Nordic Skiing/Biathlon Thread

[BullsFan22]

FIS is just following IOC recommendations and it applies for all disciplines so I doubt Sweden and Norway are behind this, and they are certainly not the only NSF against Russia competing.

FIS is not an independent organization, and as Mayo perfectly put it, COOP has a big influence in FIS right now, and FIS doesn’t want to lose their biggest sponsor.

Speaking of the IOC, did you read what Bach said? Yikes. He sounds like a very old man who says one thing in one sentence and something that totally contradicts that statement several sentences later. I wonder if he actually realizes what he’s saying.

 

[OJRvE]

FIS is not an independent organization, and as Mayo perfectly put it, COOP has a big influence in FIS right now, and FIS doesn’t want to lose their biggest sponsor.

Speaking of the IOC, did you read what Bach said? Yikes. He sounds like a very old man who says one thing in one sentence and something that totally contradicts that statement several sentences later. I wonder if he actually realizes what he’s saying.

I don’t think COOP is a particular important sponsor for FIS as whole. Sure for the Cross Country division but that’s a tiny part.

 

[BullsFan22]

I don’t think COOP is a particular important sponsor for FIS as whole. Sure for the Cross Country division but that’s a tiny part.

Well, we’re talking about cross country, are we not?

 

[OJRvE]

Well, we’re talking about cross country, are we not?

Yeah, but the decision to ban Russia will be taken by a FIS as a whole.

 

[BullsFan22]

Yeah, but the decision to ban Russia will be taken by a FIS as a whole.

Of course it will, FIS is just doing what they are being told, they almost always have, and the Scandinavians are loving it. I hope they enjoy the Scandinavian Cup and the inevitable plunge in the ratings.

 

[OJRvE]

Linn Svahn just revealed she won’t compete in the season opening as she needs more time on snow. She claimed she’s fully recovered and her training been very good last few weeks. She said she will compete for the first time mid December but I guess it would be a national race so I doubt we see her in the World Cup until next calendar year.

 

[BigCoward]

Can anyone see beyond Boe and MOR for the overall?
Much as I can't stand the Bolshunov love in, he will be hugely missed as a procession of Norwegians dominate the men's. I hope Wrng can step up this year and have a career year.

 

[KZD]

Can anyone see beyond Boe and MOR for the overall?
Much as I can't stand the Bolshunov love in, he will be hugely missed as a procession of Norwegians dominate the men's. I hope Wrng can step up this year and have a career year.

If you mean Klæbo, I agree with you. Can't see anyone giving him a fight this year in the World Cup and I bet he finally gets a gold medal in a long distance race at the World Championships.

 

[OJRvE]

Klaebo has had some problems during preseaon though. I herad he is still not able to do classic style apart from double pooling. But I guess he”ll be ready for the season.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Can anyone see beyond Boe and MOR for the overall?
Much as I can't stand the Bolshunov love in, he will be hugely missed as a procession of Norwegians dominate the men's. I hope Wrng can step up this year and have a career year.

On the plus side, the need to have somebody - anybody - from outside Norway being competitive to stop the bleed of audience figures in countries not called Norway, so we might get to see a push for more (maybe even individual start) distance classic to keep the Finns happy, because classic technique is close to overtaking Lutheranism as the number 1 religion there.

 

[BigCoward]

On the plus side, the need to have somebody - anybody - from outside Norway being competitive to stop the bleed of audience figures in countries not called Norway, so we might get to see a push for more (maybe even individual start) distance classic to keep the Finns happy, because classic technique is close to overtaking Lutheranism as the number 1 religion there.

Well quite. They have to do 'something' to make it more competitive and viable long term.

 

[BullsFan22]

I am still debating whether or not I’ll watch the WC’s this season. As of now, no.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Klaebo has had some problems during preseaon though. I herad he is still not able to do classic style apart from double pooling. But I guess he”ll be ready for the season.

Still the same muscular problems with his glutes?

 

[OJRvE]

Still the same muscular problems with his glutes?

Exactly he has had problems for 16 weeks now. Saw something yesterday that it is moving in the right direction but he may still skip the national opening and possibly Ruka.

 

[OJRvE]

The season has officially started with the first FIS race in Mounio. Carl and Northug won the sprint qualifying. Tomorrow there will be distance races with Niskanen and som of the best norwegians. As well as national biathlon openings in Norway and Sweden with good international fields. Next week national CC openings in Norway and Sweden. And two weeks until the World Cup starts.

 

[BullsFan22]

Not gonna be the same without the Russians.

 

[OJRvE]

So Kalebo said yesterday he may not compete until January but shows up today and smashes the competition in 10k classics…

 

[KZD]

The cross-country World Cup starts already next week.

Even while not being completely recovered from his injury Klæbo was able to beat the rest of the Norwegians in the 10k classic race in the national opening today with Iversen being the only one that came close in second place. Without Bolshunov and the rest of the Russians to give him a fight for the overall and with these 10k races, I think we are in for a very boring season in which Klæbo can literally podium all races he enters, even the Oslo 50k and the Davos 20k. Let's hope at least Niskanen is in good shape to give Klæbo a fight in the classic distance races. Little Northug in great shape in the beginning of the season, it will be interesting to see if he can beat Klæbo in a sprint.

