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Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR) took all six gold medals awarded in men’s cross-country skiing at the Olympics last month. (Photo: Barbieri/NordicFocus)
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo made the call late Tuesday night… he’s racing.
According to the Scandinavian press, Klaebo departed Oslo’s Gardermoen airport at 6:25 Wednesday morning, beginning a roughly 20-hour journey to Lake Placid, where he’ll arrive about a day and a half before Friday’s 10-kilometer classic interval start. The Norwegian Ski Federation confirmed the news in a press release on Wednesday morning.
“I can see this isn’t going to be an optimal buildup, both with the long travel and not being able to adjust to the time difference,” Klaebo said. “But I want to be part of the World Cup finale in the USA.”
The decision came after Klaebo did a training session on Tuesday morning in Trondheim and responded well. National team doctor Ove Feragen gave him the green light.
Ben Ogden (USA) checks on Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR) after their crash eliminated them from the race in Drammen, Norway. (Photo: Nordnes/NordicFocus)
“After the fall during the sprint in Drammen, and some quiet days at home, Johannes has gradually resumed training and normal activity,” Feragen said. “He has responded well to this, without any recurring symptoms after the fall. After observation and further examinations, we have concluded that he is fit to compete.”
Klaebo has been sidelined since March 12, when American Ben Ogden fell across the Norwegian’s skis during Classic Sprint semifinals in Drammen, Norway. The resulting crash sent Klaebo’s head into the hard-packed snow. He was diagnosed with a mild concussion, withdrew from the Holmenkollen 50k, and scrapped a planned media tour in New York City that included sit-downs with CNN, NBC, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal.
Now the question shifts from whether Klaebo will race to how much he’ll race. He’s not committing to the full program.
Harald Oestberg Amundsen (NOR), Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR), and Martin Loewstroem Nyenget (NOR), (l-r) share the Skiathlon podium in Falun, Sweden, on March 1st, 2026. (Photo: Thibaut/NordicFocus.)
“My expectations for performance are not sky-high,” Klaebo said. “I’ll do my best despite a poor buildup and potential jet lag. Whether I race one, two, or three events in Lake Placid, I’ll decide once I get to the USA and get skis on my feet.”
The stakes are real despite the measured tone. Klaebo has already clinched the overall World Cup — his sixth, tying Bjoern Daehlie — and the sprint globe. But he trails Harald Oestberg Amundsen by three points in the distance standings after missing the Holmenkollen 50k. Two distance events remain: Friday’s 10 k Classic and Sunday’s 20k Freestyle Mass Start. A clean sweep of the overall, sprint, and distance globes would be a first in Klaebo’s career.
“For cross-country skiing, it’s especially important to have World Cups in the USA,” Klaebo said. “I’ve been looking forward to this finale for a long time.”
Racing begins Friday at Mt. Van Hoevenberg. Klaebo will be on the start line — jet lag and all.
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Ben Ogden (USA) and Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR), along with Oskar Opstad Vike (NOR), (l-r) on the Olympic sprint podium last month. It should be made clear that Ogden and Klaebo have a strong respect for one another, to say the least. (Photo: Vanzetta/NordicFocus)
You’ve got your tickets. You know the race schedule. You’re making the trip to Mt. Van Hoevenberg for the first World Cup finals ever held on American soil. But the racing doesn’t fill every hour of the day, and Lake Placid is the kind of town that rewards a little wandering. Over the last 15 years, my family and I have spent a lot of time in Lake Placid, and here’s what we’d suggest for filling in the gaps — whether you’re traveling solo, with a crew, or with kids in tow.
Fuel up
Start the morning at Big Mountain Deli & Crêperie on Main Street. They’ve got 46 sandwiches named after Adirondack high peaks, plus breakfast burritos, crepes, and all the espresso drinks you need to survive a cold morning in the stadium. A word of advice: order online in advance. The line moves faster if your food is already being made. Note that they’re closed on Wednesdays, so plan accordingly if you’re arriving midweek.
If you’d rather sit down and take your time, The Breakfast Club is just up the street and serves a proper breakfast and lunch with views of Mirror Lake. The portions are generous, the pancakes are legit, and if you’ve got kids, the hot cocoa is a guaranteed win. They open at 8 a.m. daily and close at 1, so don’t dawdle.
Lunch and dinner
For a real meal, Lisa G’s is our pick. It’s a short drive from Main Street on Sentinel Road, with a menu that leans American but doesn’t phone it in — think elevated pub food with creative wings, excellent fish and chips, and a solid beer list. They serve lunch on Fridays through Sundays starting at 11:30, and dinner Thursday through Monday. Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays, so keep that in mind for early-week arrivals.
For something more upscale, the Mirror Lake Inn is one of the classic Adirondack properties — a lakefront resort with a polished dining room and views to match. And if you want something a bit more casual but still special, check out The Cottage, also on the Mirror Lake Inn grounds. It’s a cozy spot right on the water where you can grab dinner or a drink in an old gondola. It’s open Tuesday through Sunday — closed Mondays.
If you’re looking for a spot that can handle a crowd, Dancing Bears at the High Peaks Resort is worth a look. It’s at the far end of Main Street and has plenty of space — which matters on a weekend like this one, when every restaurant in town is going to be slammed. We’re fans of the food here, especially the salmon. It’s a reliable pick when other spots have a 45-minute wait.
Breweries
Lake Placid has two breweries worth your time, and both serve food if you’re looking to make a full stop of it.
Lake Placid Pub & Brewery has been an institution on Mirror Lake Drive for years. The beer list is deep, the vibe is pub-casual with college banners lining the walls, and the upstairs bar is a solid spot to post up after a day at the races. They’re open daily from 11:30 a.m. (noon on Sundays) and stay open late — midnight on weeknights, 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. If you can only try one drink, ask about the Smoked Berry Old Fashioned.
Big Slide Brewery & Public House is out on Cascade Road, about a five-minute drive from downtown and right near the Olympic Jumping Complex — which makes it an obvious stop if you’re heading to the Skirious Problems live recording Saturday evening. The beer ranges from fruit-forward lighter options to solid IPAs and porters, and the food holds its own. The burgers are good, the pizza is legit, and the buffalo wings have a bit of a cult following. They’ve also got outdoor seating with fire pits and Adirondack chairs if the weather cooperates. Open daily from 11:30 a.m. (10 a.m. on Sundays).
Catch some NCAA March Madness
The World Cup finals land smack in the middle of the NCAA basketball tournament, and if you need a screen and a cold beer between race sessions, Lake Placid has you covered. Wiseguys Sports Bar & Grill on School Street is the classic move — TVs everywhere, good wings, no pretense. They’re open Wednesday through Sunday. Players Waterfront Eatery on Main Street is another solid option with screens and lakeside seating if the weather cooperates.
Stroll and Explore Main Street
Don’t underestimate a good Main Street stroll. Lake Placid’s downtown is walkable and full of shops worth ducking into.
Saratoga Olive Oil Company is one of those places you walk into out of curiosity and end up spending way longer than you planned. They’ve got dozens of flavored olive oils and balsamic vinegars you can taste — some combinations will surprise you, and it’s a genuinely fun challenge for your taste buds. Great for picking up a gift or just entertaining yourself for half an hour.
The Maple Shop is exactly what it sounds like — a deep dive into maple syrup and all things maple. But it’s more interesting than you might expect. They carry different varieties and grades, and tasting your way through the range is a quick education in how much variation there is in something most people think of as one flavor.
Adirondack Popcorn Co rounds out the Main Street tasting tour. They specialize in creative popcorn flavors — some classic, some funky — and it’s the kind of snack you can grab and take with you to the races or back to wherever you’re staying.
Get Outside
You’re in the Adirondacks. Get some fresh air.
Though having recently CLOSED at the end of the 2026 season, Olympic Speed Skating Oval is open for public skating and is one of the few outdoor refrigerated ovals in the country. If the oval’s schedule doesn’t line up with yours, Mirror Lake itself often has a maintained skating area — check conditions locally when you arrive.
Get out on the Ironman Lake Placid course on Mirror Lake Drive — hopefully it won’t be raining — like IMLP Champion Trevor Foley. (Photo: Voisin / FasterSkier)
For our money, no trip to Lake Placid is complete without a walk or jog around Mirror Lake. The loop is about 2.7 miles on a paved path, it’s flat and accessible, and the residential architecture along the shoreline is worth the trip on its own — beautiful old Adirondack homes mixed in with classic lake houses, all set against the mountains. It’s a perfect way to shake out your legs before or after a day in the stadium.
If you’re looking for something a bit more rugged, there are dozens of short hikes in the area, but be warned: this time of year, trail conditions are unpredictable. You might hit packed snow, mud, ice, or all three in the span of a quarter mile. Bring traction devices if you have them, and dress for the mess. Cobble Hill is a nice short option with a rewarding view at the top — nothing too long or steep, but enough to feel like you earned it.
Need to get out for a Nordic Ski
If you’re itching to actually ski while you’re up here, your options may be limited. Mt. Van Hoevenberg’s trails will almost certainly be closed to the public during the World Cup weekend. But if you’re willing to make the drive, the Paul Smith’s College VIC in Paul Smiths — about 30 minutes north of Lake Placid — is a strong option. We checked in with Paul Smith’s head Nordic coach Matt Dougherty, who had his team out on the trails Wednesday morning for biathlon practice. “It was actually fantastic,” Dougherty told FasterSkier. “Conditions will reflect the temperatures — normal spring skiing.” Most trails are open and being groomed daily with the college’s PB 100, though a few trails that got washed out last week are closed for the season. The VIC maintains over 25 miles of trails, including more than 10 kilometers of FIS-homologated courses and 25 kilometers of skate skiing. The system benefits from heavier snowfall than other parts of the region, which tends to keep trails skiable even when conditions elsewhere are lean. Trail conditions are updated on their Nordic Pulse page. The VIC’s winter season runs through April 1.
Saturday Evening at the Jumps
After the sprint finals wrap up on Saturday, head over to the Olympic Jumping Complex on Cascade Road for a live recording of the Skirious Problems podcast at 6:00 p.m. Hosts Mika Vermeulen and James Clugnet will be joined by Ben Ogden, Frida Karlsson, and Federico Pellegrino. It’s free, but organizers are suggesting it may already have sold out — check the World Cup Finals event page for the link. After that, the Palace Theatre downtown is screening Threshold at 7:00 p.m.
Family-friendly fun
The Lake Placid Toboggan Chute on Mirror Lake is one of those only-in-Lake-Placid experiences — a 30-foot wooden tower that launches you and a toboggan out across the frozen lake. Warmer spring temperatures have caused the chute’s closing for this season, but it’s typically open Friday evening and Saturday and Sunday during the day. Lines can build, but it’s worth the wait.
If you’re already out at Mt. Van Hoevenberg, the Hi Notch Indoor Climbing center is right inside the Mountain Pass Lodge. It will be CLOSED during the FIS World Cup finals, but other days you’ll find a 30-foot top rope wall with over 1,500 square feet of climbing space, plus bouldering and traverse walls. All gear is provided, and instructors are on hand during daytime sessions. It could be busy this weekend, given the crowds, but it’s a great option for families or anyone who needs to burn off some energy between races.
If you’ve got a free morning or want a half-day excursion, the Wild Center in Tupper Lake is about 45 minutes west and worth every mile. It’s a natural history museum with live animals, hands-on exhibits, and the Wild Walk — a series of treetop bridges with panoramic views of the Adirondacks. It’s open Friday through Sunday, so you could pair it with a race day or build it into your travel schedule. Just know you’ll have to choose between the Wild Center and a morning at Van Hoevenberg if you’re trying to do both.
Closer to town, the Palace Theatre on Main Street is a beautifully maintained old single-screen movie house — a perfect way to wind down after a long day in the cold. And if your group wants something more active, Lake Placid Lanes (also known as Big Z’s) has bowling, arcade games, shuffleboard, darts, and a full bar. Reservations are recommended, especially on weekends — this place fills up.
Lake Placid has been hosting the world’s best winter athletes since 1932. The town knows how to do this. Get out there and enjoy it.
Fans from across the United States who will be in Lake Placid are anxiously hoping Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR) is well enough to travel and race in Lake Placid this weekend. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo has been included in Norway’s 22-athlete squad for this week’s World Cup finals at Mt. Van Hoevenberg in Lake Placid, N.Y., BUT the six-time Olympic gold medalist’s participation hinges on a decision being made today.
Klaebo, 29, suffered a mild concussion in a dramatic crash during the sprint semifinals at last Thursday’s World Cup in Drammen. American sprinter Ben Ogden lost his footing on the icy course and fell across Klaebo’s skis, sending the Norwegian backward and slamming the back of his head into the hard-packed snow. Klaebo lay on the ground for several minutes before being helped off course and transported to a hospital for evaluation.
The Norwegian Ski Federation confirmed the concussion diagnosis on Friday, and Klaebo withdrew from Saturday’s 50-kilometer race at Holmenkollen.
“He shall make an evaluation together with the national team doctor on Tuesday and would potentially travel on Wednesday,” Klaebo’s manager, Lasse Gimnes, told Norwegian broadcaster NRK on Monday. If cleared by national team doctor Ove Feragen, Klaebo would travel to New York on Wednesday — arriving just two days before Friday’s 10-kilometer classic interval start.
The crash also disrupted a planned trip to New York City for media appearances with CNN, NBC, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal — a reflection of the enormous international attention Klaebo has drawn since his record-setting six-gold performance at the Milano Cortina Olympics. Those in-person interviews have been scrapped, though some may shift to virtual formats.
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR) poses with the FIS Crystal Globes he won last season at World Cup Finals in Lahti, Finland. (Photo: Thibaut/NordicFocus)
The distance globe is on a knife’s edge
The distance cup title is the central subplot heading into the finals. Before Holmenkollen, Klaebo held a 128-point lead in the distance standings. But with the Norwegian watching from home on Saturday, Amundsen’s 131-point haul vaulted him into the distance lead: Amundsen now sits at 939 points, three ahead of Klaebo’s 936. Martin Loewstroem Nyenget climbed to 914 in third. Just two distance events remain — Friday’s 10-kilometer classic interval start and Sunday’s 20-kilometer freestyle mass start. If Klaebo can travel and race, the margin is thin enough that a single strong result could flip the standings again. If the concussion keeps him out, the distance globe almost certainly goes to Amundsen.
Klaebo has already clinched both the overall World Cup — his sixth, tying Bjoern Daehlie’s all-time record — and the sprint globe.
Norway’s men’s squad: Harald Oestberg Amundsen, Martin Loewstroem Nyenget, Einar Hedegart, Andreas Fjorden Ree, Mattis Stenshagen, Emil Iversen, Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, Lars Heggen, Even Northug, Ansgar Evensen, and Even Solem Michelsen.
Jessie Diggins soaks in all the energy from the home crowd during her warmup in Minneapolis — the last time the World Cup was on American snow. (Photo: Leann Bentley/USST)
Diggins’s farewell, and notable absences
The Lake Placid finals will serve as the final competitive races for Jessie Diggins, the most decorated cross-country skier in U.S. history. The women’s overall cup and distance cup are both decided, with Diggins winning with a comfortable margin over Sweden’s Moa Ilar in second. The three-time Olympic medalist and three-time overall World Cup champion announced before the season that this would be her last, and a farewell on home snow in front of an American crowd at the first-ever U.S.-hosted World Cup finals is about as fitting a send-off as anyone could script.
Klaebo is not the only notable question mark heading into the weekend. Norway’s Kristine Stavaas Skistad and Mathilde Myhrvold have opted to skip the finals to prepare for part two of Norwegian nationals in Harstad next week. Sweden’s Ebba Andersson has also pulled out.
Norway’s women’s squad for Lake Placid includes Astrid Oeyre Slind, Heidi Weng, Kristin Austgulen Fosnaes, Karoline Simpson-Larsen, Nora Sanness, Karoline Groetting, Julie Bjervig Drivenes, Tiril Udnes Weng, Julie Myhre, Lotta Udnes Weng, and Milla Grosberghaugen Andreassen.
