Nordic Skiing/Biathlon Thread

[kingjr]

Lisa V with the well-earned gold. Have always liked her more than Wierer, and well earned, taking advantage of some inexperience. Heartbreak for Preuß again, she's just the least clutch athlete in the world. And Hristova looking like another top 10 on 20/20, Andexer in the top 10 from the sprint, Kirkeeide on the podium again of course, Michelon dropping back from the podium but still in the top 5, and Estere Volfa, a junior-age Latvian, gaining positions from 16th, I thought she'd likely collapse in standing and tumble down the order like has been the tradition for her countrymen Rastorgujevs and Bendika.

Minkkinen holding on for bronze is fantastic though. Great achievement for the Finns who looked completely dead in the water when Mäkäräinen and Eder retired together.

Lena Dürr would like a word

 

[Mayomaniac]

Lisa V with the well-earned gold. Have always liked her more than Wierer, and well earned, taking advantage of some inexperience. Heartbreak for Preuß again, she's just the least clutch athlete in the world. And Hristova looking like another top 10 on 20/20, Andexer in the top 10 from the sprint, Kirkeeide on the podium again of course, Michelon dropping back from the podium but still in the top 5, and Estere Volfa, a junior-age Latvian, gaining positions from 16th, I thought she'd likely collapse in standing and tumble down the order like has been the tradition for her countrymen Rastorgujevs and Bendika.

Minkkinen holding on for bronze is fantastic though. Great achievement for the Finns who looked completely dead in the water when Mäkäräinen and Eder retired together.

First Biathlon olympic medal ever for Finnland.
Great day for Sappada, first ever Olympic Biathlon Gold for Italy with Vittozzi and Graz wins Bronze with the xc skiing relay squad.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

I look forward to seeing the Polish relay team after today and the Bulgarians, too, of course.

 

[KZD]

Vittozzi with a perfect race, well earned gold.

Minkinnen also with an impressive 20/20 shooting but unfortunately she is not at her best skiing wise which meant Kirkeeide could beat her for second.

I must say that I was expecting Jeanmonnot to be the dominant female biathlete which is not happening but she will still have a chance to get an individual gold in the mass-start.

 

[jsem94]

Love to see both Pellegrino getting the bronze for Italy.

Love to see Vitozzi winning gold.

Love to see Ponsi winning gold.

Hate to see the Swedish men's relay team. The team has been in a dismal state for nearly a decade. Calle back in the team says everything. We're just a big lolcow at this point. Poromaa with a disastrous season, Jens Burman hasn't even raced in the World Cup, Alvar for some reason not doing to 50km????

I'm glad the French men's team was at least somewhat close to Norway, glad it wasn't two minutes. Germany yet again a huge disappointment, I know yesterday they had horrible skis in the classic part, but what happened today?

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

, Alvar for some reason not doing to 50km????

He is horrible in diagonal stride (in distance races, he can run one or two hills decent enough to be in contention in a sprint race) in comparison with the elite. The 50k course is very hard and there are no chance he would be close to a top 10. Just look at how he’s been skiing in distance races in classic this year. Of course he could’ve been fighting well and maybe finished 22nd, which probably might be better than what Calle does, but it doesn’t make much sense for him to go for what would be a worthless result in The Olympics instead of trying to defend his Vasa title.

 

[jsem94]

Pivoting back to Ski Classics does make more sense, but I would have liked to have see him try the 50km as a learning experience. Probably not worth it for him, but it is just so depressing what has happened to the Swedish men's side. Especially without a Russian team, there is no one to oppose the Norwegian dominance. Sick of the AI generated Norwegians getting called up and getting top 10's only to bounce back to the Scandi Cup. Can other nations not just buy a few of them out like in other sports ?

 

[BullsFan22]

The Swedish men have been abysmal, not quite to German men levels, but at least people weren’t expecting much from the German men. Friedrich Moch has been a disappointment. German skis have looked awful so far, both men and women. The women could still snag a medal in the team sprint. Had Hennig-Dotzler been in form here, she would have been strong contender for a medal in the 50km, but she’s dealt with health problems before the season even began and her recovery is taking a long time. Not having Carl there also doesn’t help the Germans.

