played his cards perfectly. What's cowardly about speeding up and getting in front? Ustiugov could speed up too. When Klaebo slowed down, I suspect it was more because he was very tired (as was Ustiugov at the moment) after that brutal acceleration, Ustiugov didn't have to slow down, right? He could could go at front, there was enough time before the top of the hill but Ustiugov simply didn't have it. Klaebo wasn't blocking Ustiugov, there was enough space. If Ustiugov had enough energy to get in front of the Klaebo but choosed to stay behind...I guess Ustiugov isn't that stupid, thus Ustiugov being tired scenario is the right one.


Did you watch the race? If you did, could you please tell me when exactly he went ahead of Ustiugov to do some of the work, before the final climb and into the stadium? They showed one instance where Ustiugov clearly motioned to Klaebo to go forward, but that must not have lasted very long because the next shot was Ustiugov being in front again.

To the bold, he purposefully went in front to prevent Ustiugov from launching an attack, then when Ustiugov got beside him, he sped up. He did a similar thing Northug did in 2011, when he impeded both Cologna and Hellner. In that stage Northug was penalized. It wasn't as blatant as Northug's, but the goal was the same. It has nothing to do with being tired. I suspect you've never done a cross country ski race in your life.

It is absolutely cowardly, but that's to be expected from the Trondersk.
Yep, I've watched the race, otherwise I couldn't write that comment of course. Strange question. I won't tell you exactly when Klaebo was at front, I didn't make a notes on exact times of course. Are you making notes who was at front at what time? I guess no, anaway you can't expect people making such notes. If you want, you can watch that race again and see yourself.

So it they, according to you, showed just one instance where Ustiugov showed Klaebo to go at the front, how comes you previously wrote Ustiugov asked him several times? That's contradictory.

Previously I wrote "Klaebo's pace was just too slow for Ustiugov so soon after Ustiugov took over in lead.", so I don't really understand what you are you trying to say by this "but that must not have lasted very long because the next shot was Ustiugov being in front again. "...?

Klaebo went at front to win a race. He launched attack at the foot of the hill, Ustiugov couldn't match him even despite Klaebo having longer trajectory, as a result Klaebo was at front. Why are so omitting this so obstinately? Later Ustiugov tried to accelerate, but he didn't have it. Of course Klaebo accelerated when Ustiugov accelerated, there is nothing wrong with that. Important is Ustiugov's acceleration was very, very short, it lasted like one second and ended with Ustiugov stumbling, after that Ustiugov returned behind Klaebo so that hints Ustuigov had no energy for longer acceleration, otherwise he sustained that acceleration for longer time, not just for second, don't you agree?

Unfair would be if Klaebo blocked Ustiugov, but that wasn't the case.
 
And I will say the same for the women's race. Wasn't nice of Belorukova to sit back and let the others do all the work. Diggins did the same as Ustiugov, waved for the other two to go and take the lead, do some work. They didn't. Parmakoski later did a bit, but Belorukova never did. So it was a deserved podium for Diggins.

It should be a very interesting final two days. Oestberg is the favorite. Even if somehow Nepryaeva claws back half a minute before the final stage, Oestberg is a better climber and is lighter. That said, Nepryaeva is solid as a rock, she only lost 6 seconds in actual ski time today. After that it depends on what Parmakoski does in the classic mass start. Normally you'd favor her against the other two, but Belorukova has impressed in distance races this year. If the Russians nail the waxing as they did yesterday, then who knows, maybe she puts time on Parmakoski. That said, the final climb favors Parmakoski and Diggins more than Belorukova. Sedova is perhaps too far back to challenge for the podium, but there's still a chance. She'll need a similar performance as yesterday and in Toblach. Parmakoski isn't as good as she was two-three years ago in the tour. Or maybe the others are much better then they were, though the Russians don't have a lot of experience at the tour.
 
I kinda agree about Belorukova, but unlike Klaebo she had a teammate in front of her and another one chasing. So, kinda like in cycling, she had no reason to work.

I think Ustiugov is really confident about the final climb. He was racing against everyone except Klaebo.

There is a very strange similarity in Spitsov's and Sundby's results. Every stage they have almost the same time. Today they were the two fastest with exactly the same time. Incredible consistency :)
 
BullsFan22 said:
And I will say the same for the women's race. Wasn't nice of Belorukova to sit back and let the others do all the work. Diggins did the same as Ustiugov, waved for the other two to go and take the lead, do some work. They didn't. Parmakoski later did a bit, but Belorukova never did. So it was a deserved podium for Diggins.