The men’s freestyle mass start gets started at the US National Championships in Lake Placid, NY, 1/8/26. (Photo: Nancie Battaglia)
A historic venue
The Lake Placid finals mark the first Cross-Country World Cup finals ever held in the United States and the return of World Cup racing to Lake Placid for the first time since 1979. Racing kicks off Friday at Mt. Van Hoevenberg with the 10-kilometer classic interval start, followed by a freestyle sprint on Saturday and a 20-kilometer freestyle mass start on Sunday.
This is a developing story. FasterSkier will update when Klæbo’s decision is announced.
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Stifel Lake Placid Finals, a Coop FIS Cross-Country World Cup, to Bring Elite Ski Racing and Winter Festival Atmosphere to Lake Placid
FIS Cross-Country World Cup racing, fan experiences, athlete engagement, and live entertainment coming March 19–22
LAKE PLACID, N.Y. — The Stifel Lake Placid Finals, a Coop FIS Cross-Country World Cup, will offer more than world-class competition this March. The event will transform Lake Placid into a multi-day winter sports festival featuring themed race days, live entertainment, film screenings, interactive expo activations, and family-friendly programming.
In collaboration with the New England Nordic Ski Association (NENSA), the 10th Mountain Division, U.S. Ski & Snowboard, and the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS), the Olympic Regional Development Authority (Olympic Authority) has curated a dynamic schedule that celebrates Nordic skiing and outdoor winter-sport culture.
A central focus of the week will be spotlighting women and girls in sport, networking opportunities, and hands-on activities. Fans will also have unique opportunities to connect with athletes through meet-and-greets, alumni celebrations, and special legacy moments — including Sunday’s “Last Lap” ceremony honoring retiring World Cup athletes.
Together, these events are designed to foster engagement, connection, and shared celebration across the Lake Placid community and the global ski family.
One final celebration of Jessie Diggins (USA) amazing career. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
Event & Community Programming
In addition to World Cup racing, the Stifel Lake Placid Finals will feature a range of community events, athlete appearances, and festival programming throughout the week. Activities include youth programming, athlete conversations, live music, demonstrations, and opportunities for fans to connect with past and present champions.
Programming details may evolve, and additional events may be added throughout the week. Visitors are encouraged to check the official event schedule for the most up-to-date information.
Thursday, March 19 – Community & Kickoff
Opening day features official training and festival programming at Mt Van Hoevenberg, along with an evening film screening at the Palace Theatre that kicks off the festivities in downtown Lake Placid.
Friday, March 20 – Theme: Past
Friday celebrates the legacy of Nordic skiing and Olympic history in Lake Placid. The venue opens with festival programming, including the NENSA Terrain Park and Expo with L.L. Bean, regional athlete recognition connected to the 2026 Winter Olympics, and Adirondack Birds of Prey demonstrations. Fans can also watch presentations from the 10th Mountain Division, enjoy live music, and attend athlete interviews and meet-and-greets throughout the day. A highlight of the afternoon is the “One More Lap” legacy ski, featuring international and U.S. Ski Team alumni, including Olympic legend Thomas Wassberg and American champion Bill Koch, before World Cup racing and awards ceremonies conclude the day.
Saturday, March 21 – Theme: Future
Saturday’s programming focuses on the next generation of Nordic skiing. Activities include the NENSA Terrain Park and Expo with L.L. Bean, athlete appearances, and fan engagement opportunities. The Women in Sports Heroic Panel highlights leadership and opportunities for girls and women in athletics, while fans can also attend athlete meet-and-greets and participate in interactive programming throughout the venue. Competition highlights include the freestyle sprint finals, followed by Crystal Globe presentations. Youth racing also takes center stage with the World Cup Future Stars Sprint. Additional programming includes Lollipoppers to Olympians: A Celebration of New England Skiing, a live recording of the Skirious Podcast featuring Ben Ogden and special guests at the Olympic Jumping Complex, and evening film screenings at the Palace Theatre.
Sunday, March 22 – Theme: Present
Championship Sunday features entertainment, athlete appearances, and the season-ending races of the World Cup Finals. Live music, a DJ set, and ceremonial elements, including the 10th Mountain Division Color Guard and flyover, set the stage for the final competition. The afternoon concludes with awards ceremonies and the “One Last Lap” ceremony honoring retiring World Cup athletes.
Gus Schumacher (USA) and Ben Ogden (USA), (l-r) celebrate their silver medal at the Olympic Winter Games in Tesero, Italy. (Photo: Vanzetta/NordicFocus)
Competition Schedule | FIS Cross-Country World Cup Finals
Mt Van Hoevenberg | March 19–22, 2026
World Cup official training and competition runs March 19–22 at Mt. Van Hoevenberg, where the world’s top U.S. and international cross-country skiers will compete for overall and discipline Crystal Globe honors. The weekend culminates on Sunday with championship racing, awards presentations, and the “One Last Lap” ceremony recognizing retiring athletes.
Full competition schedule:
Thursday, March 19, 2026:
11:00 – 1:00 pm | 10km Official Training
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm | Sprint Official Training
Saturday, March 21, 2026:
10:30 am | Women’s Sprint Qualification Free
10:30 am | Men’s Sprint Qualification Free
1:00 pm | Women’s Sprint Final Free
1:00 pm | Men’s Sprint Final Free
Sunday, March 22, 2026:
12:30 pm | Men’s 20km Mass Start Free
2:30 pm | Women’s 20km Mass Start Free
Jessie Diggins (USA) and the US Ski Team celebrate in Goms. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
Broadcast Schedule
NBC will air the Sprint Finals live on Saturday, March 21, from 1–2 p.m. ET. CNBC will air coverage of the Men’s and Women’s 10km Interval Starts on Saturday, March 21, from 2–4 p.m. ET. NBC will also air the Women’s 20km Mass Start on Saturday, March 29, from 1–2 p.m. ET on tape delay.
This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com.
The start of the Holmenkollen Men’s 50 k Freestyle in Oslo, Norway. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
For nearly two hours on Saturday, 77 men disappeared into a stubborn curtain of fog that clung to the hillsides above Oslo, their figures swallowed by the mist somewhere between the stadium and the high point at Frognerseteren. When it was over, only one emerged with his arms in the air, and it was the one freestyle specialist who had been topping shorter freestyle distance races most of the season.
Einar Hedegart, the 24-year-old former biathlete who only committed fully to cross-country skiing in November, surged past Harald Oestberg Amundsen in the final meters to win the Holmenkollen 50 k Freestyle in 1:51:38.2 — his first victory on cross-country skiing’s most storied stage, in just his seventh World Cup start.
“This is the greatest feeling I’ve ever had,” Hedegart said after the finish. “This is just a nostalgia stadium. [A] legendary race, almost all my heroes have won this race, and especially Petter Northug. This might be the reason why I’ve been so motivated my whole life to be a cross-country skier.”
Einar Hedegart (NOR) celebrates winning Norway’s most iconic race. www.nordicfocus.com. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
But the result that will echo loudest across the sport happened away from Oslo. Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, the overall World Cup leader, was home nursing a mild concussion from a hard crash in the Drammen sprint two days earlier. Klaebo, who has already compiled a nearly perfect season, winning the Tour de Ski, all six Olympic races, secured the FIS Overall Crystal Globe, the FIS Sprint Crystal Globe, and only needed to keep racing the remaining distance races to take the clean sweep of the season with the FIS Distance Crystal Globe. BUT his absence from the start line meant zero points scored in the distance standing today. And with Amundsen’s second-place finish today, the distance crystal globe race was blown wide open: Amundsen now leads the distance standings by three points, 939 to 936, with two distance races remaining at the World Cup Finals in Lake Placid.
Klaebo posted to Instagram yesterday: “Took a fall yesterday and hit my head pretty hard, but luckily everything is all good in the hood. Ended up with a concussion, so I’ll take some days off from both training and the internet just to make sure everything settles properly. Only got one head, so have to take good care of it.”
He had been scheduled to fly to the United States on Sunday, but will now stay in Norway for a few extra days, hoping to recover in time for Lake Placid.
Einar Hedegart (NOR) emerges from the fog to take the win. (Photo: Nordnes/NordicFocus)
A Race Defined by Fog
The Holmenkollen 50 k — first raced in 1888, a fixture of the World Cup since 1982, and a race that draws an estimated 100,000 fans to the forested hills above Oslo — returned to the calendar Saturday after a one-year absence. For the first time, the men’s and women’s 50 k races were held on the same day, the women starting 45 minutes behind the men in a format designed to create an all-day spectacle. The fog, however, had other ideas. Conditions were so thick that spectators along the course could hear the racers before they could see them.
The course — six laps of 8.3 km with 334 meters of climbing per lap — was firm and fast after overnight salting despite an air temperature of 5.0°C. The salted, compact surface was ideal for skating, and the winning time of 1:51:38 came in roughly four minutes faster than the last time the Holmenkollen 50 k was contested in freestyle.
Harald Oestberg Amundsen (NOR) on his way to second place. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
Through the first three laps, the race unfolded as a cautious tactical affair. A large pack of roughly 40 skiers stayed together, with Martin Loewstroem Nyenget, Mattis Stenshagen, and Federico Pellegrino taking turns at the front. The first athlete to make a decisive tactical move was Iver Tildheim Andersen, who changed skis early at the stadium after the third lap while the rest of the pack continued through. The fresh skis gave Andersen a burst, and when the lead group stopped for their own ski exchange one lap later, he suddenly found himself alone at the front with a roughly 15-second advantage.
“Just stick with the field as long as possible and then hopefully be in position when the group starts swarming,” Hedegart said of his plan. “But today I was really offside, like 70 percent of the race. So I was lucky that no one took a gap.”
The chase group — reduced to roughly eight athletes, all Norwegian once France’s Victor Lovera fell off the pace — gradually closed on Andersen through the fifth lap, with Hedegart, Simen Hegstad Krueger, Amundsen, Nyenget, Andreas Fjorden Ree, and Kasper Andersson Herland trading pulls at the front. By the time the group reached the final lap, they had swallowed Andersen, and the race became a question of who had saved enough for the final kilometers.
Simen Hegstad Krueger (NOR) tried his best to get away for the win. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
Krueger’s Late Charge and Hedegart’s Final Kick
Krueger, who was celebrating his 33rd birthday the day before, was omitted from the Norwegian Olympic team despite multiple Olympic medals in his career and was the winner of the last freestyle Holmenkollen 50 k. He drove the pace through the final lap. He pushed hard over the climbs near the iconic Holmenkollen church, stringing out the group and shedding Andersen off the back. But Krueger couldn’t sustain the pressure all the way to the finish, and as the group of seven came around the final corner and up the short, steep ramp before the descent into the home stretch, the sprint was on.
Amundsen launched first, throwing everything he had at the final few hundred meters. But Hedegart, who had looked labored at points earlier in the race, found a gear no one could match. He came alongside Amundsen, took the lead in front of the grandstand crowd, and raised his fist in celebration as he skied across the line.
“I felt, like, better,” Hedegart said of his position in the back of the pack through much of the race. “So I was just laying in the field, and I had to remind myself he did the same,” he added, referring to his idol Northug, whose trademark move was stalking from behind before unleashing a devastating sprint.
Harald Oestberg Amundsen (NOR), Mattis Stenshagen (NOR), and Martin Loewstroem Nyenget (NOR), (l-r) stayed in the lead pack. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
Hedegart crossed in 1:51:38.2. Amundsen finished four-tenths of a second behind. Nyenget was third at +1.1. Ree took fourth (+1.5), followed by Herland (+2.1), Krueger (+3.0), Moseby (+4.8), and Andersen (+16.8) after his brave solo effort. Norway swept the top eight positions.
France’s Lovera was the first non-Norwegian in ninth (+48.1), followed by AIN athlete Savelii Korostelev in 10th (+1:24.2).
Zak Ketterson (USA) led the way for the Americans in the chase pack racing for 11th place; he ultimately finished 18th. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
Ketterson Fights for 11th in His Adopted Home
Zak Ketterson, who spent the summer and fall living and training in Oslo, found himself in the thick of a battle for 11th place, a fight he learned about from coaches stationed along the fog-shrouded course.
“I had heard from coaches on the side of the trail that our pack was fighting for 11th, and that was super cool,” Ketterson said. “I actually felt pretty fresh at the end and thought my finishing sprint would be pretty good, but I didn’t time it well and got really boxed in on the last couple turns into the finish.”
Ketterson ultimately finished 18th (+1:54.2), part of a chase pack that came across the line within seconds of each other. He said everyone in the group knew a sprint was coming on the final lap.
The fog made the tactical picture nearly impossible to read. “I couldn’t see more than 10 meters in front of me,” Ketterson said. “It definitely made it difficult to assess where I was relative to the leaders in the later laps. It also made some of the corners feel way sketchier because you couldn’t really choose an optimal line with such limited visibility.”
For Ketterson, the race carried personal significance beyond the result. Having trained on the Holmenkollen course through the Norwegian summer and fall, he knew every climb and descent intimately. “This is definitely one of the most iconic and cool races we get to do,” he said. “It was especially special for me this year since I trained on this course all summer and fall living in Oslo. The highlight was definitely having my wife Julie and her family out there cheering me on.”
What made the performance all the more impressive was the state of his body coming in. “I honestly feel like I am really running on fumes,” Ketterson said. “To be honest, I was not sure if I would even start this race in the morning. I felt so bad, and honestly, my body has felt super up and down in the last few weeks. I’m really curious to see how my body responds to this race. I was pleasantly surprised by how decent it felt, but I feel like the next week could go either way. Especially with the international travel tomorrow.”
Brian Bushey (USA) gaining experience on his way to 59th place. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
The Rest of the North Americans
Hunter Wonders was 45th (+5:46.9), Kevin Bolger was 48th (+6:51.3), and Brian Bushey was 59th (+12:24.9).
Canada’s Xavier McKeever finished 41st (+5:11.4), while Thomas Stephen was 43rd (+5:18.1).
Harald Oestberg Amundsen (NOR) takes over the FIS Distance Globe lead with just two distance races remaining. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
Distance Globe: Three Points
The ramifications of Saturday’s race land squarely on the crystal globe picture. Before the race, Klaebo held a 128-point lead over Amundsen in the distance standings and a 636-point lead in the overall. With Klaebo watching from home, Amundsen’s 131-point haul (including bonus points) vaulted him into the distance lead: Amundsen now sits at 939 points, three ahead of Klaebo’s 936. Nyenget climbed to 914 in third.
Klaebo’s overall World Cup lead, at 2,071 points to Amundsen’s 1,566, remains secure with a 505-point cushion. But the distance globe — awarded to the season’s best across distance events only — will come down to the final two races: a 10 k Classic Interval Start and a 20 k Freestyle Mass Start in Lake Placid, March 20-22.
If Klaebo can travel to Lake Placid and race, he’ll have every opportunity to reclaim the lead. If the concussion keeps him out, the distance globe is likely to belong to Amundsen.
Kasper Andersson Herland (NOR), who finished fifth, celebrates with Einar Hedegart (NOR), (l-r) at the finish of the Holmenkollen. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
A Star Made for This Stage
Hedegart’s career trajectory is one of the season’s best stories. A junior biathlon world champion who struggled with his shooting, he drifted toward cross-country skiing after a surprising second-place finish at the Holmenkollen World Cup last season. He spent the summer training with a cross-country team while bringing his rifle to every camp, undecided. In November, after winning the popular pre-World Cup cross-country race in Beitostoelen, Norway, by a wide margin and missing eight of 20 shots in a biathlon event, he committed to leaving the rifle at home.
Since then: an Olympic bronze in the 10 k Freestyle behind Klaebo, a team sprint gold partnered with Klaebo, victories in the Engadin Marathon, and now the Holmenkollen 50 k — a distance he had never raced at the World Cup level. He was asked whether his approach of sitting back resembled Northug’s famous stalking tactics.
“Yeah, I felt like Petter,” Hedegart said. “So I was just lying in the field, and I had to remind myself he did the same.”
For a race that dates to 1888, that has been won by the sport’s mythical stars, and that is contested before the King of Norway in a stadium surrounded by 100,000 fans, there is no small amount of weight to what happened Saturday at the Holmenkollen. Hedegart is, by every measure, now a cross-country skier.
The season concludes with the World Cup Finals in Lake Placid, New York, March 20-22. Three races remain. The distance globe is separated by three points. And the world waits to see whether Klaebo can make it to the start line.
