Nordic Skiing/Biathlon Thread

[Libertine Seguros]

According to ES that is the case, yes, but it's probably a moot point as it would only have been a mathematical chance requiring Jess to win the 20k tomorrow and Tiril not to score otherwise, and with it being in classic technique which Diggins has never been that great in, it would have required quite the turn of events for her to stand a chance.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Other Swedes slacking for Dalquist to pick up enough points to get the small globe and then all cheering for her like she won the Olympics at the finish, the Swiss commentators are really salty.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Skistad's positioning and decending is second to no other woman, not to mention her absurd topspeed.

I actually love those short, to the point interviews by her after winning. A lot better than having a scripted Oscar wimner speech ready.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Skistad's positioning and decending is second to no other woman, not to mention her absurd topspeed.

I actually love those short, to the point interviews by her after winning. A lot better than having a scripted Oscar wimner speech ready.

And when it comes to a lunge for the line, having legs as long as most NBA players certainly helps!

 

[BullsFan22]

Who on earth is Niilo Moilanen? And why do they have so many vowels in their name?

World junior champion from 2021 where he demolished the field. Consistently qualifies for the heats. Do you actually follow the races?

 

[BullsFan22]

Skistad beating Sundling over and over and over again is actually starting to be funny.

Sadly no miracles from Diggins.

 

[KZD]

Amundsen is like the Norwegian answer to Maltsev (better in classic than the Russian I would say). One of the best in the world in 10/15km races and a very decent sprinter too (5th today) with some decent results on longer distances as well. Particularly useful for an Olympic squad and might fight for the World Cup podium in the future.

Tiril Weng winning the World Cup shows that this World Cup was a joke, she is not one of the best sprinters and is far from being one of the best distance skiers but because of the ridiculous points system and 13 sprint races she ends up winning it.

 

[BullsFan22]

Amundsen is like the Norwegian answer to Maltsev (better in classic than the Russian I would say). One of the best in the world in 10/15km races and a very decent sprinter too (5th today) with some decent results on longer distances as well. Particularly useful for an Olympic squad and might fight for the World Cup podium in the future.

Tiril Weng winning the World Cup shows that this World Cup was a joke, she is not one of the best sprinters and is far from being one of the best distance skiers but because of the ridiculous points system and 13 sprint races she ends up winning it.

Agreed. I think the comparison with Maltsev is very appropriate.

Agree on Weng as well, but we knew this could be the case with the new points system. Dahlqvist winning the sprint globe isn’t too big of a surprise, but she didn’t win a single race this season. Fähndrich won 3 and Skistad 5, but Skistad has raced sparingly.

 

[BigCoward]

World junior champion from 2021 where he demolished the field. Consistently qualifies for the heats. Do you actually follow the races?

Sprints? I never watch the qualification or the heats. Sometimes I won't even watch the semi finals. I dont have the time or the inclination.
I certainly wouldn't watch junior world championships.

 

[OJRvE]

Ilar DSQ for unsportsmanlike behavior since FIS changed the rules recently. We have had similar situations before with Östberg and Valnes deliberiblaty slowing down.

 

[BullsFan22]

First the Swedes get accused by the Americans of using fluoro, now they go on and they pull of some hardcore gamesmanship, to put it very mildly.

 

[Mayomaniac]

First the Swedes get accused by the Americans of using fluoro, now they go on and they pull of some hardcore gamesmanship, to put it very mildly.

You should have heared the Swiss commenary, even Cologna called their behaviour a disgrace and said that it's sameful to win the sprint globe like that.
They calmed down a bit because Dalquist still managed to beat one of the Norwegian women in the final and a 5th place would have already been enough to secure it for her, but at that moment the Swiss were legit pissed off. Apparently Kerttu Niskane tried to console Fähnrich after the race.

The Mocellini DQ was the right call, on the finishing straight he was skating between the cassic lanes, what was that?

 

[OJRvE]

I think Ribom had an empty tank sinne she is still recovering from illness. But it was a strange interview where she never really answered if she was tired or if it was tactics.

Really embarrassing watching Swedish TV where they had the focus of Dahlqvist taking the trophy, Before the race all racers claimed they would help Maja win cheered by the reporters. And during heat 4 the announcer praised Ilars sportmanchip (quite funny now when she is DQed for the opposite) and then they speculated how Lundgren and Karlsson would try to sabotage Fähndrich.

Personally, I think Fändrich would been the deserved champion, she won 3 three races compared to Dahlqvists zero and compete the entire campaign while Sundling and Skistad opt out for several races they could have done. And when Dahlqvist already have the benefit of a better team she shouldn’t have her teammates doing dirty works aswell.

In the end you could say Karlsson did her thing in heat 5, she is really bad at high speed double pooling so her only chance was going al out from far and Lundgren is just bad at a course like this so her only shot would be to take the start and hang on. So it was a great heat and Fähndrich did a great comeback in the end and then in the semi Dahlqvist beat her fair and square,

But all this talk of team play and Dahlqvist yelling at Ilar to slow down on the finishing straight combined was to much for me, Dahlqvist with 2 poles will beat Ilar 9/10 times and pole break was unlucky so Ilar letting her pass in isolation is something I would have less problem with.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Amundsen is like the Norwegian answer to Maltsev (better in classic than the Russian I would say). One of the best in the world in 10/15km races and a very decent sprinter too (5th today) with some decent results on longer distances as well. Particularly useful for an Olympic squad and might fight for the World Cup podium in the future.

Tiril Weng winning the World Cup shows that this World Cup was a joke, she is not one of the best sprinters and is far from being one of the best distance skiers but because of the ridiculous points system and 13 sprint races she ends up winning it.