I watched most of the men’s relay. That was pretty sad. Never seen so few nations at a major championship. There were 15 nations at the start (12 finished) in 2022, and I thought that was bad.

 

[Brullnux]

I must say that I was expecting Jeanmonnot to be the dominant female biathlete which is not happening but she will still have a chance to get an individual gold in the mass-start.

It's bizarre but Jeanmonnot has never won an individual gold at a major championships. She also hasn't finished below 7th in a major championships race since 2023.

 

[Bavarianrider]

So Norwegians have been caught testing skis after the track was closed, but of course, no significant penalty. Is there any Nation in any sport as shamless as Norway in xc skiing?

 

[kingjr]

So Norwegians have been caught testing skis after the track was closed, but of course, no significant penalty. Is there any Nation in any sport as shamless as Norway in xc skiing?

I don't know about shameless, at least their experts seem pretty ashamed. And, at least originally, they apparently weren't the only nation.

NRK's cross-country expert Fredrik Aukland says that illegal ski testing was the topic of the team leaders' meeting before Sunday's relay. There, it was claimed that several nations had tested illegally before the women's relay on Saturday, without sanctions being imposed.– It was the Austrians who gave the clearest message that there had to be closer control of ski testing, and that rule violations must have consequences, says Aukland.
[....]
– Let me first say that I am not aware of what happened today. But it is a very clear set of rules that are easy to follow. It is outright embarrassing that Norway is unable to follow them the day after it has been the topic of the team leaders' meeting. This should be possible to avoid, says Aukland.

Although it is not a serious rule violation, NRK's sports commentator Jan Petter Saltvedt reacts:– This is so obviously unnecessary of Norway. Why should they let this be the discussion at the end of a relay that Norway would have won anyway?

OL 2026: Norge straffet for ulovlig skitesting etter stafettgull

Norge kunne juble for stafettgull søndag. Etterpå fikk de en smekk på lanken.

www.nrk.no

 

[BullsFan22]

The Americans were doing the same thing. But FIS only reaction was to ‘expel’ one of the wax technicians. Laughable.

 

[Bavarianrider]

I don't know about shameless, at least their experts seem pretty ashamed. And, at least originally, they apparently weren't the only nation.

NRK's cross-country expert Fredrik Aukland says that illegal ski testing was the topic of the team leaders' meeting before Sunday's relay. There, it was claimed that several nations had tested illegally before the women's relay on Saturday, without sanctions being imposed.– It was the Austrians who gave the clearest message that there had to be closer control of ski testing, and that rule violations must have consequences, says Aukland.
[....]
– Let me first say that I am not aware of what happened today. But it is a very clear set of rules that are easy to follow. It is outright embarrassing that Norway is unable to follow them the day after it has been the topic of the team leaders' meeting. This should be possible to avoid, says Aukland.

Although it is not a serious rule violation, NRK's sports commentator Jan Petter Saltvedt reacts:– This is so obviously unnecessary of Norway. Why should they let this be the discussion at the end of a relay that Norway would have won anyway?

OL 2026: Norge straffet for ulovlig skitesting etter stafettgull

Norge kunne juble for stafettgull søndag. Etterpå fikk de en smekk på lanken.

www.nrk.no

Fair enough,but somehow it seems that those kinda things always happen to the Norwegians .It aways seems that no matter how far ahead the are, they still feel insecure and need to stack the deck in their favor.

 

[Bavarianrider]

The Swedish men have been abysmal, not quite to German men levels, but at least people weren’t expecting much from the German men. Friedrich Moch has been a disappointment. German skis have looked awful so far, both men and women. The women could still snag a medal in the team sprint. Had Hennig-Dotzler been in form here, she would have been strong contender for a medal in the 50km, but she’s dealt with health problems before the season even began and her recovery is taking a long time. Not having Carl there also doesn’t help the Germans.

I watched most of the men’s relay. That was pretty sad. Never seen so few nations at a major championship. There were 15 nations at the start (12 finished) in 2022, and I thought that was bad.