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Harald Oestberg Amundsen (NOR), Andreas Fjorden Ree (NOR), and Martin Loewstroem Nyenget (NOR), (l-r) share the Holmenkollen 50 k Freestyle in Oslo, Norway. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com.
Frida Karlsson (SWE) claimed her third Holmenkollen win, her second at the 50 kilometer distance. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
The prize for winning Oslo’s Holmenkollen 50 k is lifelong bragging rights. Such is the nature of the prestige afforded this event within the Nordic ski community. Norwegian fans, especially, remember certain years, certain races, certain rivalries; especially those that are memorable for the racing conditions that challenged the athletes. Fans are likely to remember this 2026 edition, and the thick, stubborn fog that enveloped the racers throughout the 50 kilometer distance. Stadium announcers regularly reminded the audience that racers were entering the stadium . . . otherwise, fans might not have known. The fog may have appeared thicker and soupier through the lens of broadcast cameras, but it’s certain that the fog hung close to the ground, obscuring skiers’ views of the course, of the crowds, and of their competitors. Perhaps that had something to do with the more measured pace the leaders selected. By the halfway point of the race, the entire women’s field was still together (not at all the normally expected state of affairs in women’s mass-start Distance racing). The regular cast of contenders remained at the front—Frida Karlsson (SWE), Ebba Andersson (SWE), Heidi Weng (NOR), Astrid Oeyre Slind (NOR), Jonna Sundling (SWE), and Jessie Diggins (USA)—but none of them seemed eager to race off alone.
Karlsson would emerge from the fog first, crossing the finish line all alone to claim her third Holmenkollen race, and her third at the 50 kilometer distance. Behind Karlsson, her Swedish teammates—Linn Svahn and Jonna Sundling—would sprint across the line in second and third, just ahead of Heidi Weng (NOR), Nora Sanness (NOR) and Jessie Diggins (USA).
“It’s such a magic day for our team,” beamed Karlsson. “It’s our first “triple” in the distance, and it’s sick!”
Alison Mackie (CAN) followed up a win at the U23 World Championships with a 14h place debut in the Holmenkollen 50 k. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
Canada’s Alison Mackie remained in the top 10 through the halfway mark, and continued to make her presence felt throughout the 50 kilometer distance. . A young skier with a bright future, Mackie was certainly making he most of her first Holmenkollen. She would finish the day in 14th, sandwiched between established distance-racing stars Kristin Austgulen Fosnaes NOR) and Astrid Oeyre Slind (NOR).
Kendall Kramer (USA started 45th (out of 50 starters), but in the close company of the 46th starter, Delphine Claudel (FRA), a world class Freestyle competitor. If they could work together, they could make up many places in a hurry. By the five kilometer mark, Claudel had managed to work her way all the way up to the front . . . but Kramer was nowhere to be seen. Claudel would hang on to finish 28th. Kramer would cross the line 41st.
Clearly the best . . . Frida Karlsson (SWE) raced away from her rivals, exiting the fog to claim victory in Holmenkollen’s historic 50 k Freestyle. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
Holmenkollen 50 k Freestyle
The Holmenkollen 50 k consists of six laps of an 8.3 kilometer loop, demanding 1000 feet of climbing per lap. And this day in Oslo, race organizers elected to stage the race in a manner that put both the women’s field and the men’s field on the course at the same time, albeit separated by half a lap’s distance. The men’s field would come through at the end of the bonus points at 19.6 kilometers just before the women started, providing a head start of approximately a four kilometers. Stragglers from the men’s field would ultimately be caught by the women. Likewise, stragglers from the men’s field would later be caught by the women. In the thick fog that hovered over the course during today’s race, there was plenty of opportunity for mild confusion.
Karlsson Weng, Andersson, and Slind would ease to the front, providing the early pace, but not going straight to the accelerator as they might have done on a normal day. Behind them, another predictable tier of racers followed, including Nepryaeva, Sundling, and Diggins. The men’s field had already passed through 20 kilometers in a massive, cohesive unit. It was possible that the bizarre conditions on the day would influence the women’s field to do the same.
Diggins won the bonus points at the three kilometer check point, gaining another 12 points over her closest rival in the chase for the Crystal Globe, Moa Ilar (SWE). Diggins would again remain ahead of Ilar at the 11.3 bonus points line. Diggins would collect eight points by crossing the line fourth.
Just before the end of the second lap, Slind stumbled and fell. She would need to spend extra energy to rejoin the leaders, if she was even able to. The field would slow a bit in the feed zone, but Slind would still have a gap of nearly eight seconds to make up . . . and Weng, Andersson, Karlsson, and Diggins continued to make the pace at the front.
Karlsson upped the pace as they approached the 27.9 bonus points line, gapping he rest of the field in the company of Weng and Karoline Groetting (NOR). Diggins led the rest just nine seconds behind, but it seemed that a gap was forming. Diggins would use the technical downhills of the Holmenkollen course to rejoin the leaders, though she also dragged other sprinters forward. With twenty kilometers remaining, the leaders had yet to get rid of Sundling and her Swedish teammate, Olympic Sprint champion, Linn Svahn. Karlsson and Weng would’ve known that their chances of victory relied on their ability to drop those sprinters. All the leaders opted to switch skis at the end of the lap. They would all be on new skis for the final two laps.
Karlsson used the first uphill of the fifth lap to break away. She was followed briefly by Groetting, bu by the top of the slope, Karlsson was away, disappearing into the fog at the front. Groetting would dangle alone in the fog ahead of a chase group led by Svahn. Diggins would continue to bob at the back—on again, off again—repeatedly showing her ability to close gaps and make up ground.
With 12 kilometers to go, Karlsson was away, in full flight, and powering through the fog. Her lead would continue to grow: ten seconds, 15 seconds, 30 seconds, ultimately extending to nearly two minutes. The solo chaser, Groetting, would be caught by the chase group that now consisted of six: Weng, Svahn, Sundling, Groetting, Nora Sanness (NOR), and Diggins. Diggins may be leading the World Cup Distance standings, but Karlsson was continuing to prove that she is the premier Distance skier in the world.
Linn Svahn (SWE), Frida Karlsson (SWE), Jonna Sundling (SWE) made up what Karlsson described as “Our first triple” in World Cup Distance podiums. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
Karlsson would ski the last lap alone to claim her second Holmenkollen 50 k victory. The chase group would decide the podium with a sprint to the line, in which Svahn would outsprint Sundling. Weng would cross fourth, ahead of Sanness and Diggins.
Karlsson had shown the potential to exit the recent Olympic Games in possession of four gold medals . . . her performances would deliver only two (the Skiathlon, and the 10 k Freestyle). After the disastrous tumble of Ebba Andersson in the Team Relay (which allowed Norway to steal away the gold medal), and Karlsson’s own illness that kept her from competing in the 50 k, Karlsson appeared still to have something to prove when she toed the Holmenkollen starting line in Oslo. She would ski away from the rest of the best, stamping her authority on this historic race and claiming the sort of lifelong bragging rights that only the Holmenkollen can provide.
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Good luck finding the finish line . . . Linn Svahn (SWE) and Jonna Sundling (SWE) race through Holmenkollen’s thick fog toward the Swedish flag held aloft by race winner, Frida Karlsson (SWE). (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
We had to take a break after our three-week Olympic sprint, but we’re back to catch up on a couple of weeks of World Cup racing.
Devon and Nat take a quick run-through of events in Sweden, Finland and Norway. We’ll be back after the marathons at Holmenkollen.
Reach us at devon[at]fasterskier.com and nat[at]fasterskier.com.
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This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com.
Ben Ogden (USA) and Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR), (l-r) moments after their Semifinal crash in Drammen, Norway. (Photo: Nordnes/NordicFocus)
The greatest cross-country skier in history was lying on the snow, his arms wrapped over his face, his hands holding the back of his head, and the city of Drammen — where the man-made course magically appears on top of the streets, and Norwegian children crane from balconies to watch the racing — went very, very quiet.
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo did not finish on Thursday. Neither did Ben Ogden. The gold and silver medalists from the Olympic sprint classic in Milano Cortina just last month, the two men who have defined this event all season, were tangled together on the hard-packed final downhill before the hairpin, while the semifinal raced on without them.
After the chaos of the semi-final, which took down the two fastest qualifiers, a 25-year-old Norwegian named Ansgar Evensen — who had changed into Skiathlon boots between the quarterfinals and semifinals because he felt so unsteady on his feet — surged from sixth place in the final to cross the line first.
Evensen won ahead of Jiri Tuz, the 21-year-old Czech who earned a career-best second place. Kristian Kollerud of Norway, racing in his very first World Cup start, took a remarkable third, and Harald Oestberg Amundsen, the 2024 overall World Cup champion, finished fourth.
It was the kind of day that maybe only Drammen — with its icy hairpin, its drafting effect, and its knack for producing chaos at precisely the wrong moment — could deliver.
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR), Bernat Selles Gasch (ESP), Theo Schely (FRA), Ludek Seller (CZE), and Vili Crv (SLO), (l-r) in the first Quarterfinal. (Photo: Nordnes/NordicFocus)
Qualification and Quarterfinals
Klaebo’s dominance was apparent from the opening qualification. He posted a 2:24.88, nearly three seconds faster than Ogden’s 2:27.47, with the next 28 qualifiers separated by less than five seconds. That kind of gap on a world-class field in sprint qualification puts his dominance in perspective.
Klaebo, as he always does, chose the first quarterfinal heat. He won it easily — clocking 2:37.14 — compared to his qualifier, a notably conservative time that suggested he was managing his energy for the rounds ahead.
Simone Mocellini (ITA), Ben Ogden (USA), and Aron Aakre Rysstad (NOR), (l-r) in the second Quarterfinal. (Photo: Nordnes/NordicFocus)
Ogden, the lone American in the top 30, qualified second and chose Quarterfinal 2 alongside Italy’s Simone Mocellini and Norway’s Even Northug. He entered the bottom of the final climb up to the iconic finish on the steps of the Neo-Gothic Bragernes Church behind the leaders, but unleashed a powerful double-pole to charge into second place, advancing comfortably.
The quarterfinals also produced some early drama. Northug, who had been enjoying a strong sprint season, was disqualified from Heat 2 after receiving his second written reprimand of the season, this time for a classical technique infraction.
And quietly, in Heat 3, Evensen advanced as a photo-finish second behind Sweden’s Alvar Myhlback.
Ben Ogden (USA) and the medical team check on Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR). (Photo: Nordnes/NordicFocus)
The Crash
The first semifinal will be remembered for the crash.
Klaebo had won his quarterfinal from the front and appeared to be cruising. Ogden, too, looked comfortable. But on the icy final descent heading toward the hairpin around the fountain behind the start gates, the pack compressed. Klaebo held tight to the inside along the fencing, leaving him vulnerable when the skis began to cross. Contact was made. Ogden’s feet swept out from under him and fell right in front of the Norwegian. Klaebo had no place to go, skiing right into Ogden, which launched him into the air, spinning backward, ultimately hitting the back of his head on the hard-packed snow.
Ben Ogden (USA) walks off after the crash in the Semifinals. (Photo: Nordnes/NordicFocus)
Listening to the broadcast, the silence in Drammen was palpable. Ogden scrambled to his feet with only one ski still attached; Klaebo did not immediately follow. Replays showed Klaebo had not only hit his head on the hard snow, but may also have been struck in the head by a trailing ski as he fell. Both men would be listed as DNF — a designation almost never seen next to Klaebo’s name in a decade of dominance.
Anton Grahn of Sweden, who had been near the front, took the semifinal win. Tuz advanced automatically in second. Alvar Myhlback of Sweden finished third but would not be fast enough to advance as a lucky loser. The crash all but guaranteed that the top four finishers from Semifinal 2 would all advance to the final.
After the crash in Semifinal 1, Semifinal 2 with Harald Oestberg Amundsen (NOR), Kristian Kollerud (NOR), Jules Chappaz (FRA), Ansgar Evensen (NOR), Noe Naeff (SUI), and Davide Graz (ITA), (l-r) race for the finals. (Photo: Nordnes/NordicFocus)
Semifinal 2 and the Path to the Final
The second semifinal, then, was a race with diminished stakes but no shortage of quality. Chappaz drove the pace from the front and never relinquished it. Kollerud, the 21-year-old in his club racing suit, making his World Cup debut, finished an impressive second.
Behind them, Amundsen and Evensen advanced as lucky losers, separated by just hundredths of a second. The final would feature three Norwegians, a Frenchman, a Czech, and a Swede — but no Klaebo and no Ogden.
Entering the finish stretch. (Photo: Nordnes/NordicFocus)
The Final
Half the final field was under 23 years old. Tuz, Kollerud, and Grahn — all 21 — represented a generational shift on a day when the established order had been upended.
Tuz, perhaps emboldened by his semifinal crash survival, went hard from the gun, leading over the opening climb. It was a brave tactic from a young racer in only his second World Cup final. Behind him, the more experienced campaigners — Amundsen, Evensen, Chappaz — bided their time, trusting that the Drammen draft would bring them back and leave them well rested for the final climb.
It did. The group had reformed as they skied behind the fountain. As they navigated the icy turn, Grahn — who had been skiing near the front all day — lost his footing on the hairpin and crashed, his race effectively over. He would finish sixth on the day.
The final dash for the line. (Photo: Nordnes/NordicFocus)
Grahn’s fall opened a lane on the outside. Evensen, who had been sitting sixth, saw it and calmly worked his way around the dicy turn.
“When Anton fell in the last corner, I had every opportunity,” Evensen said afterward. “So I took it from fifth place to first on the final.”
What followed was one of the great finishing surges in Drammen’s long sprint history. Amundsen and Kollerud were locked in their own battle, focused on each other. Chappaz was charging. But Evensen — who had finished fourth on this same course back in 2023, who knew exactly how the final 50 meters of this city sprint played out — found a gear that nobody else could match.
Harald Oestberg Amundsen (NOR), Jiri Tuz (CZE), Kristian Kollerud (NOR), Jules Chappaz (FRA), and Ansgar Evensen (NOR), (l-r) had an exciting finish in Drammen. (Photo: Nordnes/NordicFocus)
He crossed the line first, fist clenched, pounding his chest. Tuz nipped Kollerud for second by four hundredths of a second. Amundsen was fourth, just 0.43 seconds off the win.
“It was super cool and I love to ski in Drammen,” Evensen said in a post-race interview with FIS, still catching his breath. “I had to change boots to my combi boots because I felt so unbalanced in the quarterfinal. But that’s how it is. Have to stay on your feet to win. And unfortunately for Johannes and Ben, they weren’t as stable today.”
Kristian Kollerud (NOR) waits for final confirmation of his podium. (Photo: Nordnes/NordicFocus)
Kollerud’s Debut
The feel-good story of the final belonged to Kollerud, who stood on the podium in his club racing suit — not the Norwegian national team uniform — soaking in a result he could not have imagined when he woke up that morning. A podium in your first World Cup start doesn’t happen. Except when it does.
He picked up a written reprimand for a classical technique infraction during the semifinals, but it was his first of the season and carried no further consequence. What will carry forward is the confidence of knowing he can compete with the best in the world.
Tuz, too, earned a career milestone. The Czech U23 athlete had made the final in Milano Cortina but never stood on a World Cup podium before Thursday. He now has a silver medal from Drammen.
Jiri Tuz (CZE) celebrates his podium in Drammen, Norway. (Photo: Nordnes/NordicFocus)
Standings and What’s Next
Klaebo’s DNF stung, but his World Cup position remains commanding. He leads the overall standings at 2,071 points (636 points more than Amundsen in second), the sprint standings at 835 points (283 points in front of Lars Heggen), and the distance standings at 936 points (128 points in front of Amundsen).
Barring further incident, Klaebo will sweep the overall, distance, and sprint crystal globes for the season.
Whether he gets the chance to race for them this weekend, however, is now in question. Norwegian national team doctor Ove Feragen told TV2 that Klaebo was taken to the hospital following the crash for precautionary testing related to the head impact. Feragen said Klaebo was conscious, in stable condition, and not believed to be seriously injured, but the severity of the fall warranted evaluation. His status for Saturday’s 50 k Freestyle Mass Start at the historic Holmenkollen in Oslo remains uncertain.
