Nordic Skiing/Biathlon Thread

[Mayomaniac]

Les Rousses world cup cancelled because of the Coronavirus

BREAKING: Les Rousses (FRA) World Cup cancelled

Because of growing concerns to hold international events in the current pandemic situation and the virulence of the Omicron variant, the organizing committee of Les Rousses (FRA), the French Ski Federation and the National Authorities took the decision to cancel the FIS Cross-Country World Cup...

www.fis-ski.com

Not good news for those that missed the TDS and were planning on racing there. Apparently FIS isn't even going to consider an alternative. Why not stay in Italy, perhaps Toblach, they have a decent amount of snow, right? Or Austria?

The tracks in Toblach are fine atm, I've recently done a few laps.
FIS doing Fis things, no surprise...

 

[BullsFan22]

The tracks in Toblach are fine atm, I've recently done a few laps.
FIS doing Fis things, no surprise...

That’s good. I hope people in that area use it, because other parts of Central Europe are experiencing a bit of a warm spell at the moment.

So FIS just replied to a inquiry about possible changes and they said that national federations are in talks. Maybe an alternative is not out of the question yet.

 

[OJRvE]

It's not something that sounds too easy. If we agree that Klaebo is skiing the anchor leg, then Norway might have a real big problem matching the Chervotkin/Bolshunov in the classics leg. Yes, Klaebo is dominant now, but who are the two guys that will go in the first two legs? Iversen's form is ridiculous, Golberg feels like he's well past his prime, he even lost a minute to Chervotkin last year at the World Championships. So maybe they would need to put Valnes and Krueger in the classics legs. And let's not forget that Ustiugov and Spitsov weren't there last year for Russia in the freestyle legs. Now Sergey is just eyeing the Olympics after he was't allowed to go last time.

Kreuger will not run a classic leg. Either the third leg or he is out. Maybe Holund can do a classic leg but historically the Norwegian management trust their sprint guys or pure classic specialist to do the classic.

For Russia, I was thinking that they should shock Norway and put Bolshunov in the first leg, he can create a gap which Chervotkin might extend, To me Chervotkin looks stronger than the Norwegians but it is uncertain if he can create a gap.

 

[Bavarianrider]

The tracks in Toblach are fine atm, I've recently done a few laps.
FIS doing Fis things, no surprise...

The problem is that hardly anyone of the Bug names would have shown up anyway. I guess FIS is nit all that unhappy if it is cancelled.

 

[KZD]

Where will Iversen find his form? Even then, you’re asking him to do a 10km skate at altitude, on a tough course?

Exactly, Ustiugov would toy with Iversen in his current shape and even at his best he wouldn't have a strong chance. If by some miracle Norway goes with Klæbo in the second leg they should put someone like Holund or Røthe in the last leg and hope that Klæbo and Krüger would give them an enough buffer to hold Ustiugov in the last leg like Krogh did in Lahti 2017. But the sole fact that we are having this discussion shows that Russia has a good chance of winning the relay even if Norway still is the slight favourite. Speaking about the relay, I am curious to see if Germany can fight for podium after Moch and Bögl's strong performance today.

As for the Les Rousses world cup cancellation its a a bad news and if no alternative is found by FIS then it will give even more weight to the Tour de Ski with people that didn't race it coming perhaps a bit weaker to the Olympics and in the men's overall if Klæbo was already the favourite to win the crystal globe it will now be almost impossible for Bolshunov to beat him because now he can't even pull a crazy schedule. I also think that Neprayeva has a really good chance of winning the overall with so many sprint races in the post-Olympic period and a 30km classic mass-start.

