and less 90's summer hits.After today's events, just some XC skiing RACES would be good.
Heeeey, Macarena.
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and less 90's summer hits.After today's events, just some XC skiing RACES would be good.
They played The Darkness at Lillehammer. I'll take Macarena every day and twice on Sundays over I Believe In A Thing Called Love.and less 90's summer hits.
Heeeey, Macarena.
At least Karlsson tried to make the race hard more than once. After the classic races in Davos and Val di Fiemme she deserved it.They played The Darkness at Lillehammer. I'll take Macarena every day and twice on Sundays over I Believe In A Thing Called Love.
And I might take a return of Therese Johaug over more of this.
The Darkness are a novelty band that people took seriously as though they were anything other than a 15 minutes of fame joke band trying to bring back a style of music that should have died long before it was ever born the first time around, let alone surviving another generation of kitsch.At least Karlsson tried to make the race hard more than once. After the classic races in Davos and Val di Fiemme she deserved it.
Also, what's problem with playing corny, wannabe 80ies, rock?
Yeah, they'll probably get dqed afterwards...Didn't look like Vitozzi touched Bionaz there at all on the handover
Not sure if they will but probably should. Really looked like no contact on the best angleYeah, they'll probably get dqed afterwards...
Looked like a rookie mistake with Bionaz being too eager to start fast.Not sure if they will but probably should. Really looked like no contact on the best angle
I think a few teams can if Norway have an average day (miss 3/4 more than anyone else). Mainly looking at Sweden, France and Germany.The only team that should be able to beat Norway is their2nd team.
Italy shot 87.5, 3 World class biathletes and they never really had a chance.
If France can somehow figure out what the hell has happened to QFM and Jacquelin since Beijing, they can be as strong on paper. Knotten is consistent and has had a surprising leap forward this year, but she's not as dynamic as a Simon type, and Ingrid is still capable of the odd meltdown. The problem is that those two top Frenchmen don't look anything like their former selves anymore. 2024 Simon and Braisaz-Bouchet (or Jeanmonnot for that matter) plus 2022 Jacquelin and Fillon Maillet and that's as formidable a lineup as there can be.The only team that should be able to beat Norway is their2nd team.
Italy shot 87.5, 3 World class biathletes and they never really had a chance.
I'm not sure Knotten should be in the Mixed Relay team at the minute, i think Arnekliev has more upside.If France can somehow figure out what the hell has happened to QFM and Jacquelin since Beijing, they can be as strong on paper. Knotten is consistent and has had a surprising leap forward this year, but she's not as dynamic as a Simon type, and Ingrid is still capable of the odd meltdown. The problem is that those two top Frenchmen don't look anything like their former selves anymore. 2024 Simon and Braisaz-Bouchet (or Jeanmonnot for that matter) plus 2022 Jacquelin and Fillon Maillet and that's as formidable a lineup as there can be.
Germany at full strength will be good but they're just a cut below Norway. At least they'd keep them honest, however. Sweden are not showing very good form at the moment, their A-team would be very useful here as long as Elvira and Ponsiluoma kept it together in the range, but they don't have the depth on the men's side of the squad and would probably have to sacrifice the SMR entirely for that. Although on today's evidence that might not be a bad idea.
Arnekleiv probably has more upside but Knotten has just been metronomically reliable this season. But if you wanted to suggest that means the best alineation would be Knotten in the SMR (probably with Vetle or Sturla) and then Arnekleiv and Tandrevold in the MR that would make sense too.I'm not sure Knotten should be in the Mixed Relay team at the minute, i think Arnekliev has more upside.
The trouble is the other teams have strength on paper, but Norway are nailing it every time.
And if he's on it they need to find 30 seconds advantage at least before JTB starts. Norway beats the rest of the world team 7/10 IMO. And that's not healthy for the sport.
I'm not sure Knotten should be in the Mixed Relay team at the minute, i think Arnekliev has more upside.
The trouble is the other teams have strength on paper, but Norway are nailing it every time.
And if he's on it they need to find 30 seconds advantage at least before JTB starts. Norway beats the rest of the world team 7/10 IMO. And that's not healthy for the sport.
I am pleased Germany have had a renaissancethis year so there are 3 other teams with the chance to compete. But it still needs something to go really wrong IMO, for Norway to lose.
Used all their luck in the SMR.The Germans will find a way to screw it up no matter how well they're otherwise doing, as we saw again today.
Nominating Johannes Kühn and Benedikt Doll as your Mixed Relay pair was kind of asking for trouble though. Kühn has really improved his shooting this year in individual start races, but he's still at around 80% in head to head races and had a penalty loop in the Östersund relay too. Which is an improvement, but there is still volatility there. Doll has made a bit of a habit of doing great in sprints and then collapsing in pursuits, and is at 73% for the year shooting in head to head races.The Germans will find a way to screw it up no matter how well they're otherwise doing, as we saw again today.
They can field both in the world championships though as the schedule has them separated. Same people can race both. Kind of expect JTB and Tandrevold will end up doing bothArnekleiv probably has more upside but Knotten has just been metronomically reliable this season. But if you wanted to suggest that means the best alineation would be Knotten in the SMR (probably with Vetle or Sturla) and then Arnekleiv and Tandrevold in the MR that would make sense too.
At least this time the Italian women are fielding an entire team...Girls relay tomorrow looks like the weakest of all time. Only Sweden sends 2 strong teams and Germany has 1 strong team. The United States hasn't bothered to enter a team.
Could Sweden 2 beat Norway 1?