The season concludes with World Cup Finals in Lake Placid, New York, March 20-22, where Ogden and the American men will race in front of a home crowd. With four races left, a lot of exciting racing remains.
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Jiri Tuz (CZE), Ansgar Evensen (NOR), and Kristian Kollerud (NOR), (l-r) share the Classic Sprint podium in Drammen, Norway. (Photo: Nordnes/NordicFocus)
This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com.
The women’s sprint final comes into the finish in Drammen, Norway with: Laura Gimmler (GER), Ane Appelkvist Stenseth (NOR), Jonna Sundling (SWE), Nadine Faehndrich (SUI), Johanna Hagstroem (SWE), and Kristine Stavaas Skistad (NOR), (l-r). (Photo: Nordnes/NordicFocus)
The snow was trucked in, the rock band was playing near the finish, and Norwegian children cheered from second-story windows along the course. On a rare midweek World Cup race day in Drammen — a small city just southwest of Oslo where the sprint course loops through the streets, wraps around an old fountain, and finishes on the snow-covered steps of an iconic church — Jonna Sundling of Sweden took home another World Cup sprint victory.
Sundling won the women’s classic sprint, going stride for stride with Norway’s Kristine Stavaas Skistad before pulling away in the final meters. Switzerland’s Nadine Faehndrich, racing her final classic sprint before retirement, earned the bronze.
It was Sundling’s fifth individual World Cup victory of the season and the latest chapter in an intensifying rivalry with Skistad that has captivated ski fans, especially Scandinavian ones, for the last few seasons. From the World Championship final in Trondheim last year to the Olympic final in Milano Cortina, Sundling, with the rest of the Swedish sprinters, and Skistad have been locked in a tactical chess match. On Thursday in Drammen, it was Sundling who played the final move.
Quarterfinal number one heads up the first climb with: Barbora Antosova (CZE), Mathilde Myhrvold (NOR), Jessie Diggins (USA), Melissa Gal (FRA), (l-r). (Photo: Nordnes/NordicFocus)
Qualification and Quarterfinals
Sweden’s Linn Svahn, the reigning Olympic sprint champion, posted the fastest qualification time at 2:41.87 — nearly three seconds clear of Sundling’s 2:44.39. But qualification speed, as World Cup sprinting always reminds us, is only the entry ticket.
Two Americans advanced to the heats. Jessie Diggins, the overall World Cup leader wearing the yellow bib in what she called a “full circle moment,” qualified 17th in 2:50.91. Rosie Brennan, seeded 28th, also made the top 30.
Diggins chose Quarterfinal 1 alongside Sundling and Skistad — a loaded heat. Skistad took the win with Sundling second via a photo finish, just 0.18 seconds separating them. Diggins fought hard for third, advancing as a lucky loser after finishing just 0.22 seconds behind Sundling.
Rosie Brennan (USA) said after the race, “Drammen is one of my favorite races, it’s a fun course and always has a lively atmosphere.” (Photo: Nordnes/NordicFocus)
Brennan’s day ended in the quarterfinals. Racing in Heat 3, she bobbled heading into the downhill and lost the draft, which was a costly moment on a course where the slipstream effect was enormous all afternoon. She finished fifth in her heat.
“I was happy to get a chance in the rounds, but the conditions were very tough,” Brennan said. “They salted the course, and it was skiing great in the qualifier and then got really icy for the rounds. Anyway, I bobbled into the downhill and lost the draft and then just don’t have the power I need to pass that many people up the finish stretch, so I was disappointed to not be more in the mix.”
Meanwhile, Svahn survived a scare of her own… as her quarterfinal rounded the fountain that anchors the bottom of the course behind the start gates, five of the six athletes ended up in a pile and Svahn seemingly had the most bodies and equipment to navigate as she got back out on the course, but somehow recovered to advance. The Olympic champion’s troubles, however, were only beginning.
Maja Dahlqvist (SWE) and Jessie Diggins (USA), (l-r) during the second semifinal. (Photo: Nordnes/NordicFocus)
Semifinals
The two semifinals told entirely different stories, and the contrast between them shaped the final.
In Semifinal 1, Skistad took the win with Sundling second, just 0.20 seconds back. Both advanced automatically. Behind them, Svahn finished third and would not advance.
Semifinal 2 was a different race entirely. Johanna Hagstroem and Ane Appelkvist Stenseth pushed the pace from the gun, stringing the field out over the first climb. But on the long downhill, the draft did its work. Faehndrich and Laura Gimmler of Germany surged past, using the slipstream to slingshot into the lead.
Nadine Faehndrich (SUI), who is planning to retire after the season, found a little extra Drammen magic today as she finished on the podium in third. (Photo: Nordnes/NordicFocus)
Faehndrich won the heat decisively. Gimmler was second. The fast overall times meant Hagstroem would advance along with Stenseth, who just out-lunged Diggins for fourth and the second lucky loser position.
For Diggins, the day ended in 10th. But she left Drammen at peace.
“This was really cool because the Drammen area was my first ever World Cup start and it was a skate sprint,” Diggins said. “So it’s kind of a very full circle moment to close it out with a classic sprint here as the last classic sprint of my career.”
She had tried something new in the heats, sitting in the draft instead of going to the front, a departure from her usual aggressive approach. “Normally, because literal strength is not my strength, I usually just try to go really, really hot and try to go off the front,” she said. “I was like, nope, I don’t think that’s gonna work for me here with the crazy draft and slingshot effect. I was taking a lot of notes in warm-up, and in the quarterfinal, I had the smallest tuck of my life. It was just really fun to try to believe in myself as more of a pure sprinter and to try to be a little more tactical.”
She acknowledged she ran out of power in the semifinal, but had no regrets. “I still felt like I executed my plan to the best of my ability, and that’s always a cool feeling.”
Jonna Sundling (SWE) crosses the finish line just ahead of Kristine Stavaas Skistad (NOR) for the win in Drammen, Norway. (Photo: Nordnes/NordicFocus)
The Final
Six women lined up for the final: Sundling and Hagstroem for Sweden, Skistad and Stenseth for Norway, Faehndrich for Switzerland, and Gimmler for Germany. Svahn and Maja Dahlqvist, the Olympic gold and bronze medalists in the sprint classic, were both absent.
On the opening climb, Skistad sat behind Sundling in a familiar posture — patient, conserving, waiting for the right moment. As Kikkan Randall mentioned on the broadcast, Skistad almost never leads into a downhill. She baited Gimmler into taking the front position, then tucked into her slipstream.
Coming off the descent and around the final hairpin, Faehndrich made her bid, surging past Gimmler and into third. But the race was between the two women everyone expected.
Sundling and Skistad skied side by side on the final climb, and what followed was a scene that encapsulated their rivalry. Stride for stride, shoulder to shoulder, neither yielding a centimeter. Sundling’s transition from double pole to striding was fractionally sharper — she carried more momentum through the final meters — and she crossed the line with a small advantage.
“It is usually very tight in Drammen, but today it was extremely tight,” Sundling said on air afterward. “Till the last meter. I was like, okay, I need to continue all the way over the finish line. It was tough, but I’m happy that I was the first person over the line.”
For Faehndrich, the bronze was a fitting farewell. The 30-year-old Swiss racer, who announced her retirement this season, now sits third in the sprint World Cup standings at 700 points — just behind Hagstroem (708) and within striking distance of leader Dahlqvist (720) heading into the final sprint of the season in Lake Placid next weekend.
Jessie Diggins (USA) gave her fans something to cheer about during her quarterfinal when she charged to the finish line. (Photo: Nordnes/NordicFocus)
Looking Ahead
Diggins continues to lead the overall World Cup standings with 1,961 points, 275 points ahead of Sweden’s Moa Ilar, a margin that appears insurmountable with four races remaining. The distance globe, too, seems firmly in her grasp. But the sprint crystal globe race is wide open: Dahlqvist, Hagstroem, and Faehndrich are separated by just 20 points at the top of the standings, and the final sprint in Lake Placid could decide everything.
For Diggins, there’s another milestone ahead — she’s only a few nights away from sleeping in her own bed before racing in front of an American crowd at the World Cup Finals. “Very, very, very excited about that,” she said.
The World Cup moves to the historic Holmenkollen venue in Oslo on Saturday for the Women’s 50 k Freestyle Mass Start, before the season concludes in Lake Placid, New York, March 20-22.
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The first time I saw Colin Rodgers, he was climbing onto a podium in the basement of a hotel in Biwabik, Minnesota. I honestly can’t remember the name of the hotel, but I can remember the rooms, the enormous lobby complete with an indoor minigolf course, and the basement where the awards were taking place. It was Junior Nationals, 1997, and he’d just won the opening U16 race. We were there with the New England contingent. They held the awards in this low-ceilinged basement room, and although he wasn’t the tallest of boys, his blonde hair almost touched the ceiling tiles. Colin went to Holderness School in New Hampshire, and as I looked up at his smiling face, it was obvious that he was the kind of kid who was going somewhere.
A few years later, I was watching him again, but this time from behind as he skied away from me up one of the small climbs on Woodpecker during the 3 x 5 k Classic Relay at the Williams College Carnival. Colin raced for Middlebury, and I raced for UNH, and at carnivals, he’d ski away from me. That was the deal. He was always a step, or a lot more, ahead.
We caught up over Zoom last week. Colin was in a hotel room in Falun, Sweden, traveling with the U.S. Ski Team on the World Cup circuit. I was sitting on a rocking chair in the foyer of our local dentist’s office while my boys were inside getting their teeth cleaned. That’s how FasterSkier interviews happen sometimes.
Colin Rodgers (SVSEF) – 4th Place
Since his competitive career ended, Colin has given himself fully to coaching. First with the SVSEF Gold Team, who he had raced for at the end of his career, and later junior skiers at Green Mountain Valley School, where he spent nine years. And now, as head coach of the SMS T2 Team at Stratton Mountain School in Vermont, he works with some of the best cross-country skiers in the world.
The team this year included Jessie Diggins, Ben Ogden, Julia Kern, and Canadian skier Remi Drolet, as well as collegiate skiers Fin Bailey and Jack Lange. Of the professional skiers, three of them finished in the top six at the Olympics. All four were in the top 20. Ben Ogden came home with two silver medals and ended a 50-year Olympic medal drought for American men in cross-country skiing. And Jessie Diggins, who is currently wrapping up a career that is the best of any American skier ever, added a bronze medal to her collection.
Colin still seemed a little stunned by it all when we spoke.
“We were so far beyond wherever I thought we were going to be,” he said. “I had a good feeling about this year. But for Ben to take home two silvers, and Jesse a bronze, and Remi to be in the top 20 and really help Canada with a historic relay finish, and Julia in the top six. It’s stuff that I could never believe was truly going to happen. And here we are talking about it.”
SMS T2’s Rémi Drolet, Ben Ogden, Julia Kern, Jessie Diggins, and coach Colin Rodgers. (Photo: courtesy photo)
Colin grew up in Westford, Vermont. His father was the program director for the U.S. Biathlon team from 1984 to 1988, which brought the family to northern Vermont. His parents built a house in Westford that year and never left.
He went to Holderness, then Middlebury, and after college, he headed to the Maine Winter Sports Center, where coaches like Jens Johansson, Eli Brown and Will Sweetser were building something in the northern reaches of the state. From there, he moved to Sun Valley, Idaho, where he joined the SVSEF Gold Team and kept racing.
Colin was good. He raced on the World Cup. But the jump he’d always hoped to make didn’t quite happen.
“I think as a nation now, we’re so much more educated,” he said. “I had amazing coaches. But we were just kind of, maybe sometimes trying too hard.”
He talked about spending time in Scandinavia and being around athletes who were significantly better than him. What he noticed wasn’t that they worked harder. It was that they were smarter about the work.
“I probably trained at level two way too much of the time,” he said. “Especially being a little more anaerobic and linked to the sprint side. I really needed to be doing the easy training even easier.”
He paused.
“When it’s time to go, you’ve got to let the dog run,” he said, quoting his old Middlebury coach Terry Aldrich. “And that was the exact opposite. Like, now it’s time to really peak, and you let it loose.”
I told him I’d heard a version of that from the other direction. When I was coaching, I used to tell my kids about Matt Whitcomb, who had been a teammate of Rodgers at Middlebury, previewing a course at Junior Nationals and telling the athletes they had to “walk the f-ing dog.” Every time they got to a climb, they were pulling back on the leash. Walking the dog.
Two coaches. Related metaphor. Opposite leash relationships. That’s about as clean a summary of training philosophy as you’ll find in this sport. Keep the dog relaxed in training often, until it is time to let it run when it matters.
Matt Gelso on the finishing stretch with coach Colin Rodgers encouraging in West Yellowstone (Photo: Toko)
Before Stratton, the coaching experience that shaped Colin most was the time he spent around Rick Kapala at Sun Valley.
Kapala ran the Sun Valley Education Foundation for nearly 30 years and built a program Colin still talks about with real admiration.
“It was serious training, but it was also really creative,” Colin said. “You’d go out for long mountain adventures, do different kinds of workouts. It kept people engaged.”
That stuck with him. When he moved to GMVS to coach high school athletes, he kept coming back to a simple question.
“What would make me really want to go to practice today?”
He laughed when he said it.
“It sounds basic. But it actually matters a lot. If people don’t want to be there, something’s probably off.”
He talked about his coaching years at GMVS and how, for him, the job was about getting kids to believe in what they could do.
“When kids are in high school, they’re questioning everything. How they look, how they’re growing. And you’re just like, no, dude, this is fun. This can be a real blast. And believe. Like, damn, I can do a good job at this. If I’m doing this every day, I might as well be good at it, right?”
He spent nine years doing that work. And then the SMS T2 job came along.
“It was an opportunity there’s no way I was going to pass up,” he said. “It’s changed my life. Literally.”
The program at Stratton operates under a mission statement crafted by Colin’s predecessor, Sverre Caldwell: international excellence and local inspiration.
Colin said that phrase was part of what sold him on the job.
“It’s everything I believe in. We’re trying to be the best we can be, win races, kick ass internationally. But then also, along the way, inspire the next generation of skiers coming up.”
At Stratton, those two things aren’t separate. The T2 athletes train on the same roads and trails as the younger skiers in the school’s Nordic program. When Stratton kids show up for a summer or fall practice, and the older athletes are there, everyone just funnels in together and heads out.
“It doesn’t even need to be talked about, really,” Colin said. “It’s just showing up, doing the work. This is how it’s done. And if you keep working really hard for a long time, you’re probably going to get really good too.”
He brought up the chain of inspiration that runs through American skiing. Jessie Diggins was inspired by Kikkan Randall, by Andy Newell, by Simi Hamilton. Kern was inspired by Diggins.
“When you get motivated by somebody who’s special and inspiring to you, if you have some talent and the fire to go for it, you realize you can chase that person. And then it’s like, oh, I can maybe be them. And then it’s like, oh, maybe I can be better than them.”
One of the more interesting aspects of Colin’s role at SMS T2 is that he’s not the only coach in the picture. Not even close.
Kristen Bourne and Colin Rodgers out for a run during the OD run at Park City camp, 2025. (Photo: Matt Whitcomb)
Diggins works primarily with Jason Cork on the U.S. Ski Team staff. Ogden’s training has long been guided by Patrick Weaver, his college coach at UVM. Kern has a deep relationship with Kristen Bourne, who is also a national team coach. Drolet works with Dave Wood, a former coach of the Canadian national team. And Bailey goes to UVM and skis for Weaver, while Lange goes to Dartmouth and is coached by Brayton Osgood.
Colin sees his job as connecting the dots.
“Each athlete comes in with their own support network,” he said. “Jason has been working with Jesse forever. Ben has a really close connection with Weave. And I’ve been able to learn a lot from Patrick about how Ben ticks.”
He was honest about what that requires.
“When you step into a role like this, you have to check your ego,” he said. “It’s not about being the only voice in the room. It’s about helping the athlete succeed.”
What he brings is proximity. He sees the athletes more frequently than some of their other coaches, especially during training blocks in Vermont. He can offer technique advice, fill gaps when someone else isn’t available, and keep everyone communicating.
“I think one of my strengths is the ability to connect people,” he said. “And to connect with people.”
