Nordic Skiing/Biathlon Thread

[No Excuses]

The goat takes nr. 100
Chapeau

 

[BullsFan22]

The goat takes nr. 100
Chapeau

Without his top competition, and vast majority being sprints. Congrats.

 

[DenisMenchov]

Svahn said today that she will not boycott the Olympics now that the Russians are allowed.

A 180 degree turn after claiming for years that she would never compete with "them" while Russia is in war with Ukraine.

I'm really puzzled by what changed her mind. Maybe there was a lot of pressure from someone, surely she wouldn't drop from her moral superiority pedestal just because her actions could actually hurt her, right?

 

[OJRvE]

Svahn said today that she will not boycott the Olympics now that the Russians are allowed.

A 180 degree turn after claiming for years that she would never compete with "them" while Russia is in war with Ukraine.

I'm really puzzled by what changed her mind. Maybe there was a lot of pressure from someone, surely she wouldn't drop from her moral superiority pedestal just because her actions could actually hurt her, right?

She never really said she would boycott though.

 

[DenisMenchov]

She never really said she would boycott though.

Yes she did.

https://swedenherald.com/article/svahns-message-not-boycotting-the-olympics

Swedish skier to boycott Olympics 2026 due to Russian athletes - all the latest news today – 112.ua

Swedish skier to boycott Olympics 2026 due to Russian athletes - latest news today. All events in Ukraine and the world on request Swedish skier to boycott Olympics 2026 due to Russian athletes on the site 112.ua

112.ua

 

[OJRvE]

Yes she did.

https://swedenherald.com/article/svahns-message-not-boycotting-the-olympics

Swedish skier to boycott Olympics 2026 due to Russian athletes - all the latest news today – 112.ua

Swedish skier to boycott Olympics 2026 due to Russian athletes - latest news today. All events in Ukraine and the world on request Swedish skier to boycott Olympics 2026 due to Russian athletes on the site 112.ua

112.ua

The quote circulating is in English, but she originally said it in Swedish, and the nuance is important. She never mentioned the word “boycott,” nor did she make any firm declaration. She described how she felt right then and was very clear that she didn’t know how she would act if she actually stood at the Olympics.

The interview didn’t even specify what “Russians being admitted” would mean — a few neutral athletes, a team without flag, or Russia fully reinstated. She left it open because the situation itself is open. That’s not a boycott; it’s an athlete honestly expressing her principles in an undefined scenario.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

MODERATOR NOTE
A reminder to all that political discussion is not allowed here. A number of posts have been removed.

 

[No Excuses]

Niskanen drilling those boys

 

[Libertine Seguros]

The golden boy with the trademark extra skating steps out of the final corner.
The most dominant sprinter ever, but also the biggest paper champ in the history of the sport.

Yea, it's infuriating. Like, he'd still be a hall of fame lock on his ability alone without it, but the amount of skate steps in classic races he doesn't get penalised for and the number of tailored courses and selections built entirely around him (as called out on a number of occasions by the likes of Krüger) just gild the lily and make it easy for people to denigrate or devalue some of his accomplishments. Just like Northug before him, he's proven enough in hard races and individual starts that he is more than capable of doing it without the need for oblique favouritism, but he gets it anyway.

 

[No Excuses]

Norway with 8 guys in front, that is crazy

 

[KZD]

9 Norwegians in the top10 is ridiculous even for current XC World Cup standards. Another win for Klaebo and Iversen is back in business with a podium.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

"Hi, I'm Frida Karlsson and you're watching Jackass"

 

[Libertine Seguros]

FIS will view this as absolute perfection for the sport.

Nothing happens for 20km, then Klæbo and Diggins win in the final kilometre.

This is what they want, and this is what they believe we want too.

Again, just like with Klæbo, Diggins has proven time and again she can win actual interesting races, but they'd rather arrange a boring one instead.

 

[KZD]

Botn and Uldal with another 1-2 today in the sprint, very impressive.

I do think things will start to change tomorrow with a pursuit specialist like Fillon Maillet starting so close to them and Lægreid and Samuelsson not far off either.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Botn Johan-Olav reaches the same heights in Sweden as Boten Anna did 20 years ago. The gaps aren't too big though and the pursuit can be a different beast than the two races we've had so far, so a hattrick is definitely not a certainty. But if he fails tomorrow a Norwegian victory will still be quite likely.

 

[YavorD]

I have to say that I'm a bit surprised by Botn.
Considering the depth in Norwegian's team, I honestly expected him to become a journey man, never a full time member, but he is earning his place now.
Stroemsheim will soon be replaced by Dale it seems, and god knows what happens with Soerum?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Look at Rihards Ložbers in the IBU Cup - top 10 ski time and 19th place on 7/10 - ahead of Kasper Ågheim Kalkenberg, often claimed as the best prospect in the Norwegian system on 9/10. Kalkenberg was born in 2005. Ložbers was born in 2009...

 

[Sciatic]

9 Norwegians in the top10 is ridiculous even for current XC World Cup standards. Another win for Klaebo and Iversen is back in business with a podium.

How weird it must be for someone like Iver Anderson: "Cool, I finished 12th in a world cup race I'll be competing for top-10s soon!" then . . . "Darn, I was the 10th Norwegian-- I won't even make the national team for coming races and the Olympics."

 

[YavorD]

Look at Rihards Ložbers in the IBU Cup - top 10 ski time and 19th place on 7/10 - ahead of Kasper Ågheim Kalkenberg, often claimed as the best prospect in the Norwegian system on 9/10. Kalkenberg was born in 2005. Ložbers was born in 2009...

He's been even more impressive in the first sprint. 3rd ski time...less than a minute behind Dale.

That's probably about top 40 ski time in the WC.
Heck, 1 minute behind Dale may as well be top 20, only 16 years old.

 

[BullsFan22]

Yea, it's infuriating. Like, he'd still be a hall of fame lock on his ability alone without it, but the amount of skate steps in classic races he doesn't get penalised for and the number of tailored courses and selections built entirely around him (as called out on a number of occasions by the likes of Krüger) just gild the lily and make it easy for people to denigrate or devalue some of his accomplishments. Just like Northug before him, he's proven enough in hard races and individual starts that he is more than capable of doing it without the need for oblique favouritism, but he gets it anyway.

It also helps that his main competition hasn't been on the circuit for 4 seasons.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Gismondi has really good uphill V2 technique, most women aren't on that level.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

Gismondi could go top 6-8 today?

 

[Mayomaniac]

Gismondi could go top 6-8 today?

6th today, great result for her.

 

[KZD]

Hedegart wins, Ree +0.4 slower to get his first career podium, these two are making a strong claim to be in the Olympics.

Top7 all Norwegian, good to see Ruuskanen and Carollo in the top10.

 

[KZD]

As I predicted the pursuit today brought a change to biathlon, Fillon Maillet is looking already very strong, I wouldn't rule him out having another super season like 4 years ago, especially with JTB out of the picture now.

In the women, Minkinnen leads the overall but today had to settle for second after being beaten by Hauser who seems to be back to her best.