– I didn’t think I was going to win. But I saw that Klæbo was a little sick and that others could fight for the victory. Then I took the opportunity, Andersen says to news after the shock victory. It was a Norwegian day of jubilation on the slopes at Lillehammer. Andersen in the lead, there were as many as nine Norwegians among the top ten in today’s 10-kilometer race. The 22-year-old surprised the entire field and took his first World Cup victory. – Absolutely crazy, said news’s cross-country expert Torgeir Bjørn about the wild results list. WON: Iver Tildheim Andersen made his debut in the World Cup in the five thousand in Holmenkollen in March, and took his first World Cup victory on Friday. Photo: MARIUS SIMENSEN / BILDBYRÅN – Almost Norwegian Cup Didrik Tønseth and Hans Christer Holund followed right behind, who helped make up an all-Norwegian podium. – Almost the Norwegian Cup, commented Bjørn. – What will the foreigners say now? Klæbo is over, but Andersen is about to make it big, he said later. Holund took a strong third place and is not surprised by the Norwegian dominance. – It’s not good, he says and is supported by Emil Iversen, who had a slightly harder day on the course and ended up in 12th place. – It’s not quite good. It is not good. – Are you worried? TOUGH: Emil Iversen had a tough day on the slopes at Lillehammer. Photo: Heiko Junge / NTB – It’s bad. But we knew it would be like that. I have to be satisfied with my own performance and then maybe the national quota will have to go away, replies Iversen. Normally, Norway has six fixed places as a basic quota in the World Cup. But in the World Cup races organized in Norway, Norway can field twelve runners. – There is no reason to bring more than six. Then there will only be twelve among the best instead of six. But it’s now good for me, because otherwise I wouldn’t have gone today, says the Meråker runner. Last year, seven Norwegians were among the world’s ten best distance runners. At Lillehammer, the dominance was even greater. With both Iivo Niskanen out after corona and the Russians banned after the war in Ukraine, the race at Lillehammer followed the pattern of the former Norwegian dominance in cross-country skiing. NORWAY: Didrik Tønseth took second place and was 2.8 seconds ahead of Andersen, while Hans Christer Holund was third, 9.1 seconds behind the winner. Photo: Heiko Junge / NTB Nine among the top ten happened in a race in which 12 Norwegian runners participated. All finished within the top twenty. Holund points out that the results list does not look good. – It doesn’t look so good when there are so many Norwegians at the top. But it must be said that we have a strong nation that will not participate and is not here today. So in a normal season we probably wouldn’t have been nine men at the top there. The national quota is also a carrot for those who attend the Norwegian Cup. I don’t think we should cut it out, he says. Grab rare opportunity 22-year-old Andersen has gone to the World Cup once before. It happened under five thousand in Holmenkollen in March. He was then number 24. – When did you realize that you were fighting for the victory? – When I led on the first I realized there were good opportunities, because there are many who open hard. But when I do, I realize there are possibilities. – I am lucky to have had the opportunity today, so you have to seize it. People say normal is enough, but when you get the chance, you just have to bring out something extraordinary, he continues. Andrew Musgrave took fourth place, as the only foreigner in the top ten. Håvard Moseby came just in fifth place. He is impressed by Andersen’s shock victory. HAPPY: Andersen in the leader’s chair during the race. Photo: Heiko Junge / NTB – I have been in a team with Iver for many years now. Although it comes as a surprise, I’m not super shocked. He is a good skater, but I would not have thought that it was such a good level from the start of today, says Moseby to news. Iversen behind Iversen had a hard time in Ruka last weekend, but gained confidence in the freestyle distance in the World Cup in Lillehammer. – He has a bit of a knife on his throat here, Emil Iversen, said news’s cross-country expert Fredrik Aukland before the start. Trønder drove in at weak times initially, but made it flap better over time. Iversen ended up in 12th place, 30 seconds behind Andersen. – It was actually fine. I tried to open controlled and then it was just a matter of watching towards the end. Then a colleague of mine came and there was a race plan that I had drawn up. I was not involved in fighting for the victory today, but that was not the ambition today, says Iversen to news. On Saturday, a sprint in free technique awaits the men’s runners, while on Sunday, 20 kilometers in classic style with a joint start is on the program.
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Norwegian total dominance is worrying – Iversen believes that World Cup places should be removed – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcasting schedule