Colin has watched American skiing grow up. When he was racing, relatively few American men were competitive at the highest levels. The development pathways weren’t as clear. The coaching wasn’t as sophisticated.
“We’re closer as a nation now to what it means to go to that next level,” he said. “We know what to do. As coaches, we’re totally clued in on this systematic, long-term idea of how to periodize correctly, and also how to make it fun.”
Colin Rodgers, Jessie Diggins and Julia Kern. (Photo: courtesy photo)
He pointed to results at every level. At the time we spoke, American athletes were fighting with the best in the world at the World Junior Championships. On the World Cup, Diggins, Kern, and Ogden, along with the APU-based skiers, are proving it can happen at the very top.
“A lot of people have helped build this,” he said. “It’s not just one program or one coach.”
But the jump from junior skiing to the World Cup is still enormous. And programs like SMS T2 exist to help athletes survive that transition.
“Having environments where athletes can develop during that stage is really important,” he said. “The gap is huge.”
Before we wrapped up, I asked Colin what success looks like for him five years from now.
He went big picture with a slightly longer lens. The 2034 Olympics will be in Salt Lake City. There’s a generation of young American skiers who have already raced at Soldier Hollow, the Nordic venue, during their youth careers. Now they’re looking ahead to competing on home soil.
“We’re working towards 2034,” he said. “And we want to be successful there. If we stay on this trajectory, we can have medals. That’s our ultimate goal.”
Within Stratton, he wants to grow the team thoughtfully. This year was lean, focused on supporting the Olympic athletes. Going forward, he wants to build back toward four or five athletes on each side, men and women, plus NCAA skiers.
“We have to do it the right way,” he said. “We don’t want to take on too many people too fast.”
Jessie Diggins (USA), whose World Cup career will conclude in a week and a half, celebrates her bronze medal in the Olympic 10 k Freestyle in Tesero, Italy. (Photo: Vanzetta/NordicFocus)
He’s also thinking about the athletes who won’t be there. Jessie Diggins is retiring. That will leave a void at SMS T2 and on the World Cup, where Colin noted she currently sits at 380 career starts, more than any other skier.
“Jesse’s going to go on and do a lot of really cool things and still inspire the next generation in new ways,” he said. “And then there’s going to be up-and-comers who are going to step up and be inspired by everything she’s done, and by everything Ben and Julia and Remy are already doing.”
International excellence. Local inspiration. It’s a simple mission. But Colin Rodgers has spent a career learning that the simple things are usually the ones that matter most.
He’s been chasing the highest levels of this sport since he was 15 years old, standing on a podium in a hotel basement in Minnesota. The path just looks different now.
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Jessie Diggins (USA) on her way to third place in the 10 k Classic Individual Start in Lahti, Finland. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
As Jessie Diggins climbed the final hills in Lahti on Sunday, she could hear something unusual rising above the crowd noise. Scattered along the course were hand-made signs held by Finnish fans and young skiers. Many carried the same simple message: “Thank you, Jessie.”
For Diggins, racing through what has increasingly become a farewell tour of World Cup venues that have defined her career, the moment carried emotional weight. Lahti has not always been a place where the American felt the course played to her strengths, particularly in classic technique. But on Sunday, she delivered one of her most meaningful performances there, skiing to third place in the women’s 10-kilometer classic interval start.
“There were so many people out on the course with signs saying ‘Thank you, Jessie,’ and it was really emotional in the best way,” Diggins said afterward. “It was incredibly touching. Seeing all the little kids in glitter after the race was just really special.”
Frida Karlsson (SWE) on her way to the 10 k Classic win in Lahti, Finland. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
Sweden’s Frida Karlsson powered to the victory in 25:57.6, edging teammate Linn Svahn by just over four seconds. Diggins followed in third, 6.2 seconds behind the winner, securing the 90th World Cup podium of her career — a milestone that came in her 375th World Cup start.
The podium also represented a breakthrough for Diggins in a discipline she has spent years working on. Despite her long list of accomplishments, Sunday marked her first World Cup podium in a standalone 10-kilometer classic interval start.
“The Lahti course hasn’t always suited my strengths in classic skiing,” Diggins said. “So it felt really cool to pull it together a bit more today.”
The result allowed Diggins to maintain control of both major season-long competitions. With only three World Cup stops remaining this winter, she continues to lead Sweden’s Moa Ilar by 264 points in the Overall World Cup standings and by 188 points in the Distance standings, positioning herself strongly in the race for the sport’s coveted crystal globes.
Moa Ilar (SWE) and Linn Svahn (SWE), (l-r) reflecting at the finish. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
Svahn Sets the Early Benchmark, Karlsson Finishes the Job
With the interval format — one athlete starting every 30 seconds — stretching the field across the Lahti course, the first major time to chase appeared almost immediately.
Sweden’s Linn Svahn, starting with bib 5, was among the earliest contenders onto the course and quickly posted the fastest times through the early checkpoints. Known primarily as one of the World Cup’s dominant sprinters, Svahn skied aggressively over the opening kilometers and established the benchmark that much of the field would spend the next hour chasing.
Her time held atop the standings as racer after racer attempted to match it.
Later in the race, however, another Swede began to close the gap. Frida Karlsson, wearing bib 40, remained within seconds of Svahn through the intermediate checkpoints before edging ahead in the final kilometers.
“I was just trying to stay in my own skiing,” Karlsson said afterward. “I heard it was between me and Linn, and I was super excited to get that fight.”
Karlsson ultimately crossed the line in 25:57.6, securing the victory by 4.1 seconds over her teammate.
The win came after a brief illness, which prevented her from competing in the Olympic 50 k, but Karlsson said she was eager to keep racing despite the setback.
“I was sick after the Olympics, but I was really excited to keep racing and just do what I know best,” she said. “So I’m super glad to be here.”
Diggins, starting shortly after Karlsson, kept herself in contention throughout the race, skiing within striking distance of the Swedish pair at each checkpoint before finishing 6.2 seconds back in third place.
Linn Svahn (SWE) on her way to second place. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
Three Different Approaches to the Same Race
The split times revealed three distinct pacing strategies among the podium finishers.
Svahn, starting fifth, set the tone early. She posted the fastest time through the opening 1.1 kilometers and maintained the lead at the 3.4-kilometer checkpoint, immediately putting pressure on the rest of the field as they left the start gate.
Karlsson, starting later in bib 40, remained just seconds behind through the early checkpoints, skiing a controlled opening before gradually closing the gap. By the middle of the race, she had moved into contention, and over the final kilometers, she proved strongest of all, ultimately pulling ahead to secure the victory.
Diggins, meanwhile, delivered perhaps the most evenly paced effort of the three. She remained within striking distance of the leaders at every checkpoint — fifth at 1.1 kilometers, third by 3.4 kilometers, and still in podium position through the final lap.
That steadiness proved decisive in the final standings. While the two Swedes battled for the win, Diggins’ consistent pace allowed her to secure third place and another important podium in the fight for the season-long crystal globes.
Jessie Diggins (USA) sprints for the finish line. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
Diggins’ Classic Progress
Diggins’ podium also reinforced one of the season’s quieter developments: the continued evolution of her classic technique.
For much of her career, the American’s greatest moments have come in skating events, where her aggressive pacing and powerful finishing speed often prove decisive. But this season she has shown remarkable consistency in classic distance races, finishing in the top ten in every classic distance event on the World Cup calendar.
Conditions in Lahti — warming temperatures and increasingly soft tracks — placed an additional premium on ski preparation, something Diggins was quick to acknowledge after the race.
“I had great skis, which is a huge part of the equation, especially when the conditions get slushy,” Diggins said. “This podium really belongs to the team. I’m so grateful for all the hard work they put in.”
Rosie Brennan (USA) on her way to 12th place. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
Brennan Continues Return to Form
A bit further down the results list, fellow American Rosie Brennan continued a gradual return toward form after a long battle with illness that has affected much of her season.
Brennan finished 12th (+38.6) in Lahti, a result that reflected both solid skiing and a cautious approach early in the race.
“This whole process has really been a game of time,” Brennan said. “There have been many moments when I’ve wondered if I’ll ever feel normal again in my life. But the last three days are the most normal I’ve felt racing since December 2024.”
The Lahti course, known for its steep climbs and technical demands, offered a test of efficiency in classic technique — a challenge Brennan felt she handled well.
“Lahti requires really good technical skiing,” she said. “I felt like if I could relax and focus on my classic technique, that would give me the best chance.”
Kendall Kramer (USA) working her way up one of the many Lahti climbs. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
Kramer Finds Lessons in the Lahti Hills
For American Kendall Kramer — 42nd in 27:40.8 (+1:43.2) — the Lahti race presented a different kind of challenge: starting first.
Wearing bib 1, Kramer had the advantage of pristine tracks before the course began to break down as temperatures warmed. But the early start also meant racing without reference splits from the rest of the field.
“I was actually okay starting with bib 1 today, given the state of the tracks,” Kramer said. “They tend to break down as the race goes on, and the corners can get icy, so it was nice to have cleaner conditions early.”
Without other athletes on course to gauge pacing against, Kramer said the race became more about skiing freely and trusting her own effort.
“Racing without reference splits definitely makes pacing tougher, but at the same time it lets you ski freely and focus on your own race.”
The steep Lahti climbs also highlighted the technical demands of classic skiing at the World Cup level.
“The punchy hills were fun because I could really bound up them, which is something I haven’t done much in World Cup racing so far,” Kramer said. “But the sections where it turns into pure power striding showed me I still have a lot to work on.”
Despite the challenges, Kramer described the experience as valuable for understanding the technical standards required to compete consistently at the highest level.
“I’ve learned so much from racing here this season,” she said. “At the World Cup, every strength and every weakness gets highlighted, and that really helps show what to work on heading into the summer.”
Julia Kern (USA) catches a rest from both the climbs and the sunlight. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
Kern Heading Home Early to Recover
Julia Kern, who finished 51st — 28:11.4 (+2:13.8) — today, said she will return home early from the World Cup circuit as she continues working through health issues that have lingered since the Olympic races.
“I’ve been battling my body on various fronts since the Olympics,” Kern said in a team media statement. “One of my strengths is showing up and continuing to try and believe despite the challenges, while also being patient and smart.”
Kern added that she will take additional time to recover while seeking answers about her condition, with hopes of returning to competition at the Stifel World Cup Finals in Lake Placid later this month.
“Right now, my body needs more time to recover and is in search of answers, so I’m headed home early with the hopes of being in a place to race in Lake Placid.”
Lauren Jortberg (USA) and Katherine Weaver (CAN), (l-r) charge for the line. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
Jortberg Gets a Front-Row Look at Karlsson’s Pace
For American Lauren Jortberg — 55th in 28:32.7 (+2:35.1) — the Lahti race offered a unique opportunity to measure herself against one of the sport’s best.
Early in the race, Jortberg found herself skiing behind Sweden’s Frida Karlsson for several kilometers as the eventual winner was completing her second lap while Jortberg was still on her first.
“I skied with Frida for about three kilometers, which was really cool,” Jortberg said. “She’s obviously a beast, and it was cool to hang with her and get a taste of what that pace actually feels like.”
Jortberg said the experience offered valuable insight into the demands of racing a 10-kilometer interval start at the World Cup level, where pacing often means pushing near maximum effort from the start.
“Ten-k pacing on the World Cup is basically as hard as you can go the whole way,” she said. “It’s about learning how to navigate that kind of effort and still ski your own race.”
She added that the race reinforced both the progress she has made in classic technique and the areas she hopes to continue developing as she gains more experience at the international level.
“I’m really proud of how my classic skiing is coming along,” Jortberg said. “There’s still a lot to work on, but it was definitely a good first start in a distance race.”
Jortberg said she hopes to carry the fitness and lessons from Lahti into the next stop on the World Cup circuit in Drammen, Norway.
Emma Albrecht (USA) giving it everything she can all the way to the finish. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
Albrecht Sees the Margins Up Close
Further back in the start order, fellow American Emma Albrecht — 58th in 28:50.7 (+2:53.1) — experienced firsthand just how tight the margins can be in World Cup distance racing.
“The tight margins were shown by skiers finishing at similar times,” Albrcht said after the race. “For me, I was not passed, and I did not pass anyone. Which meant the skiers in front and behind me were skiing at a similar pace to me.”
Like Kramer, Albrecht said the steep Lahti climbs emphasized the technical demands of classic technique, particularly the efficiency required to stride uphill without losing grip.
“The uphill sections are the most technical and demanding here,” she said. “The climbs in Lahti are steep, and striding up efficiently requires really good technique to avoid slipping.”
For Albrecht, the race served as a clear reminder of the areas she hopes to refine moving forward.
“One of my biggest takeaways is that I want to keep working on my striding technique and get better at adjusting my tempo based on the terrain.”
Dariya Nepryaeva (AIN) and Novie Mccabe (USA), (l-r) come to the line. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
Other North Americans in the Field
Novie McCabe raced her way to 43rd in 27:45.0 (+1:47.4) in the 64-skier field.
For Canada, Jasmine Drolet led the team in 41st place with a time of 27:39.8 (+1:42.2). Liliane Gagnon finished 46th in 27:56.4 (+1:58.8), and Katherine Weaver placed 59th in 29:00.9 (+3:03.3). Teammate Olivia Bouffard-Nesbitt, who had been listed on the start sheet, did not start the race.
Take a bow, Jessie Diggins (USA) . (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
The Season’s Final Push
Sunday’s race in Lahti brought us even closer to the end of the season, now with only two sprint races and three distance races remaining until the sport’s biggest prizes will ultimately be decided.
For Diggins, the third-place finish represented more than another podium in an already historic career. It also reinforced the remarkable consistency that has defined her season. With top-10 finishes in every classic distance race this winter, she has transformed what was once considered a relative weakness into one of the foundations of her bid for both the Overall and Distance crystal globes.
Three stops remain on the calendar: the classic city sprint in Drammen, Norway, the iconic 50-kilometer race at Holmenkollen in Oslo, and the Stifel World Cup Finals in Lake Placid, New York.
For Diggins, those races now carry both competitive stakes and emotional significance. As the American continues what has increasingly felt like a farewell tour across the World Cup circuit, the crowds that gathered along the Lahti course on Sunday offered a glimpse of how much her career has meant to fans of the sport, not just in the United States, but all around the world.
And as Diggins pushed across the final climbs toward the stadium — signs waving, glitter-clad children cheering from the side of the course — she did what she has done so often over the past decade: she kept fighting for every second and left everything she had, once again, on the course.
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Linn Svahn (SWE), Frida Karlsson (SWE), and Jessie Diggins (USA), (l-r) share the 10 k Classic podium in Lahti, Finland. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com.
With his win Lahti’s World Cup 10 k Classic, Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR) continues a level of dominance rarely seen in international sports. (Photo: Thibaut/NordicFocus)
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo may be tired, but far more daunting than any mere fatigue is what Klaebo’s rivals find themselves facing: futility.
Weekend after weekend, race after race, kilometer after kilometer, finish line after finish line, Klaebo is proving himself to be all but unbeatable. He toys with his rivals in Sprint races, whether Classic or Freestyle; he takes advantage of his superior speed and tactical acumen in Mass Start races of every distance. He even displays superior pacing, restraint, endurance, and discipline in Interval Start events. And when Klaebo skis the anchor leg of your relay, then your team wins. Such athletic dominance is not a thing that lasts—and even Klaebo is likely to find himself beaten soon—but when an athlete’s on an historic streak like this, it’s a remarkable thing for fans of the sport to witness.
In Lahti, Klaebo’s dominance was on display again, as he glided to yet another World Cup victory in the 10 k Classic Interval Start. Mid-race splits identified Russian independent skier, Savelii Korostelev as a challenger, but Klaebo would pull away from him in the end, bettering the young Russian’s finishing time by 34 seconds. Between them, Martin Loewstroem Nyenget mounted a challenge of his own. While Nyenget has emerged as one of the dominant Classic skiers of this generation, still he trailed Klaebo at every checkpoint. Ultimately, Nyenget would finish second, but still some 22 seconds behind.
