– It is delicious. I feel that the form is good, says Erik Valnes after following up Friday’s victory in the classic sprint with another victory in the 20 km classic joint start. The strong effort in classic means that the 27-year-old from Sørreisa still has an opportunity to win the World Cup overall, even if he doubts it. – I looked at it yesterday. There is an awful long way to go, says Valnes. THE MAN TO BEAT: Harald Østberg Amundsen has a clear lead in the World Cup after overall victory in the Tour de Ski, but Erik Valnes is closing in. Photo: Martin Schutt / AP After the individual competitions in Oberhof, Tour de Ski winner Harald Østberg Amundsen leads with his 1456 points. Valnes is 229 points behind, while Pål Golberg is 393 points behind the leader. So close that Amundsen, for his part, is not satisfied with the 54 points he got from Saturday’s race. – No, I’m not. When Erik is as strong as he is, and goes for victory in both the sprint and the distance race, he squeezes into the summary. I have to go speed skating next weekend, says Amundsen. Valnes wrecked twice Just the skating race next weekend is a key word. So far in the season, the Norwegian national team management has been consistent in team selection: They have selected the best runners based on how well they are qualified for the relevant distance on the programme. The exception is runners who have a personal free place as reigning winner/leader of the Scandinavian Cup or reigning winner/leader of the World Cup. As winner of the Scandinavian Cup last winter, Harald Østberg Amundsen had a personal free place in all World Cup races before Christmas and could therefore go to all races. WIN 1: On Friday, Erik Valnes won the sprint in Oberhof. Photo: Martin Schutt / AP At the same time, Erik Valnes had to deal with being scrapped for two freestyle distance races before Christmas. Amundsen now has a personal free place as overall leader in the World Cup. Valnes – and for that matter Golberg – is dependent on the trust of the national team management. As recently as Friday, Golberg, despite his overall position, was scrapped from the Norwegian team at the classic sprint in Oberhof. – It has been a bit hard to swallow, says Golberg, who hit back with a third place in Saturday’s joint start. VICTORY 2: On Saturday, Erik Valnes won the classic joint start in Oberhof. Photo: Martin Schutt / AP – Will struggle to justify Next weekend are two new races in the Swiss Goms: Sprint in freestyle and 20 km joint start in freestyle. Amundsen has a free seat. Golberg is in good shape, as he won a freestyle race in Gällivare before Christmas. Valnes can feel confident in the sprint team, but he actually doubts that he will be allowed to go in the distance race. – There are so many good skaters in Norway that I think I will struggle to justify excluding some world-class skaters, he says honestly to news. National team manager Ulf Morten Aune will not give Valnes hopes either. – This is a withdrawal we will discuss on Sunday and Monday. The starting point is that we select the best for each distance, regardless of the opportunities in the World Cup overall, he says. NO PROMISES: But national team manager Ulf Morten Aune is open to the possibility that the overall standings could affect team selection for the rest of the season. Photo: Anders Skjerdingstad / news Opening the door At the same time, Aune does not rule out that the overall position in the World Cup can be taken into consideration. – If we were to take into account the overall World Cup early in the season, it would have become impossible for new people to get the chance, because so many Norwegians are in good shape. But when it comes to the end of the season, we will consider paying more attention to who is fighting overall, says the national team manager to news. It could be good news for Valnes, who after all is so good at skating that he came in second place at the start of the pursuit in Toblach during the Tour de Ski. Erik Valnes must at least ensure that the national team management knows what he wants. – At least I will do everything I can to talk my way into some extra distances, he says.
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Fighting for overall victory in the World Cup – may be wrecked next weekend – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcast schedule
