– I think it is the wrong focus. They should concentrate on themselves. That’s what jumping manager Clas Brede Bråthen says about the jab that was sent in the direction of his jumping masters after the combined race at Lillehammer on Saturday. For Jarl Magnus Riiber was again superior in the jumping part of Saturday’s combined event. Something that made teammate Jørgen Graabak send a jab in the direction of the Norwegian special jumpers. – I wish he had lined up in a special jump later today. If there is anyone who can beat Kraft on this hill, it is Jarl, said Graabak, referring to the superb Stefan Kraft, who has crushed the Norwegian jumpers so far this year. – I think the others should try to catch up with Riiber instead of trying and comparing him to others, Bråthen replies. Second-placed Johannes Lamparter from Austria (left), winner Jarl Magnus Riiber and third-placed Jørgen Graabak on the podium after the cross-country competition for combined men in Kuusamo last weekend. Photo: NTB Gets support from experts Stefan Kraft leads the World Cup after brilliant jumping in Ruka last weekend, while you have to go all the way down to 13th place on the overall list to find the best Norwegian mare, Halvor Egner Granerud. Graabak is supported by news’s combined expert Mikko Kokslien: – It is clear that he could jump against them. I think he could assert himself relatively well. Whether he would have been at the very top is difficult to say. The level he has now, I have not seen before. – The level of the Norwegian jumpers suggests that they could need that inspiration. Send him up that hill again, adds news’s commentator Jan Petter Saltvedt. Bråthen: – They should concentrate on themselves – I know that Jarl is very good and I am very impressed by what Jarl does, but on the whole it is difficult to compare two sports, says Bråthen. He does not agree that Riiber has a better chance against Kraft than, for example, Granerud and Johann Forfang. Jumping manager Clas Brede Bråthen and the Norwegian jumpers have struggled at the start of the season. Photo: NTB – Firstly, Jarl does not have that chance as he will not be taking part in the special jumping race. And again, I think everyone is best served by concentrating on what they do themselves. That can perhaps be taken into account in all contexts. Riiber and Hansen superb again Combined star Gyda Westvold Hansen (21) defended her lead from the jumping section and won the World Cup race at Lillehammer on Saturday in what became the new Norwegian Grand Slam. Westvold Hansen won by 46 seconds to teammate Ida Marie Hagen and 53 seconds to Mari Leinan Lund. Westvold Hansen also went to the top on Friday. The victory on Saturday was her 19th individual victory and podium number 20 in the World Cup. – I don’t think I’ve done any better cross-country skiing before than what I’m doing today, says Westvold Hansen to news after the race. Gyda Westvold Hansen won at the Birkebeineren Ski Stadium in Lillehammer. Here she is flanked by Ida Marie Hagen (left) in second place and Mari Leinan Lund in third. Photo: NTB Jarl Magnus Riiber did not give up the monster lead he had after the jumping part and took the season’s third World Cup triumph in Lillehammer on Saturday. The Heming runner started almost one minute ahead of Japan’s Ryota Yamamoto in the cross-country race over ten kilometers. The victory was Riiber’s 60th in a World Cup context. – It tasted good, absolutely. It was a good day. I was a little nervous in the morning, but then it seems that I compete a little better. I was a little proud of this victory, says Riiber. Jens Lurås Oftebro and Jørgen Graabak started some distance behind Yamamoto, but quickly moved up in the podium fight together with a large group. The Norwegian duo moved away from the rest of the field towards the end. On the run, Oftebro was the best and took second place ahead of Graabak.
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– Wrong focus – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcasting schedule