 

[BullsFan22]

Exactly, Ustiugov would toy with Iversen in his current shape and even at his best he wouldn't have a strong chance. If by some miracle Norway goes with Klæbo in the second leg they should put someone like Holund or Røthe in the last leg and hope that Klæbo and Krüger would give them an enough buffer to hold Ustiugov in the last leg like Krogh did in Lahti 2017. But the sole fact that we are having this discussion shows that Russia has a good chance of winning the relay even if Norway still is the slight favourite. Speaking about the relay, I am curious to see if Germany can fight for podium after Moch and Bögl's strong performance today.

As for the Les Rousses world cup cancellation its a a bad news and if no alternative is found by FIS then it will give even more weight to the Tour de Ski with people that didn't race it coming perhaps a bit weaker to the Olympics and in the men's overall if Klæbo was already the favourite to win the crystal globe it will now be almost impossible for Bolshunov to beat him because now he can't even pull a crazy schedule. I also think that Neprayeva has a really good chance of winning the overall with so many sprint races in the post-Olympic period and a 30km classic mass-start.

It doesn’t make sense for Bolshunov to now go for the overall World Cup, even the distance cup which he is leading at the moment. It’s going to be hard to get to that top level in a months time, with or without races. I do think that more training and less races between now and February 6 is what he needs. Racing more would just stall his improvement in form.

Now it seems even more important for Ustiugov to stay in good form and healthy, because they need both of them racing in that relay if they want to beat the Norwegians. And they also need everyone to be better than Oberstdorf last season, otherwise they won’t be winning. It’s great news that Spitsov is coming into form. He had one of his best ever classic races yesterday, maybe his best, and today he was predictably good on the climb. Yakimushkin should get a Mira medal today. He was at the back of the pack after he couldn’t avoid De Fabiani. He finished 14th, catching up a ton of places and I saw he jump skated a couple times middle of the climb. He actually improved from 7th to 6th overall. He may have challenged for the stage today. Perhaps even the overall podium.

The Norwegian distance team didn’t have a great tour, Golberg in Lenzerheide and Røthe today were the only non Klæbo distance podiums for them. The Russians should take note of that and think that perhaps trying to go hard from the start in the relay is the best option.

 

[OJRvE]

The swedish team for the Olympics has been completed and looks as follows. I would guess that the ones not doing the sprint will go the skiathlon.

Women
Frida Karlsson
Ebba Andersson
Jonna Sundling (sprint)
Maja Dahlqvist (sprint)
Moa Olsson
Emma Ribom (sprint)
Anna Dyvik (sprint)
Charlotte Kalla

Men
Jens Burman
Oskar Svensson (sprint)
Leo Johansson
William Poromaa
Anton Persson
Marcus Grate (sprint)
Johan Häggström (sprint),
Calle Halfvarsson

 

[BullsFan22]

looks like Kalla was a discretionary pick, based on her merits. She hasn’t had a result this season that makes one think she will contend. They were probably afraid of the backlash they would have received had they not selected her.

 

[OJRvE]

looks like Kalla was a discretionary pick, based on her merits. She hasn’t had a result this season that makes one think she will contend. They were probably afraid of the backlash they would have received had they not selected her.

Actually Kalla is Swedens 4th best distance racer if you discount the sprint girls who need to prepare for the sprint. There was some debate whether Hagström should have been elected for the sprint instead of Dyvik but she has only preformed good in classic this season (some rumors about knee problem) whereas Dyvik made the final in Lenzerheide. Personally, I feel that Hagström might have had a slim chance of medal.

Kallas nomination was justified by relay participation but that probably just to take her to Beijing. Most likely the relay team will consist of Andersson and Karlsson in the middle and two sprint girls in first and fourth leg. But that will be decided in Beijing of course.

 

[BullsFan22]

Actually Kalla is Swedens 4th best distance racer if you discount the sprint girls who need to prepare for the sprint. There was some debate whether Hagström should have been elected for the sprint instead of Dyvik but she has only preformed good in classic this season (some rumors about knee problem) whereas Dyvik made the final in Lenzerheide. Personally, I feel that Hagström might have had a slim chance of medal.