It should be a very interesting final two days. Oestberg is the favorite. Even if somehow Nepryaeva claws back half a minute before the final stage, Oestberg is a better climber and is lighter. That said, Nepryaeva is solid as a rock, she only lost 6 seconds in actual ski time today. After that it depends on what Parmakoski does in the classic mass start. Normally you'd favor her against the other two, but Belorukova has impressed in distance races this year. If the Russians nail the waxing as they did yesterday, then who knows, maybe she puts time on Parmakoski. That said, the final climb favors Parmakoski and Diggins more than Belorukova. Sedova is perhaps too far back to challenge for the podium, but there's still a chance. She'll need a similar performance as yesterday and in Toblach. Parmakoski isn't as good as she was two-three years ago in the tour. Or maybe the others are much better then they were, though the Russians don't have a lot of experience at the tour.

Actually Diggins and Pärmäkoski did more or less similar amount of work because they agreed so prior the race. Every lap Pärmäkoski took the lead after the stadium and pulled almost to the foot of the last climb where Diggins took over to pull the hill and down to the stadium. That repeated every lap and was somewhat clever knowing Jessie is better climber while Krista is bit stronger on flatish. They were the 2 fatest of the race, much due to their tactics.
 
Re:

DenisMenchov said:
I kinda agree about Belorukova, but unlike Klaebo she had a teammate in front of her and another one chasing. So, kinda like in cycling, she had no reason to work.

I think Ustiugov is really confident about the final climb. He was racing against everyone except Klaebo.

There is a very strange similarity in Spitsov's and Sundby's results. Every stage they have almost the same time. Today they were the two fastest with exactly the same time. Incredible consistency :)


Yeah I know it's a different situation, but still...In any case, these are still excellent results for Belorukova. To hang with Diggins, who had the fastest time of the day, and drop Parmakoski and in fall fairness to her, finished faster than Diggins, just didn't lunge for some reason. I hope she gets a podium in the mass start race. She's more than capable of it, judging how the season has gone for her so far.
 
Re:

DenisMenchov said:
There is a very strange similarity in Spitsov's and Sundby's results. Every stage they have almost the same time. Today they were the two fastest with exactly the same time. Incredible consistency :)

today's stage result was calculated based on the GC standings before the stage though, and not on the start time, for whatever reason. So not that it makes much of a difference, but in fact I think Spitsov was 0.3s quicker.
 
Re:

search said:
so, apart from Iversen on the men's side, from the women also Jacobsen (7th), Nilsson (8th) and Hennig (14th) are non-starters today

Edit: Skar (as a late addition to the race) will probably abandon at some point as well, I guess - but he could be useful today to do some donkey work for Krueger first
In fairness to her, Astrid has been sick, although it has been some time removed now since her run of top 10s in the Tour. Nilsson showed up with every intention of dropping out. I guess it's no different to the sprinters in cycling dropping out of GTs but with the huge bonuses paid on the sprint stages, they haven't been moved out of relevance for the overall like they are in cycling so it seems more jarring.

I feel like these long-form Tours (as opposed to the mini-Tours they often run at the Nordic Opening and at Falun after the Stockholm city sprint) do get much better take-up at the two year point in the Olympic cycle, so 2012, 2016 and so on, because there isn't so much focus on either the Worlds or the Olympics. It's hard because they can't really simplify the Tour anymore without it ceasing to have one of its big attractions which is the back to back racing days, and they can't really extend it out without it having even more reduced takeup among the elites. Maybe the second sprint event should be on the penultimate day, or there should be some more point to point stuff like the classic Toblach - Cortina pursuit (always one of the most engrossing days of action) to give it more of a Tour feel. Maybe some more open entries and the reinstatement of the prologue individual start rather than a sprint, so you could see some of the Worldloppet guys compete, seeing as they wouldn't be removed from relevance immediately by a sprint. If they are going to do a sprint start, maybe a city sprint like they used to do with Prague to add a bit of ceremony to the start, rather than it being as it is now, something of a couple of race weekends bolted together with the Val di Fiemme classic + hillclimb being what everybody is waiting for.

