At the same time as Klæbo and the other national team runners have dominated in Lahti in Finland, Emil Iversen has turned things around in the Scandinavian Cup in Hommelvik. There, Iversen took his first sprint victory since 2016 on Friday. The victory came after several difficult seasons and the collapse of the national team last spring. But from the forests of Trønder there are now jabs in the direction of the national team management, who are in place during the World Cup races in Finland. After Friday’s sprint victory, the quick-witted 32-year-old came with this message to sprint national team coach Arild Monsen: – After I came second in Otepää, I didn’t hear a peep from Arild Monsen. I was very disappointed by that, but he is a bit high on the pear. – Can still treat me like air In April, Iversen was scrapped from the national team after several difficult seasons. He got to try out in the World Cup opening, but since then he has had to settle for national races and the Scandinavian Cup. Among other things, he won the 20 kilometer in Otepää and came second in the sprint at the same place. It was after the results that weekend that he was disappointed with the national team management. Now it can go towards a free place in the World Cup. Emil Iversen was for several years among the world’s best skiers, before the decline started after the 2021 season. Photo: Terje Pedersen / NTB But Iversen continued in a critical tone. – Now I saw that there was a free place, so then he doesn’t have to call me. He can still treat me like air. I realized that if I’m going to go there, I have to win or become the best Norwegian, says Iversen. In the sprint on Friday, Iversen beat, among others, national team runner Sindre Bjørnestad Skar. On Saturday it was three miles in Hommelvik. Sprint national team coach Arild Monsen has submitted the statement to Iversen. He did not want to comment on this to news on Friday. – His performance today (Friday) is great. Great that he gets the chance in Drammen. It will be fun. Otherwise, I have no further comments, Monsen reports to news. On Saturday, Iversen came fourth in the 30-kilometer race in the Scandinavian Cup in Hommelvik. Didrik Tønseth won ahead of Sjur Røthe and Andreas Fjorden Ree. In the World Cup in Lahti, Johannes Høsflot Klæbo was superior in 20 kilometers in classic style. He won 24 seconds ahead of Finnish Iivo Niskanen. National team coach Arild Monsen. Photo: Geir Olsen / NTB – Tall and dark National team runner Pål Golberg, who himself came fourth in the 20 kilometer race in the World Cup in Lahti on Saturday, believes that his performance bears the hallmarks of the well-known Emil Iversen style. – He has been tall and dark when he has been on the national team and performed poorly, but got the opportunity in cross-country skiing. Now he is unfortunately on the other side of the fence. But now he is skiing so fast that he will suddenly be in the heat again soon, says Golberg to news and continues: – I think it is good to have such grants as Emil. After all, we are in the entertainment business. As I said, it is said with a twinkle in the eye. He knows very well how this works. – Do you think Monsen feels hit? – No. Harald Østberg Amundsen does not take Iversen’s Monsen criticism very seriously. – It’s just nonsense on Emil’s part, he likes to joke. It’s funny, that. He has been with us on sessions, and it was an impressive sprint he went yesterday (Friday), says Amundsen to news. The World Cup leader believes that Iversen is easily influenced by his own ups and downs. – He soars high and low. After the NM there was a total crisis, while he soared very high yesterday. He needs to stabilize a bit, but it looked very good yesterday, says Amundsen. Klæbo won superiorly in Lahti on Saturday. Photo: Jussi Nukari/Lehtikuva / NTB Klæbo thinks Iversen is at his normal with such messages. – He reports hard when things are going well. He can report harshly when things go badly too. I think it’s fun that he makes it happen. And what he did yesterday was impressive, says Klæbo. Meant a lot to Iversen Iversen himself explained that the victory in the sprint in the Scandinavian Cup meant a lot. Incidentally, this was his first sprint win since Lahti in 2016. – It means a hell of a lot, says Emil Iversen. Iversen pointed out that he does not focus on sprinting, but that he also becomes a better skier by doing well in this discipline as well. – This says a lot about my form and that is why I would prioritize it, because then I know that I will also go faster over the distance, says Iversen. Now it is moving towards Iversen being able to get a free place for the World Cup sprint in Drammen on 12 March. He pointed out that Drammen is also the hometown of his girlfriend. – You’re going to win for her at home? – I’ll be a bit tall and dark when I win a ski race, but I’m not going to stand and say that I’m going to win the sprint in Drammen. But that I will go there, yes, says Iversen.
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