If all these skiers want to beat Klaebo, they need to find another way to do it. Maybe the best tactic is to simply wait. Everybody gets sick some day, don’t they? Everybody shows up flat now and then, right? Perhaps the best tactic to employ in chasing Klaebo is to stop chasing. Just let him flame out at some point, and hope to be the one best positioned in the crowd to catch the bridal bouquet when it flies through the air.
Savelii Korostelev (AIN) was the early leader at numerous checkpoints. He would finish third on the day behind the efforts of Martin Loewstroem Nyenget (NOR) and eventual race winner, Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR). (Photo: Thibaut/NordicFocus)
Men’s 10 k Classic
Korostelev entered the World Cup circuit and Olympic events after Russia’s long exile, hoping to establish himself at the top of the cross-country ski standings (as he had already accomplished in races within Russia over the past two seasons). Korostelev must be asking himself “Just how fast do I need to go?” Well, “Historically fast” would appear to be the answer to Korostelev’s question.
Here’s the pertinent question for anyone in the field not named Klaebo: just how far will they go in pursuit of this guy? It’s an especially pressing question for Klaebo’s Norwegian teammates who are compared to him on a week-by-week basis, and who are all hoping to position themselves to be his heir (even as he shows no signs of considering retirement). Any number of those Norwegian stars may have hoped to topple Klaebo in an Olympic event. He was vulnerable, after all; racing every single event while other skiers got to pick and choose. For Harald Oestberg Amundsen, for Martin Loewstroem Nyenget, for Emil Iversen, for Mattis Stenshagen, for Lars Heggen, for Einar Hedegart—all of whom had been identified as skiers with the potential to steal away one of Klaebo’s gold medal opportunities—the chase to catch Klaebo may ultimately ruin them. In the Olympics, most of them appeared flat, as though they may have over-trained, or delayed their much-needed rest, or failed to taper sufficiently in their quest to grab a career-defining medal. Alone among them, Iversen appeared satisfied to follow Klaebo’s lead, joining Klaebo for much of his training throughout the off-season and competitive-season even though it meant that Iversen was unlikely to achieve any sort of advantage over him. Iversen was smart enough to know that Klaebo’s prowess could lead them both to Olympic medals, and that’s precisely what happened. The rest of the Norwegian contingent left Milan-Cortina with anumber of medals, but draped in quite a bit less glory than they might have hoped.
And here’s the dilemma for Klaebo, himself: how does an athlete seek to maintain the form that they have? Is it possible to just hold one’s position, or does an athlete need to keep getting better? And how much risk is involved in attempting to improve? Just ask Klaebo’s Norwegian teammates . . . they’re trying as hard as they can, trying new things, risking greatly. And it’s not working. If anything, their efforts are opening the door for the stars of other nations that are approaching from behind. Matthis Desloges (FRA) claimed numerous silver medals in the recent Olympics—medals originally thought reserved for Norwegian skiers. And as the World Cup tour enters Period 4, Norwegian skiers find themselves delivering results well down the page, rather than stacking all the Norwegian finishers at the top, which was the norm for much of the pre-Olympic season.
Martin Loewstroem Nyenget (NOR) must be wondering what he needs to do. In Lahti, he delivered a striking performance in the 10 k Classic, only to find himself trailing Johanes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR) at every checkpoint. (Photo: Thibaut/NordicFocus)
Wearing bib 54, Klaebo was the first of the true contenders to start, meaning he would receive less info communicated to him on course when compared to other later-starting contenders. In what is often considered Klaebo’s most challenging event (the interval start 10 k) Klaebo would find himself needing to overcome that small disadvantage as well as the best efforts of his rivals.
Korostelev came through 3.4 kilometers a full 20 seconds ahead of American, Gus Schumacher, but even Korostelev found himself overtaken by Klaebo who came through the checkpoint three seconds ahead of the neutral-skiing Russian. Klaebo would continue extending his lead over Korostelev to nearly 12 seconds by the halfway point of the race. The only questions that remained would be answered by the other contenders starting behind Klaebo. Among those, Nyenget was the first to test the waters, coming through the 3.4 kilometer mark 3.8 seconds behind Klaebo. Nyenget would lose more time on his way to the end of the lap, crossing through the stadium with a deficit of six seconds . . . still ahead of Korostelev, but dropping just a bit farther behind Klaebo.
Klaebo held his advantage at 6.1 kilometers, but then he began extending his lead on the way to 8.4 kilometers, crossing that checkpoint 22 seconds up on Korostelev. Klaebo would only continue to extend that lead, crossing the line with a 34 second advantage. Nyenget would continue to battle, ultimately besting Korostelev but still falling 22 seconds short of Klaebo.
Another weekend passes, another Klaebo sweep. How long can he keep this up? After yesterday’s victory in Lahti’s Freestyle Sprint, Klaebo spoke of his level of fatigue at this juncture in the World Cup season. Who could blame him for being tired? After all, he swept all the Men’s events at the Olympic Winter Games of Milano-Cortina; and this in the middle of his historic World Cup winning streak that began weeks ago, and appears likely to extend well into the future. Unfortunately for those hoping to wait him out, Klaebo seems all but immune to the factors that typically topple those at the top. “The last two weeks has been that I’m sick in the middle of the week, and then I’m racing in the weekend,” said Klaebo. “So, we’ll see if I can stay healthy now during the week so I can participate in Drammen (next week’s Sprint races). That’s the goal.”
And that’s a problem for the rest of the field: when Klaebo sets a goal, he tends to achieve it. Anyone anticipating Klaebo falling short of that goal may have a while to wait.
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The torch isn’t being passed just yet. Savelii Korostelev (AIN), may be one of the heirs apparent in the world of international cross-country skiing, but Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo appears far from ready to make room at the top. (Photo: Thibaut/NordicFocus)
This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com.
Jonna Sundling (SWE) during qualification in Lahti, Finland. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
The World Cup season returned to Finland this weekend, closing a circle that began more than three months ago in Ruka. In the time since Olympic teams were selected, dreams realized or deferred, experience forged, and farewells offered week after week as the long winter wears on. If the stakes in Lahti feel slightly lower than they did earlier in the season, they are tightening in another way — especially in the races for the Crystal Globes.
With only a handful of races remaining in the season, the women’s Freestyle Sprint offered more than just another podium. The fight for both the Sprint Crystal Globe and the Overall Crystal Globe continues to tighten.
In tricky conditions, Sweden’s Jonna Sundling emerged as the day’s winner, navigating the heats with authority before closing out the final to claim victory.
“I think all day it’s been difficult with the conditions because it seems so nice, but when you ski it’s like icing underneath,” Sundling said in a post-race interview with FIS on the broadcast. “There were some challenges with the skiing, but I’m glad that I could ski as I did today and go all the way.”
The victory marked a strong return for Sundling, who said she had recently been dealing with a cold and missed racing in Falun before arriving in Lahti.
One of the most interesting moments of the women’s race came when Kristine Stavaas Skistad (NOR) was disqualified during the semifinals for what appeared to be a very minor incident. She received a yellow card for the incident, and because she was already carrying one from a previous violation, she was disqualified. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
A Tactical Sprint Course
The Lahti freestyle sprint course rewarded patience as much as power. After the individual qualification round, the top 30 athletes advanced into the head-to-head heats — five quarterfinals of six athletes each, with the top two finishers and the two fastest “lucky losers” advancing to the semifinals.
From there, the field narrowed again: two semifinal heats would determine the six skiers racing for the win.
While the course appeared straightforward on paper, athletes quickly discovered the conditions made positioning critical. The climb before the final hairpin offered one of the few reliable passing opportunities before the long run to the finish, which saw the race often gather back together around the final corner before the finishing stretch. And throughout the heats, several favorites discovered how narrow the margin for error could be.
Maja Dahlqvist (SWE) got out well, but was unable to advance from the quarterfinals. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
Globe Leaders Falter
Two of the athletes who have dominated the sprint standings this season — Maja Dahlqvist (Sweden) and Nadine Fähndrich (Switzerland) — both saw their days end earlier than expected, failing to advance beyond the quarterfinals.
Their early exits added intrigue to the sprint globe race as the season heads toward its final stretch.
Meanwhile, Sundling continued to build momentum, advancing smoothly through her heats despite the difficult snow conditions.
“I’m super motivated,” Sundling said of the final weeks of the season in the broadcast interview. “It’s my favorite time of the year.”
Hilla Niemela (FIN), Johanna Hagstroem (SWE), and Jessie Diggins (USA) (l-r) charge up the opening climb of the Freestyle Sprint in Lahti, Finland. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
Diggins Attacks, But Falls Short
For the United States, Jessie Diggins came closest to advancing deep into the rounds.
In her quarterfinal, Diggins launched a decisive move on the final climb, surging to the front of the group in an effort to create separation before the tight hairpin turn at the top of the hill. Over the crest, she continued the attack, aggressively no-pole skating the downhill in an attempt to open a gap.
For a moment, the tactic appeared to work.
But the chasing group quickly organized behind her, the draft pulling them back together on the descent into the stadium. Sweden’s Johanna Hagström surged in the final meters, lunging at the line to edge Diggins and end the American’s day in the quarterfinal.
Diggins said the Lahti crowd helped make the experience memorable.
“It was so cool to hear the crowd roaring. There were so many people out, really filling the stadium and along the course. It’s just a very cool environment. It was sunny and beautiful, which made it really fun.
“I was really happy with my energy today. I feel like I skied a pretty good race and did everything I could. But again this year, I feel like I just don’t quite have that ultimate power, especially in the finishing stretch.
“I’m excited for tomorrow and just excited to be finishing out my last stretch here in Europe. That feels really special. It’s kind of cool to take a moment to reflect on my many years spent on the road in Europe. That chapter is coming to a close now, which is really cool and really special. I’m just grateful thinking back on all the memories over all the different years.”
Rosie Brennan (USA) fighting to maintain contact with the group as Gina Del Rio (AND) takes the opening climb out fast during their quarterfinal. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
Brennan Knocked Out in Quarterfinal*
Veteran American Rosie Brennan also reached the quarterfinals but was unable to advance.
Lauren Jortberg (USA) on her way to 37th place in qualification in Lahti, Finland. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
Jortberg Reflects on Qualification Miss
For Lauren Jortberg, the Lahti sprint was a reminder of how thin the margins can be in World Cup qualification.
Jortberg finished 37th in the qualification, just outside the top-30 cutoff needed to advance to the heats. After the race, she said the conditions on the Lahti course made it difficult to find the right balance between glide and stability.
“There was kind of an ice sheet underneath with some sugar on top,” Jortberg told FasterSkier after the race. “So it was hard to find skis that were running really well while also being able to push off and plant well. It made the skiing a little tricky, but that’s pretty typical for what we’ve seen in Lahti the last few years.”
Jortberg also felt she left something on the course in terms of pacing.
“I think I just didn’t pace it very well,” she said. “I probably paced it too much. I didn’t really finish feeling that tired, so that was a bit of a bummer.”
Part of that caution, she explained, stemmed from having dealt with illness in the days leading into the race.
“I had been sick the last week, so I think I held back a little bit,” Jortberg said. “That’s frustrating because I felt really good and I think I could have been competitive today.”
Even so, Jortberg said the past months of racing have helped build confidence as she continues gaining experience on the World Cup circuit.
“One of the big takeaways from these World Cup weekends is that when I can put down a really solid qualifier, I’m very much in the mix,” she said. “Even though today wasn’t a great qualifier, I wasn’t that far out of the heats, so I think that’s something I can take confidence from going into the next few weekends.”
Julia Kern (USA) during qualification. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
Julia Kern Trying to Get Back to Form*
Julia Kern, returning to racing after illness following the Olympic Games, placed 44th in the qualification round.
Albrecht Gaining World Cup Experience
Emma Albrecht, competing in her fourth World Cup weekend, finished 48th in the qualification round in Lahti as she continues gaining experience at the highest level of the sport.
Albrecht said one of the biggest adjustments to racing on the World Cup has been the razor-thin margins in sprint qualification.
Emma Albrecht (USA) gaining experience during the qualification in Lahti, Finland. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
“The biggest adjustment to racing at this level is how tight the race margins are,” Albrecht told FasterSkier after the race via email. “The U.S. SuperTour field is obviously not as competitive, and it has been a shift — especially in sprinting — to have to have a fast qualifier. You are no longer guaranteed to make heats.”
The Lahti sprint course also served as a reminder of the confidence and technical skills required to compete in crowded sprint fields.
“Today’s qualification reminded me to take up space on the course and not be afraid of a little hop skate,” she said.
Even with the challenges, Albrecht said the experience is fueling motivation heading into the offseason.
“This weekend is making me very excited for summer training,” she said. “A field as deep as this really highlights weaknesses on course. I would love to become a more efficient jump skater and be more confident in my high-speed V2. I’m definitely walking away with a lot of motivation to improve.”
Liliane Gagnon (CAN) charges up the first climb during her quarterfinal, where she narrowly missed advancing to the semifinals. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
Canadian Results
Canada’s top performance came from Liliane Gagnon, who finished third in her quarterfinal — just short of advancing to the semifinals.
Teammates Olivia Bouffard-Nesbitt and Katherine Weaver placed 43rd and 46th, respectively, in qualification.
Jonna Sundling (SWE) celebrates the win while Coletta Rydzek (GER) and Johanna Hagstroem (SWE) lunge for third behind her. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
The Season’s Final Push
With only a handful of races remaining on the World Cup calendar, the results in Lahti could prove important in shaping the final standings.
For Sundling, the victory served as both a return to form and a statement heading into the closing weeks of the season.
“I’m looking forward to the rest of the season,” she said.
For others — particularly those chasing the Crystal Globes — the margin for error continues to shrink.
And with more racing still ahead in Lahti this weekend, the battle for the season-long trophies is far from settled.
*We hope to add more quotes above from athletes if we hear back from them, but wanted to get this race report posted in a timely fashion.
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Babe Ruth, Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan, Michael Phelps, this guy—Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR). (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
“It’s Johannes Klaebo’s ski world,” said skiandsnowboardlive.com’s on-air commentator, Andrew Kastening. “And we’re all just living in it.” Truer words were never spoken . . .
“I didn’t have a plan,” said Klaebo after his dominant performance in Lahti Finland’s World Cup Freestyle Sprint. “I just went for it at the end there and managed to get enough meters to the young guys. Next year it will be even harder, so we’re going to enjoy this now for the rest of this year. Next year, it’s going to be way harder, I think.”
Well, we don’t really believe Klaebo’s “no plan” claim. In fact, we probably aren’t sure we believe that next year will be “way harder,” either. Not with the way this year has gone, anyway. But Klaebo’s suggestion that we “Enjoy this for now?” No problem . . .
Ironically, Klaebo’s absolute dominance leaves ski reporters scrutinizing the strengths and weaknesses of other skiers—scanning the notoriety of other results—for stories that will continue to capture readers’ imaginations. Where the heck has Sindre Bjoernstad Skar been? And how much resentment do Even Northug and Lars Heggen harbor after being left off the Norwegian Olympic team? And, after his recent U23 World Championship (and the pedigree afforded him by his mother, legendary Nordic skier, Bente Skari), is Filip Skari the real thing? And is Harald Oestberg Amundsen still in the running for the Crystal Globe? Or does he just need a Sprint day to warm him up for the Distance races? And who the heck is Mathias Holbaek? On a normal World Cup weekend, those questions—Norwegian questions—would occupy the imaginations and fill the column inches of ski journalists. But that was before the Olympic Winter Games of Milano-Cortina . . . the Games in which Ben Ogden (USA) and Gus Schumacher (USA) created scenes of flashing silver excellence. Now, reporters have another story to report: American sprinters have arrived on the scene. If Ogden and Schumacher have any energy left after the predictable post-Olympic celebrations, then they’ll have something to say about Lahti’s Sprint results, too.
