The Norwegian team made an incredible mistake – went one penalty round too many – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcasting schedule

– Passed one penalty round too many. The same thing. The hunt only starts tomorrow, writes a self-deprecating Botn on the training app Strava after Friday’s sprint. Botn won five out of eight individual races in the IBU Cup before Christmas, where he has particularly shown himself with impressive speed on the course. In his World Cup debut in Oberhof, he also had the fastest cross-country time, but four penalty rounds made the path to a top position difficult. It became particularly difficult when he actually ended up going five penalty rounds. It was during the first shooting that Botn was unlucky. The 24-year-old missed three out of five shots, but went through four penalty rounds. – I don’t know what happened there. I obviously thought I went three, but obviously I was wrong, he tells news. REVEALED: Johan-Olav Botn told himself about the blister on Strava. Photo: Screenshot – It was perhaps the worst penalty round to go in an extra one too, so to speak, Botn adds, referring to the fact that it was very soft on the course. – Became acutely nervous. He also missed standing shooting, and finished one minute and 31 seconds behind winner Benedikt Doll, in 26th place. – It was a lying series that really ruined my race. I felt in control until I went to bed. Suddenly I became acutely nervous and excited. It was a really bad condition to shoot well, Botn told news shortly after the finish line. IN THE ROUND: Botn had three misses in prone shooting, but went four rounds in the wet penalty round in Oberhof. Photo: Hanne Skjellum / news For Botn, the chutes in Oberhof are very important to get the chance in the World Cup further this season. It was therefore a kind of consolation that he had the fastest cross-country time. The time in the penalty rounds is not counted in the total race time. – It’s a bit rude to think that if I shoot well enough, no one will beat me, he says. Botn impressed many during the season opener in cross-country skiing at Beitostølen, when he came 10th. – It’s just good to have it confirmed, that I’m at the level I think I am. I think I can go quite a bit faster if I get conditions that are more suitable for me, and not such a fast road, says the World Cup debutant. Gets support from Northug TV 2’s expert, Petter Northug, grinned when he saw the mistake from the Norwegian biathlete. – If it had been a podium finish, it would have been worse, then it would have been disappointing. But now I think he sees a bit of the humor in it, and it looks like that on Strava too, says the former cross-country star to news, adding: EXPERTS: Petter Northug (th) and Tiril Eckhoff are with TV 2 as biathlon experts. Photo: Anders Boine Verstad / news – I’m not going to bully him for that, because I would probably have done the same myself. He has the best cross-country time today, and that is a starting point he must take with him into tomorrow. He’s really good here and Birxsteig suits him well so I think he’ll be a dangerous man if he hits some right backs. For Saturday, the stage is set for hunting starts in Oberhof. – The way I see it, we are a pretty good group right around me, with Horn and Giacomel. People usually go really fast on the first round, so you just have to hang with the train that is going. And then I know that I go faster than most. Everything is possible. I will only attack, promises Botn.



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