Also, while I understand the desire for the short loops, unless they're going to use long loops elsewhere in the World Cup (which they should, it's called "cross country" for a reason), then that could be a point of difference - if they're concerned about the audience figures, then use long loops in the Individual Start events where a) it's worth standing in the same spot as you will catch everybody as they pass, and b) you will minimise the effect of good fortune on who you wind up skiing with (remembering a Davos race a couple of years ago when I think it was Hellner who spent 35km all on his lonesome while Musgrave got the great fortune of getting a tow first off Heikkinen, then off somebody else who ended top 5, then off Sundby, just due to an advantageous start number).
 
I guess the quit rate boils down to either actual or perceived strain of the event in relation to actual or perceived recovery needs of the athletes when the endgame is performing optimally at the worlds. Fair enough, but I sometimes wonder why stage races (shorter or longer) can be used as training blocks cycling but not, per various skier statements emphasising the stress involved in the tour, in XC.

Both sports involve predominantly concentric loading of the muscular system as opposed to, say, running where gait impacts generate high eccentric loads that damage the muscles more. Both sports involve above threshold efforts, bursts of power, etc, though ski races may arguably contain more "above the red" / day stuff than stage races apart from GTs. Wrt aerobic demands, distance races in XC are akin to MTFs or undulating TTs (25-35mins where the avg is above the threshold), but maybe more taxing from a neuromuscular pov. Sprint days including the qualis consist of, say, 5 x 2:30 - 3:30 of max neuromuscular effort. So I guess it is fair to say that in terms of intensity accumulation, TDS is more taxing than say week long stage races in cycling.

On the other hand, cycling stage races contain 3-5h of volume / day on top of whatever the hard efforts may be, so the metabolic strain is a lot higher. Also, no rest days in short stage races.

So I guess a reasonable argument against running for the GC in the TDS can be made along these lines. There is a tendency for TDS athletes to not do so well in the worlds.

Nevertheless, I am not entirely convinced that the racing alone in the TDS is so structured that it hurts athletes whereas eg. the Dauphine can be used to build form. So my guess would be that the extra stress from traveling, not living in a controlled environment, lacking the opportunity to do low intensity base training while on the road, etc are just as important.

thoughts?
 
Apr 22, 2012
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Kokoso said:
BullsFan22 said:
Kokoso said:
BullsFan22 said:
That has to be some of the more cowardly skiing I’ve seen at the WC. Klaebo does literally no work, even when Ustiugov asked him to, several times. Then he speeds up, gets in front and purposely slows down the pace, impeding Ustiugov. Then he has the gall to celebrate and act as if he did something. Typical arrogance. I hope he gets crushed in the last two stages.
Actually Klaebo was working at the front several times, even when Utsiugov ask him to, but Klaebo's pace was just too slow for Ustiugov so soon after Ustiugov took over in lead. Klaebe was the one at the lead at the end, it was down to Ustiugov to try and do someting.

Finish was very smart from Klaebo, like it or not. He played his cards perfectly. What's cowardly about speeding up and getting in front? Ustiugov could speed up too. When Klaebo slowed down, I suspect it was more because he was very tired (as was Ustiugov at the moment) after that brutal acceleration, Ustiugov didn't have to slow down, right? He could could go at front, there was enough time before the top of the hill but Ustiugov simply didn't have it. Klaebo wasn't blocking Ustiugov, there was enough space. If Ustiugov had enough energy to get in front of the Klaebo but choosed to stay behind...I guess Ustiugov isn't that stupid, thus Ustiugov being tired scenario is the right one.


Did you watch the race? If you did, could you please tell me when exactly he went ahead of Ustiugov to do some of the work, before the final climb and into the stadium? They showed one instance where Ustiugov clearly motioned to Klaebo to go forward, but that must not have lasted very long because the next shot was Ustiugov being in front again.

To the bold, he purposefully went in front to prevent Ustiugov from launching an attack, then when Ustiugov got beside him, he sped up. He did a similar thing Northug did in 2011, when he impeded both Cologna and Hellner. In that stage Northug was penalized. It wasn't as blatant as Northug's, but the goal was the same. It has nothing to do with being tired. I suspect you've never done a cross country ski race in your life.

It is absolutely cowardly, but that's to be expected from the Trondersk.
Yep, I've watched the race, otherwise I couldn't write that comment of course. Strange question. I won't tell you exactly when Klaebo was at front, I didn't make a notes on exact times of course. Are you making notes who was at front at what time? I guess no, anaway you can't expect people making such notes. If you want, you can watch that race again and see yourself.

So it they, according to you, showed just one instance where Ustiugov showed Klaebo to go at the front, how comes you previously wrote Ustiugov asked him several times? That's contradictory.

