– She has definitely made her way towards a World Cup selection with this wonderful performance, says news’s cross-country expert Fredrik Aukland after Slind finished sixth in the classic joint start in Val di Fiemme on Saturday. Slind focuses on cross-country skiing and is not on the Norwegian cross-country national team. Nevertheless, she beat the national team runners and was the best Norwegian in the 15-kilometer race. – There were some who were critical of her being allowed to go to the World Cup at Beitostølen in December and thought that other Norwegian runners who put their whole hearts into normal cross-country skiing should get the chance, but it is clear that Astrid Øyre Slind has at least answered the accusation here and is super current in the Norwegian WC squad, says expert Torgeir Bjørn. – Should join the squad – She should join the Norwegian WC squad, the question is which exercises she is then qualified for, says Bjørn. Slind has revealed that she has a small dream of both walking the 30 km classic joint start during the WC in Planica on Saturday 4 March and the nine-mile long Vasaloppet the following day. But despite the experts’ assessments, she doubts that it will be a WC trip. – I think I should have been on the podium today, she says to news. – Long-distance running if I don’t die Astrid Øyre Slind is not entirely satisfied with the way she finished the race. – I am annoyed with myself for not being able to stay in the top four. I’m not so good technically that I can go to a small party. It would have been fun to join the group, says last winter’s winner of both the Vasaloppet and the Birkebeinerrennet to news – Will it be a long-distance race or a world cup in the future? – There will be a long run at the start anyway, next weekend, if I don’t die in the meantime, I was going to say. The plan is a long run, so I guess I’ll have a chat with them about whether I should go some more or whether it’s finished now. Wants an answer – doesn’t get it In other words: Slind wants an answer from the national team management as to whether she is still relevant for the WC. – Those who are already highly relevant have been on the podium, all of them. The question is whether it was a bit too bad, but I will hear if there is any chance or what I should do to qualify. – Is it a dilemma? – It can happen. I have to check with Stig Rune Kveen if there is a dilemma or if I am out. IMPRESSED: Astrid Øyre Slind (th) was the Norwegian runner who managed to give foreign competitors the toughest fight in Saturday’s joint start. Photo: Alessandro Trovati / AP However, she does not get a clear answer yet. – It is too early to say. Now we have to finish the tour, so you won’t get an answer to that now, says Kveen, who adds that he thinks Slind did a great race on Saturday. – She must continue to ski fast, that is always very positive. We need to talk to Astrid, hear what she thinks herself and which races we envision she should go forward, says Kveen, and adds that the NM will potentially be important as a qualifying race. German victory Katharina Hennig ensured German victory on Saturday, after sprinting down Swedish Frida Karlsson and Finnish Kerttu Niskanen. Then followed Rosie Brennan from the USA and Teresa Stadlober from Austria. REASON TO CELEBRATE: Katharina Hennig took her first World Cup victory. Photo: MARCO BERTORELLO / AFP Henning is the Olympic team sprint champion from last winter, but this was her first World Cup victory. Tiril Udnes Weng had a hard time towards the end, and ended up in seventh place, 29.2 seconds behind Hennig. This means that she retains second place in the summary when only the climbing stage up the infamous “monster hill” remains. Frida Karlsson has in practice decided the tour in her favour. She has 1.12 to go to Udnes Weng and 1.37 to Kerttu Niskanen. Weng considers breaking Heidi Weng was ninth in Saturday’s stage and is in eighth place overall before the final stage. However, it is not certain that she will go there, she reveals to news. – Not because I don’t want to, but I actually don’t know if it’s worth it. I’ll have to reassess and see what to do tomorrow. I’m a bit anxious to get home, to be honest, she says.
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Surprised and beat all the national team runners – news’s experts think Slind should go to the WC – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcasting schedule
