After a solid performance in the icy, Swedish forests, Heidi Weng started Margrete Bergane on the second leg of the relay. Bergane came out with a narrow lead down to the USA. The distance down to Sweden and Germany was great, and the conditions good. But it was a nightmare stage for Norway’s relay reserve. – She is young and promising, an U23 runner and is being thrown to the wolves a bit here, said Ole Kristian Stoltenberg on news’s radio broadcast. news’s cross-country expert Fredrik Aukland agreed. – It completely unraveled on the second stage. After that, Norway has been a shadow of itself, he stated. For the first time since March 2007, a Norwegian relay team on the women’s side ended up outside the podium in the context of the World Cup. NEDTUR: It was a tough day at work for national team coach Sjur Ole Svarstad and the Norwegian relay women. Photo: Geir Olsen / NTB – We came a little “on our heels” today on the second stage. We came out crooked, admits national team coach Sjur Ole Svarstad. Abrupt start to the day At 06.55 on Sunday morning, she was told that she was to take the stage to Astrid Øyre Slind, who had to throw in the towel because of a sore throat. – I thought this would be fun, but tough. And that was it, says Bergane to news. Rosie Brennan went really hard from the start of the second stage, and Bergane had no chance to keep up. The USA drove completely from Norway, and Sweden’s Emma Ribom easily ate up the hatch for Norway. Suddenly, Germany was also behind Bergane, and both Sweden and Germany rushed away from her. She ended up switching 48.5 seconds behind the USA. – It has been a tough round for Bergane, commented Stoltenberg on news radio. – It was stressful, but I just had to try. It went too fast, acknowledges Bergane. – TOUGH, BUT FUN: This is how Margrethe Bergane summed up her second leg of the relay. Photo: Ulf Palm/TT / AP – It’s a bit of a shame It was a brutal stage, which has been predicted for a bright skiing career and which has impressed with, among other things, a 6th place in Holmenkollen and 8th place up the “monster hill”. She agreed with Stoltenberg’s comment that she was thrown to the wolves. – Yes, it felt a bit like that. There are strong runners, and they are better than me. I need this experience, so I get to take it with me. The other girls are doing well, so it’s a bit of a shame that I lose quite a bit. – You say yourself that you were thrown to the wolves, should you have chosen differently? – No, I don’t think you could have chosen that much differently. I did the best I could and I think it was fun to go. It’s fun to run a relay, so I must be happy that I got to run, says Bergane. – It was tough to go out there. There are good runners and I tried to hang onto Rosie Brennan from the start, but it was too fast for me. I just had to go as fast as I could keep up. I did my best, but it’s boring that so many seconds were up. GOOD STAGE: Heidi Weng gave Norway a good starting point after an exciting duel with Jessie Diggins on the first stage. Photo: Ulf Palm/TT / AP Far behind Anne Kjersti Kalvå double danced out on her freestyle stage with difficult conditions and ended up losing time to the podium. When she started, Norway was 48.5 seconds behind the leading USA. When switching to the fourth and final stage, the distance was 57.4 seconds. – It is clear that it is a tough stage to be thrown into. It’s a high level, they go fast, the very best, but it’s good learning for Margrethe, and she did the best she could. It’s good enough today, says Anne Kjersti Kalvå about Bergane. – How did you work on psyching her up? – We just tried to say that she should lower her shoulders and go her own way. The distances were slightly larger today than we might have thought. It is a tough trail with little rest. If you have a bit of a tough day, you get sore for it, says Kalvå. KANONETAPPE: Here Rosie Brennan (front left) alternates with Sophia Laukli. Brennan completely parked competitors on the second leg. Photo: Ulf Palm/TT / AP Swedish home win Norway’s anchorwoman, Lotta Udnes Weng, was walking alone outside in the minus eleven degrees. The distance to the three tea nations increased and increased. – Norway is walking a bit alone out there and it is a difficult position for Lotta Udnes Weng, who has her strength in a sprint. We had hoped that Norway would fight in a sprint, but now it will be a completely different race, stated news’s cross-country expert Fredrik Aukland. – It is a bit disappointing that we are not in that match at all, he added. The battle for victory was between the USA and Sweden, and after a cannon stage by Ebba Andersson, Sweden took over the lead. Moa Ilar increased the lead further and ensured a superior Swedish home victory. The United States was second, followed by Germany. Norway finished in fourth place, one minute and 40 seconds behind “sweet brother”.
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Norwegian relay fiasco – reserve believes she was thrown to the wolves – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcasting schedule