Gus Schumacher (USA) and Ben Ogden (USA) and Gus Schumacher (USA) have ushered in a new era of American men’s skiing. (Photo: Vanzetta/NordicFocus)
Granted, Ogden and Schumacher had far fewer Norwegian Sprint rivals to navigate among, through, and past on the way to their Olympic silver medals. That’s the salient reminder, folks: while the the Olympics offer the most valued, most brightly glittering prizes in the skiing world, the Olympics also offer the best chance for anyone to break through the Norwegian medals-monopoly. That’s because Norway is only allowed the maximum number of Olympic starters in any event: four starters. Conversely, in World Cup races, Norway is allowed at least seven starters . . . sometimes eight (if the race is in Norway). Any non-Norwegians—Ogden and Schumacher included—will find it far more difficult to snatch headlines in Lahti’s World Cup Freestyle Sprint. For that matter, American Sprinters (including Jack Young, JC Schoonmaker, Kevin Bolger, Zanden McMullen) will find it considerably more difficult to qualify for the heats, much less to advance through to semifinals and finals.
And all this drama occurs in the shadow of the most predictable story—the one that we’ve probably grown tired of repeating by now: Klaebo’s going to win, right? I mean, he’s won the last 13 races he’s entered (sprints, distance races, relays, Classic, Freestyle), including the six Olympic races that he swept during the Games of Milano-Cortina. And lining up for another Freestyle Sprint on a course where he has generally shown himself to be unbeatable seems unlikely to offer much hope to his rivals. Well, there’s always silver . . .
Federico Pellegrino (ITA) is in Lahti, and so soon after he captured a magnificent bronze medal for Italy in the Team Relay. And Lucas Chanavat (FRA) is here, but he may finally have realized that he has never devised a tactic that’s even come close to allowing him the sort of success that his natural power and physical prowess would’ve suggested could be his. Among Americans, Schumacher qualified eighth. Jack Young 16th, Ben Ogden 22nd, McMullen 26th. Qualifying was won by Klaebo, followed by Chanavat and Pellegrino. The stage was set in an exciting race for silver. Sorry if that sounds like a weak set-up; we’re just calling it as we see it . . .
Zanden Mcmullen (USA) held his own in a closely contested heat with Lucas Chanavat (FRA), Benjamin Moser (AUT), Lukas Mrkonjic (AUT), and Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR),. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
Sprint Heats
McMullen drew the first heat alongside Chanavat and Klaebo. Chanavat wanted the lead, but not the pace. With Klaebo positioned alongside him (staying near the front and out of trouble) the course was clogged and the pace was slowed. Ultimately, Chanavat found himself suckered into the lead at the top of the final downhill where he surrendered the draft and was predictably passed by Klaebo. Chanavat would actually fall in the final turn, allowing Klaebo to cross the line unchallenged, and making room for Benjamin Moser (AUT in the second spot to qualify for the semifinal. McMullen would cross in a closely-contested third place, too slow to advance as a lucky loser, but good enough for 20th on the day. There was some question about Chanavat’s fall (and whether or not he was interfered with), but the slo-mo replay made it appear that he’d done the damage on his own.
In the second quarterfinal, Ogden decided to play his cards at the front where he was joined by Pellegrino. But coming through to make the pace was Skar (who has been absent from the World Cup scene for a few seasons, but returned to this venue in replacement of Olympic medalist, Oskar Oppstad Vike (NOR) who was injured at the recent U23 World Championships. Pellegrino would become impatient with Skar’s pace, driving forward to take the lead at the top of the final climb. But it was Heggen who would take advantage of the draft on the final downhill to take the heat win. He was followed across the line by Janik Riebli (SUI), Pellegrino, and Skar. Ogden would coast across the line a distant sixth, 28th on in the final Sprint results.
Schumacher bided his time at the rear of the third quarterfinal, weaving through traffic to move forward into fourth position before the final downhill. Schumacher chose the outside line on the final left-hander, rocketing forward to steal an automatic ticket into the semifinal just ahead of Holbaek and Valerio Grond (SUI).
Jack Young started at the rear of his quarterfinal, continuing to work his way through the field, but generally finding his way blocked and his momentum stymied. He entered the final downhill in fourth position, but with precieous little room to maneuver. Young came around the final turn in third, but was late to accelerate, finding himself still third at the line. In a slow heat, Young’s finishing time was not fast enough to advance. He would finish teh day in 15th.
“My training during the Olympics absolutely allowed me to come in to Period 4 fresher and sharper,” said Young. “I felt faster today than I did in Falun, and I think I’m still on the way up.
“Tactically, I’m making the progress I need to make,” Young continued. “I did a lot of things today in the heat that I haven’t done in the past. I was taking up space and shutting down moves made from behind me better than I ever have. In the future I need to keep skiing aggressively and find ways to get into the top two before the last 100 meters.
Janik Riebli (SUI), Lars Heggen (NOR), Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR), Gus Schumacher (USA), Benjamin Moser (AUT), Davide Graz (ITA) in the Freestyle Sprint inLahti, Finland. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
Sprint Semifinals
Schumacher lined up next to Klaebo in the first semifinal. Klaebo was first off the line with Schumacher attached to his tails. They marked at the front by Heggen; no one wanted to get away, no one wanted to lead. Klaebo seemed to grow bored with the tactical pace, allowing himself to glide into the lead and initiating a small attack before the top of the uphill section. All day long, skiers in the lead on the final downhill have found themselves overtaken by those in the draft. But “all day long” is not enough of a precursor to undo the ski-dominance of Klaebo. He floated down the slope, surrendering no discernible advantage to those tucked in behind him. Klaebo would execute a couple of energetic pushes in the final straightaway to remain ahead of Riebli (who edged out Heggen). Schumacher never managed to make up enough ground, finishing the semifinal in fifth position, and ninth on the day.
Chappaz skied to tactical perfection in the second semifinal, using the draft on the downhill to slingshot into the lead in the final meters. Behind him, numerous skiers were caught in traffic as Skari emerged from the pack for the automatic semifinal spot, ahead of Grond who advanced as a lucky loser.
Sprint Final
In Lahti’s quarterfinal and semifinal heats, Klaebo had shown that he could win from the draft, or win from the front. Subsequently, he would continue to provide a cryptic puzzle for Skari, Heggen, Chappaz, Riebli, and Grond. I mean, we expect Klaebo to win, we just don’t know exactly which way he’ll choose to do it.
At the crack of the starter’s pistol, Klaebo rocketed forward (that much we could anticipate), controlling the front and dictating the early pace as he so often does. The rest of the skiers were left to wonder—will he just drill it at the front and drop us? Or will he lure one of us into the lead, only to slingshot around us at the end? Here’s what the other skiers must, by now, understand pretty clearly: if Klaebo makes you lead, you lose. On the other hand, if Klaebo puts his energy into keeping the lead, there’s no one who can come around him. That’s the kind of advantage a skier earns when he’s the best of all time. And the best of all time was simply not going to get beat in this little World Cup Sprint in Lahti. Heggen and Riebli did their best to follow Klaebo, but the draft effect that Heggen needed just never materialized. Heggen was in good position on the final downhill: all the laws of physics were on his side, all the likelihoods of ski race tactics were in his favor . . . still, Heggen never made up a single meter. He would hold on for second, ahead of a late-charging Chappaz. Klaebo would coast across the line for his zillionth career World Cup victory, his we-can’t-keep-track-of-how-many wins in a row.
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR) eases up at yet another World Cup finish line. It may not be exciting any more, but it certainly remains thrilling. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
He doesn’t get tired, he doesn’t get sick, he doesn’t get out-maneuvered, he doesn’t get out-smarted, he doesn’t get out-sprinted. In one of the most challenging endurance sports that humans have ever contested, one guy just seems to win at will. How incredible it is to be a ski-fan in this era when one skier displays such outright dominance. The legendary Marit Bjoergen (NOR) claimed 114 wins during World Cup history’s most decorated Nordic skiing career. In Lahti, Klaebo truly began drawing within sight of that landmark number. Six races remain in the World Cup season. If he were to win out this season, Klaebo would finish the year having overtaken Bjoergen for the most-wins distinction, as well as a few others.
“I’m tired,” admitted Klaebo. “I’m barely training between the races. I’m just racing now, but we’ll see how long we continue to do that. Hopefully, we’ll be able to do that for two more weeks.”
There’s never been a season like this one that Klaebo is likely to complete: World Cup Overall, World Cup Distance, World Cup Sprint, Tour de Ski, and six Olympic gold medals. That’s the real story . . . and I’m so glad I’ve been here to see it. Next year may be “way harder,” predicts Klaebo. As he advises, we’ll enjoy this for now.
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Ben Ogden (USA) celebrates as he crosses the finish line with an Olympic silver medal, the first medal for the U.S. men in the sport in fifty years. (Photo: Vanzetta/NordicFocus)
This essay by Jim Galanes was written on the evening of the Olympic Men’s Classic Sprint in Val di Fiemme, when Ben Ogden won silver to become the first American man in 50 years to medal in an Olympic cross-country skiing event. It was drafted from the race course that same night and is being published now, several weeks later, as a reflection from someone who has witnessed multiple generations of American skiing.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
A friend texted and reminded me as we were standing on the course for the sprint race, in Val di Fiemme, that it had been 50 years and five days since Bill Koch won his silver medal in Seefeld, Austria, at the 1976 Olympics.
I was at those Games as a Nordic Combined skier, 20 years old learning the sport, I was trail side 4-5 kilometers from the finish cheering Bill on. In fact, I got so caught up in the moment that I nearly missed my own ski jumping training window and had to hustle back to squeeze in my final practice jumps before competition. Bill’s performance mattered, not just for the result, but for what it signaled about what American skiers could do on the world stage.
Fast forward five decades (and five days), and I found myself in a remarkably similar position, but as a spectator, back on course, watching Ben Ogden put together what I believe was the most complete race of his career , tactically, psychologically, and physiologically, on the same Val di Fiemme tracks that have tested athletes for the past 30 years.
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR) and Ben Ogden (USA), (l-r) crest the final climb before descending into the finish during the semifinals. (Photo: Barbieri/NordicFocus)
Let’s be clear. Racing against Johannes Høsflot Klaebo is a different challenge altogether. He is, quite simply, the dominant sprinter of this era. Everyone knows that. But if there is someone willing to challenge him, to pressure him early rather than concede, Ben is one of the few with the courage and competitive instinct to do it.
Ben has always been an aggressive racer. We’ve all seen the pattern before, going out hard, sometimes, too hard in qualification or early rounds, only to lose just enough capacity to not be a factor when it matters most. That’s not an athletic flaw. It’s the learning curve of a young athlete figuring out how to apply fitness in international competition.
This time was different.
With an early start in qualification, Ben laid down a fast, aggressive time that held up until Klaebo edged it. What stood out wasn’t just the speed; it was the control, the discipline, and the focus. Ben skied the lower sections with restraint, clearly managing energy so he could handle the Zorzi climb effectively and carry speed over the top. From our vantage point near the finish, you could see those who had overcooked that climb and the early sections of the course. Those athletes crested without momentum, struggled to accelerate on the descent, and had difficulty navigating the soft, wet corner into the finishing straight.
Ben didn’t have that problem.
We couldn’t see the full climb directly, but the stadium screen told the story. He attacked decisively, created separation, and more importantly, did it without being frantic or over his limits. Still, the coach in me wondered whether that effort would cost him later. History makes me cautious.
As the rounds progressed, it was obvious the conditions were deteriorating. The snow got slower each heat. Times drifted up significantly, and the race began to perhaps reward athletes with deeper aerobic reserves and better efficiency rather than pure power. In softer conditions, maintaining effective kick can become a limiter. Some athletes compensated with excessive upper-body work. Ben, by contrast, maintained clean mechanics and consistent pressure and pace through the race
In the semifinal, Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR) was first across the line, while Ben Ogden (USA) was outlunged by Lauri Vuorinen (FIN) and needed a lucky loser spot to advance to the finals. (Photo: Vanzetta/NordicFocus)
In the semifinal, we positioned ourselves on the first uphill. Klaebo and Ogden came through side by side. Partway up, Klaebo glanced over, the kind of look experienced racers give when they recognize a real contender, as if to say OK-lets go. The front group, Klaebo, Ogden, and Vuorinen, quickly separated from the field. No one could break it open on the final climb, and it came down to the finishing sprint, where Ben placed third and advanced as a lucky loser out of the faster semifinal.
Not dramatic. Just composed. Exactly what he had to do.
By the final, the track had slowed even more. Once again, Ben committed from the gun, but not recklessly. On the Zorzi climb, he and Klaebo distanced the rest of the field, turning the race into a two-man contest for gold and silver. Over the final roller, Klaebo made the decisive move, a couple of double poles, as he has done here numerous times, and created the separation he needed. Ben held second convincingly ahead of a very strong Norwegian contingent.
Here’s my takeaway.
Ben has adjusted tactically. But this wasn’t just better tactics. This was the performance of an athlete who arrived. The fitness is there. The psychological composure is there. The tactical judgment has caught up to his physiology. At the end of the race he was spent as he should have been. That wasn’t miscalculation; that was full commitment.
Ben Ogden (USA) celebrates on the podium with his Olympic silver medal. (Photo: Vanzetta/NordicFocus)
Fifty years ago, Bill Koch’s medal showed that an American could belong at the front of international cross-country skiing. Performances like this suggest we are entering another period where that idea is no longer an exception.
On the men’s side, athletes like Ogden, Gus Schumacher, Ketterson, Wonders, McMullen, and Schoonmaker, the talent is real. The depth of talent is unquestionable. The question is no longer whether they can compete. The question, as always in endurance sport, is whether they can improve their consistency of their performance, continue to build, stay healthy, and keep progressing.
That part never gets easier. We can do it if we can continue to support and improve the club programs that have developed these athletes.
Jim Galanes, Peter Davis, and Peter’s granddaughter. (Photo: Joyce Allgier)
As a side note, this is the first Olympics I have been to since 1994, more than 30 years. It has sort of been like old home week, bumping into friends who had just skied in the World Masters in Sampada, Italy. Spending an hour with Rick Kapala in the food court line while discussing many of what we both see we need to work on to the keep the sport progressing. Connecting briefly with former Olympians Judy Rabinowitz, Trina Hosmer, and her husband Dave, old ski and bike riding friends from Stowe. On the last day, I was also able to meet with Peter “Giant” Davis and his wife, Nancy, on the side of the trail. Peter was an athlete on the US Ski Team in the 70’s, a coach at Telemark Academy, and later at the Lyndon Nordic Ski Center. The first residential programs for junior cross-country skiers in the country.
Gus Schumacher fans. (Photo: Joyce Allgier)
We also enjoyed meeting some of Gus Schumacher’s friends, family, parents, and others. It is fun to see so many old soldiers of the sport still around and enjoying the time watching U.S. skiers compete on the world stage. It was great to see and know so many other US ski fans who were there that I did not get to see personally. Most of all, having a young APU skier who I had never met come up and thank me for founding the APU program that is giving her the opportunity to pursue her dreams. The success we are seeing today and what we need to do in the future is built upon an understanding of what we have done in the past and a clear vision of what we need to do in the future to move forward.
Picture of Vermonter Bill Koch celebrating his winning the FIS Overall WC crown with a very happy coach, the late Mike Gallagher. A very special moment. (Photo and caption courtesy of Peter Graves)
A clear vision of the future should require an understanding of where we have come from, and what we have done in the past. It is interesting that some of those who have been influential in the past are still engaged in the sport. Maybe a curse of old age, or maybe relevant, that we see the past as a building block for the future. As I look back in my lifetime in the sport, understanding where we are today would not have been possible without the likes of John Caldwell, Sven Wiik, two of the earliest coaches in the sport who helped create coaching for aspiring athletes. Athletes, like Gray, Gallagher, Rockwell and Elliot who laid the foundation in international competition and inspired my generation. The Southern Vermont quad of Koch, Caldwell, Galanes and Dunklee took the next steps, along with women like Spencer, Owen, and Rabinowitz. The next generation of athletes like Kemppel, Bauer, Freeman, and Randall, who, despite a multitude of challenges and inadequate support from the US Ski Team, produced some excellent results.
In 1996 I established Gold 2002 program in Anchorage, later I brought into APU to become APU Nordic Ski Center. I established this program to create a better (a different) or alternative pathway that would provide athletes with full-time coaching and a base level of support to keep athletes skiing after college or have an alternative pathway to the NCAA route. Many more of these so-called pro teams followed in the coming years. We now have strong club programs in every region of the country. Those programs have been critically important to the success we have enjoyed over the last decade or so. We need to support and help those programs to continue to improve and expand so we can have even more athletes ready to perform when they step on the World Cup and Olympic stage. Perhaps the biggest hurdle these days. It is possible that we just need to find the best pathway to make the next steps in developing athletes.