Kallas nomination was justified by relay participation but that probably just to take her to Beijing. Most likely the relay team will consist of Andersson and Karlsson in the middle and two sprint girls in first and fourth leg. But that will be decided in Beijing of course.

Yeah, I think Hagström would have a better chance in the sprint, skate or classic than Dyvik. Dahlqvist, Dyvik, Riibom, and Sundling. I am guessing Dahlqvist for the fourth leg? Who will ski the first leg? That could end up being their weakest leg. Perhaps that’ll be decided after the individual sprint.

 

[OJRvE]

Yeah, I think Hagström would have a better chance in the sprint, skate or classic than Dyvik. Dahlqvist, Dyvik, Riibom, and Sundling. I am guessing Dahlqvist for the fourth leg? Who will ski the first leg? That could end up being their weakest leg. Perhaps that’ll be decided after the individual sprint.

My guess would be Ribom, she trained good during the summer and looked mighty strong on roller ski (compared to previous years that is, she will always outperform the likes of Andersson and Karlsson on flat asphalt). Then she was ill and missed the season start. Still did two good sprints and an okay start leg in the relay. Problem is that she was sick afterwards so she is a bit of question mark, doubt she will race again before the Olympics since the french races were cancelled.

Sundling is the other option, she should be recovered from the finger injury now and she should be able to preform good. In last years worlds she had bad skis but still managed to limit the losses.

Dahlqvist should do the last leg, especially if the snow is hard. Last year she had problem with the condition at the worlds as the snow was too soft. But if she is in super form she can probably handle this as well.

 

[BullsFan22]

If Dahlqvist is there with the leaders at the finish, few would bet against her, but it depends on the course profile. I also assume that there won’t be much tactical skiing, those at the front will go hard the whole lap, especially if Dahlqvist is around. Having Karlsson in second and Andersson in 3rd is an easy decision. If they are off the pace early, they have her to try and bring them back, if they are at front, she’ll push the pace to get a gap. The same with Andersson.

 

[Mayomaniac]

It doesn’t make sense for Bolshunov to now go for the overall World Cup, even the distance cup which he is leading at the moment. It’s going to be hard to get to that top level in a months time, with or without races. I do think that more training and less races between now and February 6 is what he needs. Racing more would just stall his improvement in form.

Now it seems even more important for Ustiugov to stay in good form and healthy, because they need both of them racing in that relay if they want to beat the Norwegians. And they also need everyone to be better than Oberstdorf last season, otherwise they won’t be winning. It’s great news that Spitsov is coming into form. He had one of his best ever classic races yesterday, maybe his best, and today he was predictably good on the climb. Yakimushkin should get a Mira medal today. He was at the back of the pack after he couldn’t avoid De Fabiani. He finished 14th, catching up a ton of places and I saw he jump skated a couple times middle of the climb. He actually improved from 7th to 6th overall. He may have challenged for the stage today. Perhaps even the overall podium.

The Norwegian distance team didn’t have a great tour, Golberg in Lenzerheide and Røthe today were the only non Klæbo distance podiums for them. The Russians should take note of that and think that perhaps trying to go hard from the start in the relay is the best option.

Everyone who comes up through the Norwegian sprint team nowadays seems to be a better classic distance skier than skater (Klaebo, Valnes, Golberg). Maybe it's a coincidence, maybe it's the developmental system with a heavy focus on classic technique, but the last guy who came up through the sprint team and was clearly better in skating distance races was probably Krogh.

 

[OJRvE]

Everyone who comes up through the Norwegian sprint team nowadays seems to be a better classic distance skier than skater (Klaebo, Valnes, Golberg). Maybe it's a coincidence, maybe it's the developmental system with a heavy focus on classic technique, but the last guy who came up through the sprint team and was clearly better in skating distance races was probably Krogh.

I think it has always been the case that sprinters preform better in classic than skating at distance races. Pellegrino and Jouve are better at skating in sprint but are better in skating at distance. Same for Emil Jönsson a few years ago.

