Berlin (dpa) – Norway’s Simen Hegstad Krueger narrowly pipped Hans Christer Holund for victory in the men’s 15-kilometre cross-country World Cup in Lillehammer on Saturday in a home podium sweep.
Krueger took his first victory of the season, and sixth overall, in 32 minutes 26.2 seconds, with Holund only 1.6 seconds behind at the line.
«It was such a tough race and a hard fight with Holund today,» said Krueger. «He was starting 30 seconds ahead of me and I saw him in front of me and so I was fighting all the way to the finish.
«I was struggling a bit at the start of the season so it is even better to have such a good race today.”
Martin Loewstrom Nyenget was third, at 17.5 seconds, as a dominant Norway filled nine of the top 12 positions in the freestyle event.
Overall standings leader Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo took the last of them but still extended his advantage over defending champion Alexander Bolshunov, with the Russian only 14th.
On the women’s side, Norwegian superstar Therese Johaug had to settle for second in the 10km race with Swede Frida Karlsson taking victory in 26:58.4 minutes, repeating her triumph over the same distance from the Ruka season-opener.
Johaug, a multiple Olympic and world champion, was just 0.3 seconds behind but that was enough to send Karlsson top of the overall standings, dislodging compatriot and sprint specialist Maja Dahlqvist.
American Rosie Brennan was third.
Norway also enjoyed a dramatic victory in the men’s team event in Nordic combined, with Jarl Magnus Riiber reaching the line just over 5 seconds before Vinzenz Geiger.
The German team had started the 4x5km cross-country portion with a 21-second head start on Norway after the ski jumping, in which Eric Frenzel jumped a day’s best 97.5 metres but the Norwegians whittled away their lead by the decisive final leg.
It is the first and only team event of the season before the Beijing Winter Games in February.
In the women’s Nordic combined, Gyda Westvold Hansen of Norway made it two wins from two in the season, finishing 52.6 seconds ahead of compatriot Mari Leinan Lund over the 5km cross country.
Lund had again led the normal hill jumping, with 97m, but Westvold Hansen soon made up the 10-second deficit from her own 93m and stormed to victory like on Friday.
Lillehammer, host of the 1994 Games, is also hosting a women’s normal hill ski jump.
The male jumpers were in Wisla, Poland, for the opening team event of the season won by Austria ahead of Germany and Slovenia.
By Derek Wilson, dpa