TUW was super strong in December though, raced into an early lead and has just managed that advantage since. Still, with almost no wins it's a bit crazy for her to still win the overall comfortably.

But with 13/24 World Cup races being sprints and 3/4 World Cup team races being team sprints... just why bother, FIS. Just stop the pretence and become a demolition derby championship outright, and let's let all the real skiers go to Ski Classics where they can stand a chance of winning titles.

 

[BullsFan22]

TUW was super strong in December though, raced into an early lead and has just managed that advantage since. Still, with almost no wins it's a bit crazy for her to still win the overall comfortably.

But with 13/24 World Cup races being sprints and 3/4 World Cup team races being team sprints... just why bother, FIS. Just stop the pretence and become a demolition derby championship outright, and let's let all the real skiers go to Ski Classics where they can stand a chance of winning titles.

Ski classics? Double poling for 2-4 hours? Sure the money is good, but…

 

[Discgear]

Anger got DQ when taking three skates after he got up after a fall caused by Czerny.

Ilar got a DQ after slowing down in the finish and getting passed by team mate Dahlqvist. Ilar knew she would not stand a change in the finish against Dahlqvist. But since Dahlqvist got her pole boken by Hennig (actually Ilar thought she herself was the cause), she decided to give her team mate an oppurtunity to fight for the sprint cup.
Personally I hate those team tacticals, sports should be only about letting the best win. But in reality look how it works in Cycling, motor sports or Ski Classics. In this case the racing committe really went after the Swedes considering we've seen both Flugstad Ostberg doing the same for Steira in TdS and also in Quebeq for Johaug, so she could pass Pärmikoski in the total. Valnes did it in TdS for Golberg 2020. Neither of these rendered in warnings or DQs.

 

[BullsFan22]

Anger got DQ when taking three skates after he got up after a fall caused by Czerny.

Ilar got a DQ after slowing down in the finish and getting passed by team mate Dahlqvist. Ilar knew she would not stand a change in the finish against Dahlqvist. But since Dahlqvist got her pole boken by Hennig (actually Ilar thought she herself was the cause), she decided to give her team mate an oppurtunity to fight for the sprint cup.
Personally I hate those team tacticals, sports should be only about letting the best win. But in reality look how it works in Cycling, motor sports or Ski Classics. In this case the racing committe really went after the Swedes considering we've seen both Flugstad Ostberg doing the same for Steira in TdS and also in Quebeq for Johaug, so she could pass Pärmikoski in the total. Valnes did it in TdS for Golberg 2020. Neither of these rendered in warnings or DQs.

The rules have changed, and good thing too. This isn’t cycling. Dahlqvist and the Swedes should be embarrassed, she hasn’t won a single race and she needed help today. Fähndrich would have been a far more deserving sprint cup champion. Sundling, Skistad and even Ribom are more deserving. Andersson and Sundling are the Swedes are cheer for. Ribom I am neutral on, Karlsson and Dahlqvist, not a fan.

 

[Discgear]

The rules have changed, and good thing too. This isn’t cycling. Dahlqvist and the Swedes should be embarrassed, she hasn’t won a single race and she needed help today. Fähndrich would have been a far more deserving sprint cup champion. Sundling, Skistad and even Ribom are more deserving. Andersson and Sundling are the Swedes are cheer for. Ribom I am neutral on, Karlsson and Dahlqvist, not a fan.

I kind of agree. Do you have more info on when and how the rule has changed?
However, Hennig breaking Dahlqvist pole in the finish is in my opinion a mitigating circumstance. Anger's DQ is IMHO unfair.

 

[Mayomaniac]

I kind of agree. Do you have more info on when and how the rule has changed?
However, Hennig breaking Dahlqvist pole in the finish is in my opinion a mitigating circumstance. Anger's DQ is IMHO unfair.

The Anger DQ was a bit of a joke after crashing and loosing out on the final.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I kind of agree. Do you have more info on when and how the rule has changed?

Skate steps are punished unless you are Johannes Hosfløt Klæbo.

 

[Discgear]

Skate steps are punished unless you are Johannes Hosfløt Klæbo.

Apparently.

 

[DenisMenchov]

Wow what a 50km race in Russian National Champs.

Ustyugov with a classics race of his life obliterating the field.

Chervotkin in second minute and 21 seconds behind and Bolshunov in third two minutes and 42 seconds (!) behind the winner.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Kalvaa appears to have a pair of rocketships strapped to her feet today. I'm guessing that the Team Sprint-Sprint format was a compromise that the organisers had to make to get a distance classic on the calendar because we're in Lahti and there's no way they didn't want a distance classic to be the focal point of the weekend.

Also laughing at ES talking about how they thought it was a "nice gesture" from Moa Ilar yesterday.

 

[BullsFan22]

Ustiugov literally attacked after 1km. Incredible race from him. Bolshunov may not be in shape, but he was clearly good enough to compete at the nationals and when was the last time Ustiugov was at the peak of his powers? If not 2020, maybe 2017, when he was coming ahead of Sundby race after race. Johan Olsson would have been very happy with todays race. Hats off to Sergey, if this is indeed his final season, a phenomenal way to go out. Conditions similar to Lahti, if not more warm and wetter snow. Didn’t think he’d hang on, but he had a point to prove.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Kerttu Niskanen looks to have the best form today, great power but Kalvaa has the best gliding skis, and Sundling still being there means they really have to break things apart. ES' excuses about the ski prep might for once have some actual grounding in reality today as Diggins is in herringbone very early on every uphill, not that she was ever likely to overturn a deficit to Kerttu in the distance title.