Nordic Skiing/Biathlon Thread

[QueenStagiaire]

the federation said he isn't sure to get a spot yet, but yeah, I guess he has done enough. Klaebo, Amundsen, Valnes, Nyenget should be safe, some reports say Stenshagen as well. So even if they take another sprinter (which they probably will), there's still one free spot he could get.

Any idea what needs to happen for the Norwegians to still get full quota of eight? It obviously doesn't seem to come down to their own performance.

Cross-country skiing at the 2026 Winter Olympics – Qualification - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

If the wikipedia article is accurate, it gives a pretty good overview of the system. Looks like they didn‘t hand out three quotas for qualifying via the World Cup Single athletes trail, and if they reallocate them according to the Nation ranking system, Canada, Norway and Sweden should receive another quota.

 

[DonAragona]

I agree with your assessment of US relay podium chances; we had a close but no cigar a couple of times but the window has closed; US women are going back into the wilderness for the foreseeable future.

Brennan's case is not so cut and dried imho; she had a major life event occur with the separation from her longtime partner Tyler Kornfeld, she is a very sensitive sort and that hurt her very badly...don't underestimate the emotional impact of something like that on the rest of her life. Also she seems to be fighting some sort of autoimmune type disorder, or possibly the effects of long Covid, something they just haven't been able to pin down. No question she's getting older but she went from having one of her best seasons ever to just dropping off a cliff, it was definitely not just a gradual decline. It really is not looking good for her at the moment, she was a DNF today and things are just not working for her; if it doesn't turn around she's virtually certain to call it a day after this season. She was actually really on the fence about it already but I think the lure of one more shot at an Olympic medal was too much to resist; barring a miracle at the moment there is zero chance the US is going to medal in the relay this year.

The biggest factor is her age, she turns 37 in a few weeks. Time catches up with all skiers and dare i say it....it's starting to catch up with Diggins? This was her worst weekend in Davos in more than a decade and i thought she looked very tired in the 10k last week.

 

[BullsFan22]

The biggest factor is her age, she turns 37 in a few weeks. Time catches up with all skiers and dare i say it....it's starting to catch up with Diggins? This was her worst weekend in Davos in more than a decade and i thought she looked very tired in the 10k last week.

She turned 37 on December 1st

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

The biggest factor is her age, she turns 37 in a few weeks. Time catches up with all skiers and dare i say it....it's starting to catch up with Diggins? This was her worst weekend in Davos in more than a decade and i thought she looked very tired in the 10k last week.

I didnt see the race yesterday, but I’ve read a lot of speculation among Norwegian watchers that her skis were not good. She’s had a good start of the season, inte first two weekends, so I think its too early to say that age is catching up with her.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

I was starting to dream of that elusive Paulína Fialková victory, but it wasn't to happen today either. Hanna Öberg hitting 10/10 was quite a surprise, but great for her. It was also good for the overall standings since Magnusson almost did as badly as Minkkinen last week.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Christiansen victorious! One of the better sprints I‘ve seen with chaotic shooting and it sets up for a very close pursuit.

 

[BigCoward]

Christiansen victorious! One of the better sprints I‘ve seen with chaotic shooting and it sets up for a very close pursuit.

That's the closest top 6 spread I can remember.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Ok, so I looked at the Tour de Ski route and oh dear, it's shite. This time the FIS goons outdid themselfs.
About the team selection, one has to feel for Didrik Toenseth. 3rd in the Beitostoelen classic race, wins a Scandinavia Cup 20km mass start and finishes 3rd in the sprint, but still can't get a spot on the Tour de Ski team to potentially get selected for the Olympics. I know, there is usually a sprinter bias in the Norwegian TdS selection, but 2 youngsters like Vike and Heggen who probably won't make the Olympics team (a harsh truth) being there instead of him must hurt.

 

[jsem94]

I'm so sick of the sprinter bias. We don't need nearly half of the races in the world cup to be sprints. I've honestly been increasingly less interested in XC skiing over the past decade because it's gotten way out of hand. Viaplay being the only Swedish broadcaster for the past few years has not helped either, they are absolute dogwater.

Changing the 15km individual to 10km for the men was yet another affront to the sport. Game's gone.

 

[search]

it's a "real" pursuit this time, by the way, based on GC times.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Ok, so I looked at the Tour de Ski route and oh dear, it's shite. This time the FIS goons outdid themselfs.
About the team selection, one has to feel for Didrik Toenseth. 3rd in the Beitostoelen classic race, wins a Scandinavia Cup 20km mass start and finishes 3rd in the sprint, but still can't get a spot on the Tour de Ski team to potentially get selected for the Olympics. I know, there is usually a sprinter bias in the Norwegian TdS selection, but 2 youngsters like Vike and Heggen who probably won't make the Olympics team (a harsh truth) being there instead of him must hurt.

Hans Christer Holund, martyr to the cause.

 

[KZD]

Botn's standing shooting has been bonkers this season, 98%!

Another win today and while its still early he already has a 138 points gap over Perrot, his closest rival for the overall.