Previously I wrote "Klaebo's pace was just too slow for Ustiugov so soon after Ustiugov took over in lead.", so I don't really understand what you are you trying to say by this "but that must not have lasted very long because the next shot was Ustiugov being in front again. "...?

Klaebo went at front to win a race. He launched attack at the foot of the hill, Ustiugov couldn't match him even despite Klaebo having longer trajectory, as a result Klaebo was at front. Why are so omitting this so obstinately? Later Ustiugov tried to accelerate, but he didn't have it. Of course Klaebo accelerated when Ustiugov accelerated, there is nothing wrong with that. Important is Ustiugov's acceleration was very, very short, it lasted like one second and ended with Ustiugov stumbling, after that Ustiugov returned behind Klaebo so that hints Ustuigov had no energy for longer acceleration, otherwise he sustained that acceleration for longer time, not just for second, don't you agree?

Unfair would be if Klaebo blocked Ustiugov, but that wasn't the case.
@Bullsfan No answers again? You are good at not answering when questions don't suit you. :rolleyes:
I can kinda understand you don't want to answer when you've been caught lying. But that is not right way to behave. That requires some courage actually. You seem not to have it.

Looks like nobody shares your opinion on Klaebo yesterday. Only python, but he said overall and didn't comment specifically on that last hill.
 
Kokoso said:
Kokoso said:
BullsFan22 said:
Kokoso said:
BullsFan22 said:
That has to be some of the more cowardly skiing I’ve seen at the WC. Klaebo does literally no work, even when Ustiugov asked him to, several times. Then he speeds up, gets in front and purposely slows down the pace, impeding Ustiugov. Then he has the gall to celebrate and act as if he did something. Typical arrogance. I hope he gets crushed in the last two stages.
Actually Klaebo was working at the front several times, even when Utsiugov ask him to, but Klaebo's pace was just too slow for Ustiugov so soon after Ustiugov took over in lead. Klaebe was the one at the lead at the end, it was down to Ustiugov to try and do someting.

Finish was very smart from Klaebo, like it or not. He played his cards perfectly. What's cowardly about speeding up and getting in front? Ustiugov could speed up too. When Klaebo slowed down, I suspect it was more because he was very tired (as was Ustiugov at the moment) after that brutal acceleration, Ustiugov didn't have to slow down, right? He could could go at front, there was enough time before the top of the hill but Ustiugov simply didn't have it. Klaebo wasn't blocking Ustiugov, there was enough space. If Ustiugov had enough energy to get in front of the Klaebo but choosed to stay behind...I guess Ustiugov isn't that stupid, thus Ustiugov being tired scenario is the right one.


Did you watch the race? If you did, could you please tell me when exactly he went ahead of Ustiugov to do some of the work, before the final climb and into the stadium? They showed one instance where Ustiugov clearly motioned to Klaebo to go forward, but that must not have lasted very long because the next shot was Ustiugov being in front again.

To the bold, he purposefully went in front to prevent Ustiugov from launching an attack, then when Ustiugov got beside him, he sped up. He did a similar thing Northug did in 2011, when he impeded both Cologna and Hellner. In that stage Northug was penalized. It wasn't as blatant as Northug's, but the goal was the same. It has nothing to do with being tired. I suspect you've never done a cross country ski race in your life.

It is absolutely cowardly, but that's to be expected from the Trondersk.
Yep, I've watched the race, otherwise I couldn't write that comment of course. Strange question. I won't tell you exactly when Klaebo was at front, I didn't make a notes on exact times of course. Are you making notes who was at front at what time? I guess no, anaway you can't expect people making such notes. If you want, you can watch that race again and see yourself.

So it they, according to you, showed just one instance where Ustiugov showed Klaebo to go at the front, how comes you previously wrote Ustiugov asked him several times? That's contradictory.

Previously I wrote "Klaebo's pace was just too slow for Ustiugov so soon after Ustiugov took over in lead.", so I don't really understand what you are you trying to say by this "but that must not have lasted very long because the next shot was Ustiugov being in front again. "...?

Klaebo went at front to win a race. He launched attack at the foot of the hill, Ustiugov couldn't match him even despite Klaebo having longer trajectory, as a result Klaebo was at front. Why are so omitting this so obstinately? Later Ustiugov tried to accelerate, but he didn't have it. Of course Klaebo accelerated when Ustiugov accelerated, there is nothing wrong with that. Important is Ustiugov's acceleration was very, very short, it lasted like one second and ended with Ustiugov stumbling, after that Ustiugov returned behind Klaebo so that hints Ustuigov had no energy for longer acceleration, otherwise he sustained that acceleration for longer time, not just for second, don't you agree?

