20 February 2020 in Meråker was the last time Ingvild Flugstad Østberg was on the podium in a race in the World Cup. Almost three years later, on 18 December 2022 in Davos, she did it again after several years of health problems. – Gurimalla, it’s been a while!, Flugstad Østberg exclaims after finishing at Viaplay. – It’s really nice with everything that has happened in recent years. It means everything in a sporting context for me, says the Gjøvik girl and continues: – I didn’t really think I would fight for the podium today. Back at the top of the world – She has of course dreamed of fighting for podium places and winning again for almost three years. Now she is in her best shape for a long, long time, says news commentator Jann Post. Three times since the autumn of 2019, Flugstad Østberg has been refused a start due to the health situation and both the WC in 2021 and the Olympics earlier this year were cancelled. The Gjøvik girl stood above the chutes at Beitostølen last weekend to recharge for the chutes in Davos. After 10 days at an altitude of 1,500 meters in the Swiss Alps. She led through almost the entire race on Sunday’s 20 kilometers, but finished 5.5 seconds behind Jessie Diggins. – She had the victory in her pocket, but Diggins could stand in the downhill and win on that, commented Torgeir Bjørn. But in the finish area, Østberg cheered for his first podium in almost three years. – It is proof that she is back at the top of the world, commented Jann Post. – Better than expected For the first time the women had a 20 kilometer individual start in the World Cup, and at 1,500 meters altitude in Davos it was bound to be a challenging affair. Most of the Norwegian women therefore chose a calm opening speed, but Ingvild Flugstad Østberg went to work fearlessly until the first passing point – and was followed by Kerttu Niskanen and Jessie Diggins. – It was enormously better than Tiril Udnes Weng and Ingvild clearly believed in this, commented Jann Post on the radio channel news Sport. And by passing 7.2 kilometres, Flugstad Østberg had taken over the lead. – It is brilliant. She was 2.3 seconds behind Diggins at the opening point, now she is ahead. Flugstad Østberg still looks soft and good. There could be something big going on, commented news’s expert Torgeir Bjørn. – It has not been decided The Gjøvik girl definitely signed up for the fight for her first podium in the World Cup in almost three years. But a short time later, everything seemed to be about the victory. – Ingvild Flugstad Østberg is about to make a winning run here. It is better than expected. Remember how the trail is from 7.2 kilometers in. There is a stretch Jessie Diggins is better at, so that Ingvild only loses one second is very good, commented Bjørn. At the last pass, Flugstad Østberg had increased the lead to almost seven seconds, but the American star had finished strongly. – It has not been decided. Remember that Diggins has gone fast from this point to the finish line, commented Bjørn. And it was decisive in the end. In the descents to the finish, she lost more than 10 seconds to the American Jessie Diggins, who took the victory.
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Back after the nightmare years – on the podium for the first time in almost three years – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcasting schedule
