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Nordic Skiing/Biathlon Thread

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Holund will certainly contend for gold, no doubt about that. His pace sometimes seems greater in 30 and 50kms than in 10km. If Krüger can adapt well enough, he could certainly try something. I also expect Spitsov to be in the mix. He lost time to Holund today, but I think his shape is more than good enough to be high in the rankings. Ustiugov I am not sure what he’ll do (if they put him the race). If the conditions are like they were today then he will struggle. If they are like they were for the sprint or even yesterday, then he could surprise, but I think a podium is not likely. Maltsev will have a good race, I am sure of that. He’s had some rest and I am sure he’ll be motivated for another good result. Salomon skis don’t run that well on new snow, and when it gets a bit slow like that. That’s one of the reasons Manificat struggled to keep up with Klæbo today and why Sorina kept losing time yesterday on the the downhills. Even the small snowfall that they had yesterday morning was enough to handicap those on Salomon. Soft and/or new snow is not where Salomon skis run the best.
 
Johannes Boe is such an unreliable shooter in these windy conditions. He should have waited in the third shooting but he wouldn't have won today anyway. Fillon Maillet with an incredible race again, he isn't skiing as well as earlier in the season but shooting like this he will be very hard to beat in the mass-start too. The relay is also shaping up to be quite interesting.
 
Even getting the best of the conditions, it's still an achievement to make 20/20 and QFM is a monster in this format these days. And he had to compose himself after the rifle issue and lost a bit of time in the range then - which may have been instrumental in him arriving at the perfect time for the ensuing shoot. So Quentin's good luck may have been created by bad luck.

Johannes got unlucky when he dropped the lead, but he also missed 7 targets and he shot 2 errors in the final shoot when Tarjei, Hofer and Latypov shooting with him missed 1 target between them, a medal would have still been possible had he pulled off 5/5 there.
 
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JTB cearly lost the edge he might have had left (both physicially and mentally) after the three penalty loops. He should probably have taken his time on the last shooting, too, so he might have been able to catch Latypov.

It's a shame that Hofer isn't one of the fastests skiers anymore, cause he could easily have medaled with that shooting performance in the past.
 
That was probably the worst luck regarding wind conditions I have ever seen. Wow.
There was a relay in Antholz a few years ago where one of the Russians, I think it was either Glazyrina or Shumilova, shot them into a huge lead by hitting 5 then the wind went insane and nobody could get close, and she had over a minute. Then when she got back to the range it was like it was for Johannes here, and she shot penalty loops, then the wind died down and they lost all of that time gained and more.
 
Do you guys think Klaebo does the 50km after such a poor performance today?

btw Spitsov already has 5 Olympic medals, that guy really knows how to peak.

I know it won't happen but by the way he races he would win the medal if he is to be put into the Team Sprint again.
 
JTB cearly lost the edge he might have had left (both physicially and mentally) after the three penalty loops. He should probably have taken his time on the last shooting, too, so he might have been able to catch Latypov.

It's a shame that Hofer isn't one of the fastests skiers anymore, cause he could easily have medaled with that shooting performance in the past.
If Hofer was still skiing like he used to Italy shoulxmd have brought him to the xc skiing relay (he was one of the best, if not the best Italian CmXC skier in the youth ranks)
 
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If Klaebo wants to race, he will get the spot. As the 15km showed, the long loop with its shorter climbs suits him a lot better. 40seconds to 1 Minute uphill efforts he can handle well and quickly recover. Its the "long" clims of over 1.30 that cook him. A few off them in a row, like with the short loops simply, are too much for him. I put long in " because these climbs are still anything but "long". If CC skiing still had at least real 3-4 Minuten climbs, soneone like Klaebo would be chanceless in Distannce racing.
That being said, I think the main problem will be tiredness. Normally the 50km should be won by someone that didn' compete in too many races.
 
That first long climb with a false flat in the middle is just draining all of his energy, he was lucky that it was done only twice in the 15km classical, it looks like he will get 'slaughtered' on it by the likes of Hollund, Spitsov, Krueger and co on it in multiple passings over it in V1 technique.

What is the point of doing the race to be minutes down?
If it was a 50km classic race I might give him more of a chance, but not in a skating race.
 
I am guessing Røthe gets a spot in the 50km? If not him, who? Holund, Krüger, Røthe...Klæbo? I don't see anyone else there that will last 10-15km, let alone 50 on that course. I saw that Amundsen is racing the Scandinavian Cup races. I thought he was in China getting ready just in case he was needed as an alternate.
 
If Klaebo wants to race, he will get the spot. As the 15km showed, the long loop with its shorter climbs suits him a lot better. 40seconds to 1 Minute uphill efforts he can handle well and quickly recover. Its the "long" clims of over 1.30 that cook him. A few off them in a row, like with the short loops simply, are too much for him. I put long in " because these climbs are still anything but "long". If CC skiing still had at least real 3-4 Minuten climbs, soneone like Klaebo would be chanceless in Distannce racing.
That being said, I think the main problem will be tiredness. Normally the 50km should be won by someone that didn' compete in too many races.

And he was aided very much by his fast skis, and Manificat's not so fast skis. That can help in a 50km, but will he be in contention long enough for his skis to play a vital role? The forecast shows sunny and cold for the 30km and 50km next weekend. That will suit somebody like Bolshunov. Not that I think he's the big favorite, but cold weather will not suit Klæbo. The conditions for the team sprint seem like they will be perfect, and then it'll snow on Thursday and Friday. I wonder how much that will impact the course for the last two races.
 
Thoughts on those races.

Iversen was ridiculously ***. When you're getting dropped by Pellegrino in a distance race, you shouldn't be there. Whilst I don't think any option would have had Norway win that race, I think they'd have got a lot closer if they went something like Golberg, Klaebo, Rothe, Holund. Klaebo was pointless on that last leg so might as well put him with Bolshunov and ask him to hang on.

Roiseland was excellent and a huge favourite for the mass start surely. Looks like shes skiing well enough too that hitting 18 likely wins her the race. Absolutely gutted for Tandrevold, she's one of my favourite biathletes so was delighted when it looked like she was going to get bronze but that collapse was brutal. Hopefully she's ok health wise.

QFM might be the luckiest ever in that race as the wind just dropped every time he came in and was harder for JTB and Latypov. He's either lucky or the French were controlling the weather. I think equal conditions all round he doesn't win that race so will be interesting in the mass start. Poor performance by JTB too with all those misses. Even with the weather, can't miss 7 in a race.
 

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