On the women's side at least things should be more interesting especially with the 20k races that might help Karlsson and Andersson against Diggins and the rest of the Americans while in the sprints it should be Swedish dominance (Sundling could be a threat for the overall too). Given that Kalvå just put more than 30 seconds in 10k on Weng and Østberg, I am fairly certain no Norwegian will win the World Cup which is the first time in many years that we can say this.

One thing that I find absurd this season is the fact that there is a mismatch between the World Cup distances and the World Championships distances, so for the men there will be more races above 20k during the Worlds than in the rest of the season lol. The other absurdity is that after the Worlds, we will have 4 sprint races in the World Cup and just 3 distance races, just pathetic.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

The attempt at balancing "sprint" and "distance" equally when things as short as 5k count as "distance" and there are almost no races longer than 15/10 that take place has been ridiculous for years. They need to balance "sprint" disciplines against "short/middle distance" (the 10/15ks) and "long distance" (30/20 and 50/30) fairly evenly imo.

Maybe Johaug's retirement will be a good thing as it will open up women's distance, for years distance races were just a matter of seeing if you could stick it long enough to be the last one dropped by Therese whereas sprints and flat, dull 5-10s that the likes of Kikkan Randall, early career Stina Nilsson and Linn Svahn can hold on in proliferated because, hey, there's more suspense than just watching TJ skate away so it must be better, right? Even when the actual talented distance skiers either had to develop their sprints and neglect distance skills in order to be more competitive (e.g. Weng) or, if not from one of the big money teams, just give up on the sport (e.g. von Siebenthal).

 

[Mayomaniac]

The cross-country World Cup starts already next week.

Even while not being completely recovered from his injury Klæbo was able to beat the rest of the Norwegians in the 10k classic race in the national opening today with Iversen being the only one that came close in second place. Without Bolshunov and the rest of the Russians to give him a fight for the overall and with these 10k races, I think we are in for a very boring season in which Klæbo can literally podium all races he enters, even the Oslo 50k and the Davos 20k. Let's hope at least Niskanen is in good shape to give Klæbo a fight in the classic distance races. Little Northug in great shape in the beginning of the season, it will be interesting to see if he can beat Klæbo in a sprint.

On the women's side at least things should be more interesting especially with the 20k races that might help Karlsson and Andersson against Diggins and the rest of the Americans while in the sprints it should be Swedish dominance (Sundling could be a threat for the overall too). Given that Kalvå just put more than 30 seconds in 10k on Weng and Østberg, I am fairly certain no Norwegian will win the World Cup which is the first time in many years that we can say this.

One thing that I find absurd this season is the fact that there is a mismatch between the World Cup distances and the World Championships distances, so for the men there will be more races above 20k during the Worlds than in the rest of the season lol. The other absurdity is that after the Worlds, we will have 4 sprint races in the World Cup and just 3 distance races, just pathetic.

Frankly you're probably a bit too pessimistic about Klaebo's dominance in long skating races. He has shown multiple time that he's a great classic distance racer, but people really overrate him when it comes to long skating races.

I guess he'll go into Olsson style hibernation mode pretty soon after the world cup opening, only to peak like an angel for the WC

 

[BullsFan22]

I am not really buying the ‘injury’ talk. I wouldn’t be shocked if it’s just a ploy to be under the radar and have little pressure. That’s what Bolshunov did last season, and it worked.

 

[KZD]

Frankly you're probably a bit too pessimistic about Klaebo's dominance in long skating races. He has shown multiple time that he's a great classic distance racer, but people really overrate him when it comes to long skating races.

I guess he'll go into Olsson style hibernation mode pretty soon after the world cup opening, only to peak like an angel for the WC

Klæbo is not dominant in distance races, even in classic though he is obviously better there, but the major difference this season is that the strongest country, Russia, is not around. Bolshunov, Spitsov, Ustiugov, Maltsev, Yakimushkin and Melnichenko are all better skating distance skiers than Klæbo but without them I only rate Krüger, Holund and Røthe above him so although he probably doesn't podium all races because he won't be in top shape all season and mistakes happen he can easily top10 even the hardest races which is something that wouldn't happen with the Russians around.

Let's hope guys like Poromaa, Parisse and others can step up their game to make things more interesting but I am not very optimistic.

 

[Bavarianrider]

Ebba Anderson totally destroyed the competition in Sweden today. Sure it is Just a national race, but these gaps are impressive.

 

[BigCoward]

JTB interview on IBU website, makes it pretty clear he found it more difficult getting motivated once Fourcade retired.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Klæbo is not dominant in distance races, even in classic though he is obviously better there, but the major difference this season is that the strongest country, Russia, is not around. Bolshunov, Spitsov, Ustiugov, Maltsev, Yakimushkin and Melnichenko are all better skating distance skiers than Klæbo but without them I only rate Krüger, Holund and Røthe above him so although he probably doesn't podium all races because he won't be in top shape all season and mistakes happen he can easily top10 even the hardest races which is something that wouldn't happen with the Russians around.

Let's hope guys like Poromaa, Parisse and others can step up their game to make things more interesting but I am not very optimistic.

Moch looked good in the Finnish prep race, he should be able to mix it up in the skating races.
I have some hope that Cramer can get Graz to live up to his potential and maybe he'll even get De Fa back on track...