– The plan is for her to go to the World Cup. Long-distance running is most likely out of the question, says Chris Jespersen, coach in Team Aker Dæhlie, to news. Chris Jespersen, coach at Team Aker Dæhlie. Photo: Anders Skjerdingstad / news – The chance that she can assert herself in the World Cup is present, he continues. Astrid Øyre Slind, who is a Team Aker Dæhlie runner, focuses primarily on long-distance running. But after securing victory in 10 kilometer skating at Beitostølen today, she is turning her season plans around. – Yes, if I go fast enough to fight for an overall victory, then the goal is to win the distance cup, Øyre Slind also confirms to news. – Is the goal to win the distance cup? – That is one of my goals, I see that I had quite a few seconds up to the top last year. I don’t expect that I have closed the entire gap, but I can help fight for the podium in the distance cup would have been fun. – So the distance cup is the main goal? – Yes, the distance cup is the main focus. Astrid Øyre Slind, Heidi Weng, and Margrethe Bergane covered the podium in the 10 kilometer classic on Saturday. Photo: NTB Øyre Slind chose to turn down the national team in spring, in order to continue the venture with Team Aker Dæhlie. The cross-country ace really impressed in traditional cross-country skiing at the WC in Planica last year, when she took three-mile bronze. The challenge now is that she wants to go all out. Both long-distance running and World Cup. But even the Tour De Ski is the World Cup she prioritizes. The 35-year-old will then make a new assessment. Secured victory after thriller The goal was to beat everyone. Something the three-mile bronze winner during the WC in Planica did last year when she outclassed everyone in the 10 kilometer freestyle. Heidi Weng, who secured victory in the 10 kilometer classic on Saturday, was unsure before the start and thought there could be many ups and downs. – Today I don’t know, Weng constantly told news before the start. With a later starting number than both Øyre Slind and Claudel, she was 4.9 seconds behind the former at the opening point. And it was precisely this trio that the freestyle race was supposed to be about. Only Claudel managed to close in on Øyre Slind in the lead, while Weng continued to struggle. At the finish line, the French girl was seven tenths behind the Team Aker Dæhlie runner. – It was very tight. It was very good to hear the speaker count down and see that it was a bit far left for Claudel, says Øyre Slind. Weng moved into third place. Great talent impressed In anticipation of the big guns, however, it was Elena Rise Johnsen with starting number 36 who held the lead for a long time at the opening point. At 2.6 kilometres, she was 17 seconds down on the nearest competitor. Something that made the experts widen their eyes. – It was a sensational opening, exclaimed Jann Post in the commentator’s box. – We will monitor those opening hours a little more, countered Fredrik Aukland, news’s expert commentator. But then came Øyre Slind, Claudel and Weng, who the rest of the race was to be about.
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Øyre Slind impressed in the season premiere – makes a complete turnaround in plans – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcasting schedule