Unfair would be if Klaebo blocked Ustiugov, but that wasn't the case.
@Bullsfan No answers again? You are good at not answering when questions don't suit you. :rolleyes:
I can kinda understand you don't want to answer when you've been caught lying. But that is not right way to behave. That requires some courage actually. You seem not to have it.

Looks like nobody shares your opinion on Klaebo yesterday. Only python, but he said overall and didn't comment specifically on that last hill.


I am not obligated to answer to you or anyone else. Plus I have a life outside of posting about xc ski racing on a cycling forum.

Caught lying? Lying about what? Twice (on camera) Ustiugov motioned for Klaebo to go to the front and do some work, once he did, for about 7 seconds, the other time no. So how am I lying? Did he not slow down when he went ahead of Ustiugov on the final climb? Yes he did. Did Ustiugov do virtually all the work? Yes. Did Klaebo wheelsuck virtually the whole way? Yes. What's the deal then?

Nobody? Who is nobody? On this forum or? And calling me a liar when I simply stated what I saw. You must be really feeling chipper.
 
Sep 25, 2009
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i think oestberg and nepryeva pretty much secured 1-2. it will be most interesting to see the fight for the 3d:

3. parma +2:13,1
4. beloroukova + 2:27,4
5. sedova +3:03,6
6. diggins +3:07,9

sedova is growing in strength from race to race, but parma on paper and diggins in reality are better climbers. belo imo wont be able to hold off the other 3 girls. between parma and diggins i will chose parma 10 out of 10.
 
Re:

python said:
i think oestberg and nepryeva pretty much secured 1-2. it will be most interesting to see the fight for the 3d:

3. parma +2:13,1
4. beloroukova + 2:27,4
5. sedova +3:03,6
6. diggins +3:07,9

sedova is growing in strength from race to race, but parma on paper and diggins in reality are better climbers. belo imo wont be able to hold off the other 3 girls. between parma and diggins i will chose parma 10 out of 10.

Yeah the 1-2 are secured. Parmakoski could, if she's strong tomorrow and Nepryeava is not feeling it, pass her, but chances are Nepryeava will hold on. Belorukova never podiumed in any stage, but she hasn't been outside the top 10 in any race. She missed out on bonus seconds in the sprint in Toblach to Diggins (Diggins 3rd, Belorukova 4th in a photofinish with also Ingemarsdotter and Jacobsen). In val Mustair she went to pass Lampic on the inside but ran out of room in the semis, so missed crucial seconds not making the final, in the Oberstdorf pursuit where she stuck with Diggins but didn't lunge, so another 5 seconds lost, and today getting dropped. Today she was beaten by 29 seconds by her two teammates and 24 by Parmakoski, so there were no lunges that she lost bonus seconds on (she did get 10 seconds in the bonus sprint today). 10 seconds for losing on lunges to Diggins and at least a few more in missing out on the final in Val Mustair. Those could turn out to be very precious tomorrow.

Diggins just isn't a very elegant classic skier. Her technique is more to that of a 14 year old. I didn't see any problems with her skis today as perhaps in Germany, but she just isn't efficient and can't adjust when the hills steepen or she starts losing some kick. She can be all just strength and willpower. That can only get you so far in classic races.
 
Re:

Cance > TheRest said:
How much time can the two russians claw back on Klæbo on the Alpe?


Minimal, if any. Bolshunov is too heavy and he doesn't seem as shart earlier in the season, plus it's skating. Ustiugov looked cooked today. He wasted too much energy in Oberstdorf. He also missed a lot of training after breaking his thumb in October. His first race was in Davos. I am actually really surprised to see him doing this well after missing so much. He just isn't in the same shape as he was in 2017 when he won 5 stages. He is also too big to really motor tomorrow. Klaebo won't be caught, though it would be fun if was.

I also think that the Russians skied a poor race tactically. They lost out on the sprint bonuses even though they had the numbers and also lost out in the sprint, even though they still had 4 guys that have good finish speed. They skied away, but not from Klaebo but from Ustiugov. He also went way too early for the first sprint. Then basically skied for dear life. Poor tactics.

Just a real pity De Fabiani couldn't hold on. What a great thing that would have been! To win your first TDS stage, at home! Klaebo also had noticeably faster skis. No problems gliding up to De Fabiani.
 

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