Seriously ,with IOC being on the brink of banning Nordic Combined, because of a lack of International competition, XC skiing would not be far off that discussion either.

 

[dobrien]

Seriously ,with IOC being on the brink of banning Nordic Combined, because of a lack of International competition, XC skiing would not be far off that discussion either.

When I saw there were only 10 relay teams entered I honestly wondered if I'd missed that there were qualifying heats and that only 10 teams made the final. That is a ridiculous entry list, seriously.

XC as an international sport is not in healthy way, to put it very mildly.

 

[Sciatic]

Too bad we didnt get to see Pellegrino drop him

I thought I’d missed it somehow but it was the broadcast that missed it?

 

[QueenStagiaire]

The number of 10 relays came about because of the quota allocation system that results in nations from 11th down in last year‘s Nations Cup only having three start places. It‘s what happens if you want the top nations to get eight skiers whilst prioritising giving every nation with a semi-competent skier a start place as well.

 

[meat puppet]

First Biathlon olympic medal ever for Finnland.

Seventh according to wiki. The previous six are from way back. First woman though.

As for Pellegrino's attack, he just took off like the old days. Very impressive. It was shown after the fact in Finnish TV at least.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Seriously ,with IOC being on the brink of banning Nordic Combined, because of a lack of International competition, XC skiing would not be far off that discussion either.

Norway in those sports is like North Korea or Central Asian countries in Weightlifting, invedting big money in a fringe sport (it has become that outside of Scandinavia, Finnland and maybe Russia).

 

[Bavarianrider]

Talking China, I really hope they will use the Beijing venues in the World cup sooner or later and have a Nordic World Championchip there, too. Such a cool venue, I realy miss it comparing it to boring ass Val di Fiemme and the same World Championchip venues like Faun, Lahti, Oberstdorf... over and over again.
That being said, La Clusaz will even be worse. But hey it is only 8 years to Salt Lake City, so there is light at the end of the tunnel,

 

[Bavarianrider]

Seventh according to wiki. The previous six are from way back. First woman though.

As for Pellegrino's attack, he just took off like the old days. Very impressive. It was shown after the fact in Finnish TV at least.

Crazy that Mäkairänen never got an olympic medal, hard to comprehend. Reminds me of Manninen who always destroyed everything in the World Cup only to totally falter in big events over and over again. Very strange.

 

[BigCoward]

Neither team have been outstanding, but I still can't see anything other than France and Norway tomorrow as 1a and 1b .

 

[nightowl]

Cross-country skiing really feels like a dying sport these days. Fewer and fewer countries are competitive, and the calendar changes have all but killed off true distance skiers, so almost every race is contested by the same few skiers.

It's incredible how bad things have gotten compared to the 2000s.

 

[BigCoward]

At least we have more varied winners now on womens side. There was 15 years where Bjoergen, Justina and Johaug won pretty much every race.

And Weng finished 3rd about 100 times.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Absolutely crazy conditions descending on Predazzo right before the medal jumps. Looks like we might need to cancel back to the second round, which will be absolutely gutting for Philipp Raimund who had just put Germany in with an outside chance of a medal with a great jump in bad conditions just before they reached irreparability. And even more so Ren Nikaido, who just moved Japan from 4th up to 2nd, and whose jump to do so would be wiped out if they cancel it off.

Edit: so they've sent Tomasiak and he's struggled mightily, Poland now almost certainly do not medal unless they cancel off the last three jumpers.

Edit: now it seems they cancelled it, the Austrians and Poles are celebrating, the Germans and Japanese are really hard done by, the Poles and Norwegians get saved by the snow (especially the Poles, as Sundal had yet to jump in the weather. Wasek had already dropped them off the podium before Tomasiak had to jump in the snow) while Nikaido's jump being annulled means that Japan drop back from 2nd place to 6th - and Raimund pulled off a brilliant jump in the horrendous conditions that is all for nothing. Reminiscent of the time at Hochfilzen Simon Fourcade pulled off 10/10 and possibly his best ever race in horrendous wind and heavy snow, only for the weather to clear up later in the session and for him to not even end up on the podium.