My guess is that the technic and muscles used in classics are the same in sprint and distance just the intensity that differ. In skate you need to do it in a different way, otherwise you will be tired.

 

[BullsFan22]

I think it has always been the case that sprinters preform better in classic than skating at distance races. Pellegrino and Jouve are better at skating in sprint but are better in skating at distance. Same for Emil Jönsson a few years ago.

My guess is that the technic and muscles used in classics are the same in sprint and distance just the intensity that differ. In skate you need to do it in a different way, otherwise you will be tired.

Rochev for Russia, Hjelmeset and Svartedal for Norway. Hetland was I think a bit better in skate distance. Lind from Sweden, could pop a top 30 in distance classic. One guy who was definitely a stronger skate sprinter and strong skate distance skier was Anders Glørsen.

 

[BigCoward]

First mixed Nordic Combined this week. Obviously Norway will walk it (side note, disappointed to see no women's NC at Olympics, how will it grow without exposure?).

Only letting the women ski one 2.5km loop really is garbage though.

 

[OJRvE]

First mixed Nordic Combined this week. Obviously Norway will walk it (side note, disappointed to see no women's NC at Olympics, how will it grow without exposure?).

Only letting the women ski one 2.5km loop really is garbage though.

For Womens NC I think it will be included in the Olympics from 2026 and onwards. Obviously to late just like womens Ski Jumping.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Everything from brown snow on +10º forest trails to blizzards with insanely strong swirling winds at completely different strengths at different ends of the range, Oberhof should never be allowed to leave the Biathlon World Cup calendar.

 

[BullsFan22]

Everything from brown snow on +10º forest trails to blizzards with insanely strong swirling winds at completely different strengths at different ends of the range, Oberhof should never be allowed to leave the Biathlon World Cup calendar.

So long there’s German sponsors and German athletes are performing reasonably well, Germany will always have one or more venues each season, no matter the weather. Personally I always laugh when these Oberhof World Cups come along, because I know that 9/10 times you’ll get bad or really bad weather.

 

[BigCoward]

Nordic combined mixed relay was a lot more competitive than I expected. Though with Riiber missing that was always a possibility.

 

[Bavarianrider]

If only Stina Nilson did not forget how to skate. Her shooting is really good already.

 

[search]

Elvira Oeberg on the other hand had a pretty mediocre day. Probably still related to the cold (?) she had over christmas

 

[KZD]

I think after today we can say with all certainty that Johannes Boe won't win the World Cup this season. He is already 100 points behind Jacquelin and had an absolute dreadful shooting performance which only didn't hsve worst consequences because he was very fast on tracks, although his brother was even better than him on that regard. Russia is looking good for the Olympics with Loginov doing a great final lap today and Jacquelin's consistency has been one of the hallmarks of this season for me and it might grant him the crystal globe in March.

 

[titan31]

Where will Iversen find his form? Even then, you’re asking him to do a 10km skate at altitude, on a tough course?

Even if not Iversen, main point really was do Norway gain more by having Klaebo do the classic legs as they're weaker there than having him on the final leg.

As it is, I could easily see Bolshunov and Chervotkin pull a minute easily on Valnes and Golberg, and that's asking a lot of Krueger and Klaebo to pull back on Spitsov and Ustyugov. Klaebo beats anyone if he's level or even close going into that last leg but unless Golberg comes back into form, race could be done by leg 2 tbh.

 

[Mayomaniac]

So Ustiugov won both the classic and the skating Pustertaler Ski Marathon races that he entered yesterday and today (he raced the amateur races because he's sadly not competing in the Visma Ski Classics series).
Yesterday he won the 30km classic race (he did not the 62km race), today the 42km skating race up the Plätzwiese over 1min climb ahead of Petr Sedov, a name that I haven't heard a lot in the last 2 years.