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Ben Ogden (USA), Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR), and Oskar Opstad Vike (NOR), (l-r) share the 2026 Olympic Winter Games Classic Sprint podium in Tesero, Italy. (Photo: Vanzetta/NordicFocus)
John Caldwell, born November 28, 1928, passed away February 27 at 97 years old. John’s contribution to cross-country skiing in the United States is unquestioned.
John Caldwell, November 28, 1928 — February 27, 2026. (Photo: Robert George)
He was a 1952 Olympian in Nordic Combined. He wrote several books on cross-country skiing that became our training guidance, our bibles, in the early and mid-1970s. He was a long-time teacher and coach at The Putney School, an early U.S. Ski Team coach, and a member of the coaching staff at the Winter Olympics in 1960, 1964, 1968, 1972, and 1984. In the mid-1990s he founded the New England Nordic Ski Association (NENSA), stepping in to fill a regional void the U.S. Ski Association had abandoned at the time.
That’s the high-level resume. But that doesn’t capture what happened. It’s beyond me to catalog everything John did for the sport. What I can offer is a personal perspective, what it was like to grow up skiing with his influence.
Left to right: Jennifer, Peter, Sverre, Tim, Hep, and John. (Photo: Courtesy Image)
My earliest memory of JC was driving to Putney with my dad to buy a pair of skis from him. Later I saw him at the Washington’s Birthday races, local races in Putney, the Samsonite/Dannon Series, and the night races of the late ’60s and early ’70s.
In 1967 or so, John reached out to Inga Löwdin in Sweden to bring women to the U.S. to race. That exchange helped spearhead women’s skiing in this country, particularly the career of Martha Rockwell, then a student at Putney. In the early ’70s he also brought Norwegian skiers over to compete in what was then a surprisingly robust night race circuit in the Northeast.
I’m not sure he was thinking in terms of “athlete development” as we define it today. His goal was simpler: to grow the sport. Get people involved. Raise the level by exposure.
He was integral in founding the Washington’s Birthday race in southern Vermont, one of the first popular cross-country races in the country. The race rotated locations from Marlboro, Guilford, Brattleboro, Putney, and Westminster West. It reportedly grew from 54 participants in the first year to several hundred within just a few years.
It was not an accident, even before Bill Kochs success the sport was going through a growth and participation spike that fuels the sport still today.
In junior high I would go up to Putney School for occasional training sessions. I remember skiing long loops and being far behind. In high school, Labor Day training camps organized by JC brought national team skiers into our backyard, Bob Gray, Tim Caldwell, Charlie Kellogg, Peter Davis, Joe McNulty. That was normal in Windham County. There were always good skiers and cyclists around for a workout.
Chris Osgood, Mary Heller Osgood, Jennifer Caldwell (daughter), Peter Caldwell (son) and John Caldwell arriving in Australia for a ski trip. (Photo: Courtesy Image).
By the early to mid-’70s, Putney graduates like Bob Gray and Martha Rockwell, along with the next wave, Bill Koch, Tim Caldwell, Stan Dunklee, myself, were training and competing together more regularly. John didn’t “coach” us in the modern sense. He rarely prescribed workouts. Instead, he would ask what I was doing for training, then share what he was hearing from Russians, Norwegians, and Finns.
“This is what they’re doing. Maybe it makes sense to try it.”
Between 1974 and 1978, and through the 1980 Olympics in Lake Placid, our local group trained together more often. Long runs from Putney to Saxtons River and back. Weekly 50–60 km roller skis, usually ending at the Caldwell sauna. For a few years we did a 220-mile bike ride straight up or down the spine of Vermont, depending on Bill’s forecast of prevailing winds.
John didn’t script those sessions. He didn’t stand there with a stopwatch. His influence, and his openness to ideas from abroad, shaped the key workouts we implemented. Many of them still hold up today.
I spent a lot of time around Putney in those years, so JC and I worked frequently on technique. He pushed me to experiment. Not necessarily because he knew the movement would be faster, but because adapting to new movement patterns develops skill. Most of our technical work happened on uphill’s. Back then, equipment and grooming limited how much time you could gain on flats and downhills. Uphill efficiency mattered most or so I thought. We worked on short, quick tempo striding. Shuffling. Even running movements not far from what people now call the Klaebo run.
John Caldwell and the art of flexing skis. Here, he’s helping his granddaughter Sophie Caldwell, a former U.S. Ski Team member, pick skis in 2017. (Photo: Sophie Caldwell)
In December 1979, John was contracted by the U.S. Ski Team to work with me in early, season Nordic Combined World Cups. I was skiing well and trying to hold form heading toward the 1978 World Championships in Lahti. I’m not sure how much he knew about ski jumping at that point. But he knew enough to keep things relaxed and low-key in the days before competition, including an afternoon visit to the Hofbräuhaus in Munich.
In Reit im Winkl, I was third in jumping and won the cross-country by a substantial margin. That week, at least, he did just fine as a coach!
At the 1982 World Championships he was there in a wax-support role. Back then, that mostly meant Swix Purple or Toko glide and a binder plus hard wax for kick. There wasn’t extensive testing. Athletes prepared their own skis. He was there as support team, especially for those of us from the Putney Ski Club. His last international trip with us was the 1984 Olympics in Sarajevo.
In later years, John served on a steering committee overseeing the U.S. cross-country program. I’d like to say it was a productive collaboration between staff and the steering committee. It wasn’t. The structure didn’t allow for effective dialogue. Good intentions don’t automatically produce good governance.
From left to right: Sverre Caldwell, Tim Caldwell, John Caldwell, and Peter Caldwell. (Photo: courtesy Sophie Caldwell)
In the early to mid-1990s, I worked at Stratton Mountain School. Being close to Putney again meant more time with JC, and many discussions that eventually led John to the formation of NENSA. As a founding board, we saw the early organizational stages and the hiring of its first staff. Summers often included time at the sauna, the best conversations happened when only a few of us were there, often ending around the big dinner table.
The last 30 years of my friendship with John were mostly phone calls, emails, and the occasional Facebook comment. Often cryptic. Once, commenting on a photo of me skiing in my 60s, he wrote that I still skied like a donkey. Not entirely inaccurate.
Other times it was, “What do you make of the results at X race?” Or, “Whose technique is best?” He was always curious and engaged. Thinking about the sport at a higher level than most others during those years
The last time I visited him was last June during a short trip through New England. Tim told me it was JC’s nap time, but I was on a tight schedule and stopped in anyway. The caretaker let me into his apartment. I walked in and said, “JC, what the hell is going on?” Before he even saw me, he replied, “Galanski, what the hell are you doing here?” We spent two hours talking about old times, friends, and family. Mentally, he was as sharp as ever, even as his body was failing.
John’s contributions to skiing can be measured by the roles he held, the teams he coached, and the organizations he helped build. Harder to measure, and ultimately more important, is what happened in southern Vermont simply because he was there. A culture took shape that valued learning and curiosity, exposure to the highest levels, and consistent, broad-based participation. Athletes trained hard, thought broadly, and held themselves to a higher standard, without being told to do so. John didn’t try to manage the sport or own its direction. He created the conditions where it could grow. And for decades, it did.
Note: An official obituary for John Caldwell has been published by his family. Those wishing to honor John’s legacy may consider making a donation toNew England Nordic Ski Association(NENSA), the organization he helped found to strengthen and grow cross-country skiing in the region. Contributions in his memory will continue the work he cared so deeply about — supporting athletes, coaches, and the future of American Nordic skiing.
John Caldwell, front left, with his, Hep, and all 10 of their grandchildren. Photo: courtesy of Sophie Caldwell.
This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com.
Jessie Diggins (USA), Frida Karlsson (SWE), Heidi Weng (NOR) in a finish for the ages . . . Falun’s 2 x 10 k Skiathlon came down to a three-skier drag race. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
Cross-country ski racing fans know how the Women’s field races—flat out, wire to wire, merciless. That’s what made Falun’s 2 x 10 k Skiathlon look like an indicator of just how challenging and exhausting last week’s Olympic races must’ve been. The predicted contenders were together at the front, but the pace was unexpectedly conservative.
“When Karlsson is ‘on,’ she goes for it,” said on-screen commentator, Kikkan Randall. But Frida Karlsson (SWE) wasn’t going for it. She skied to the front of the Skiathlon field numerous times, but never seeming to have an intention to truly press the issue, or to attempt to break away. Fans will remember that Karlsson fell ill during the Olympic Games (after gold medals in both teh Skiathlon and the 10 k Freestyle), eventually choosing not to start the 50 k Classic where she had been the odds-on favorite to take gold. That race was only one week ago, so if Karlsson was then too sick to ski, it’s not inconceivable that she might still be feeling the effects of that sickness. Usually, Karlsson would race from the gun. Not today . . .
In a race that was oddly lacking for fireworks, the three prime contenders still managed to separate themselves from the rest of the field . . . but not from each other. Twenty kilometers of measured racing came down to a three-way sprint in a crowded finishing straightaway. With 50 meters remaining, Karlsson, Jessie Diggins (USA), and Heidi Weng (NOR) sprinted in a three-abreast dead heat, a drag race that was ultimately won by the narrowest of margins by a resurgent Weng. Diggins would finish a breathtaking .1 seconds behind, with Karlsson less than a second behind her.
Canadian skiers posted impressive finishes with Liliane Gagnon 17th, Alison Mackie 20th, Jasmine Drolet 37th, and Olivia Bouffard Nesbitt 41st.
Kendall Kramer (USA) has come out of the Olympic Games with new condifence and refined fitness. She skied to a career-best ninth place finish in Falun’s World Cup Skiathlon. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
Just behind the lead group, Kendall Kramer (USA), would post a career-best placing, skiing forward from her #35 starting position to finish the day in ninth. Other American finishers included Hailey Swirbul 33rd, Rosie Brennan 35th, Novie McCabe 42nd, and Emma Albrecht 44th.
“I must have gotten a 50k fitness boost they talk about!” said Kramer. “This felt like the easiest race all season, and I could go faster at every point, felt in control and like I had more and more energy. I got a lot of semi-altitude training done during the Olympics and have just been enjoying skiing around since then! Usually, I falter off during the spring due to a long XC running season before Nordic starts, so without that this year, things look a little different with trajectory.”
Heidi Weng (NOR) has always been a contender, and often finishes on the World Cup podium, but she hadn’t had a World Cup win in four years. Falun’s Skiathlon delivered her some long-awaited redemption. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
Classic Leg
Falun’s racing conditions would be challenging for ski technicians: 1.2 degrees Celsius (just over 34 degrees Fahrenheit) with very high humidity. Snow had fallen earlier in the day, so a nightmare wax-scenario was a very real possibility. And struggling through the ten kilometer Classic leg can prove disastrous. Randall mentioned the difficulty of preparing skis for the day’s conditions. “Many of the skiers had brought both pairs of skis to the start line . . . deciding which way to go,” she commented. Having been in that position, herself, during her long and storied World Cup career, Randall described the situation as “nerve wracking.”
Karlsson, Weng, Simpson-Larsen, and Diggins al seemed to be in possession of expertly prepared skis; they went to the front to begin making pace. Moa Ilar (SWE)—Diggins’ primary challenger in the season-long World Cup standings—appeared to struggle initially as her skis proved slick on the uphills.
Mackie latched on to the tail of the chase group as well, though she appeared to be struggling bravely with slippery skis. Early in the race, Kramer maneuvered through the field to overcome her early start position, skiing forward into a chase group that hovered ten seconds behind the leaders.
“I had perfect skis in Classic—kick every step and shooting ahead on the downhills,” said Kramer. “So I was granted some standing up rest time. I could double pole more than other girls were doing and that saved me a lot of leg energy. A good classic day does not always happen for me, but when I get the perfect kick (thank you, Per-Erik!!!) classic is very comfortable for me. When I am sloppy, I can’t hang with the pack at the start and am out of it from the beginning. I was happy to actually execute my fitness and stay with the leaders from the start and hang on from there- I’m learning in World Cup mass starts, if you’re not in it from the start (sprinting off the line), you’re out of it, so that was knowledge I carried with me here!”
As the pace settled, Diggins appeared confident, Weng appeared determined, Karlsson appeared tentative. Diggins would win top bonus points (15) at the 5.4 kilometer bonus sprint. Her closest World Cup rival, Moa Ilar, was eighth, earning three points. After ten kilometers of racing, the leading three would approach the ski exchange together. Diggins entered the ski exchange in front, but a bit of extra fiddling with her pole straps cost her time. She would start the skate leg near the back of the ten-skier lead group.
Kramer’s high start number meant her ski exchange gate was far down the line from the leaders (and off camera). Throughout the Classic leg, she had continued to press forward through the field, moving up to eighth place on the course and re-establishing contact with the lead pack. A slower exchange left her off the back of the lead group as the skate leg began. Still, Kramer’s position was only 11 seconds behind the leaders.
Frida Karlsson (SWE), led much of the day, but she was never able to deliver the sizzling agression that often accompanies her mass-start efforts. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
Freestyle Leg
The skate loop would include Falun’s infamous climb, the Mördarbacken. Karlsson went to the front up the climb, followed by Weng. Diggins seemed content to remain within the lead group while her rivals did the work. Having been gapped slightly after the ski exchange, Kramer settled into a three-person chase group with Maia Dahlqvist (SWE) and Nora Saness (NOR).
Another bonus sprint was offered at the 14 kilometer mark. And the slower pace had allowed Ilar to rejoin the lead group along with Daria Nepryaeva (AIN). Ilar would finish third at the bonus, earning 12 points. But she would make up no distance on Diggins who crossed first to earn 15 points.
The slower pace of the day had also allowed another dark horse to sneak into contention. With five kilometers to go, the leaders became aware of the presence of Olympic Sprint champion, Linn Svahn (SWE) wearing bib 32. Always a capable Distance skier throughout her career, Svahn is enjoying a period of great form in these days following the Olympics. If the leaders failed to drop Svahn before the finishing straightaway, she would definitely steal the whole race.
Karlsson had not skied like herself this day, but when she saw Svahn in the lead pack, something seemed to click. Straight to the front went Karlsson. But it was a counter-attack by Weng that truly animated the race. Up a steep climb, Weng raised her tempo and established a bit of a gap over Karlsson. Behind them, Diggins tried to limit the damage in third, followed by a wobbling Nepryaeva and a game Svahn who appeared calm in her willingness to let a gap develop. Nobody panicked yet, but Weng had made her intentions clear. With four kilometers to go, she was committed to the finish line.
Diggins is a seasoned and experienced racer with enough mass-start races under her belt to know that gaps can be overcome by skiers who resist panicking on the parts of the course that are their weakness, and taking advantage of those parts of the course that are their strengths. For Diggins, her strength is found in the downhills where she is often able to close gaps. She knew she might still have a chacne to bridge up to Weng and Karlsson. With three kilometers remaining, Diggins regained contact.
Weng continued applying pressure, with the top three establishing a considerable gap ahead of Svahn. Within the final two kilometers, Karlsson again moved to the the front. She would know that her career results placed her no better than third among the sprint abilities of this lead group. Either she would drop Weng and Diggins, or one of them would snatch victory from her.
The final kilometer of the Freestyle loop re-traces the finish of Falun’s Sprint course, where it’s well known that leading over the final hill can be disastrous. Falun’s infamous draft favors those who follow up the hill and slingshot down the other side. Karlsson continued to insist on leading, though all three contenders seemed to stall at the top of the final uphill where Karlsson had still not managed to gap Weng, and while Diggins struggled she did not lose contact. With the Sprint-draft downhill ahead of her, Karlsson was in an unenviable position. She managed to maintain her position at the front as the trio entered the finishing straightaway. Fortunately, that straightaway was groomed three skiers wide, as the leaders charged toward the line three abreast. With 20 exhausting kilometers already in tehir arms and legs, the sprint would be as much about resolve as it was about sprint ability. Karlsson took the middle, Diggins eased past her on skier’s right, but it was Weng on the left who proved to have the most energy remaining. Four years removed from her last individual World Cup victory, Weng raised her arms in victory, elation, and relief. Diggins would cross just .1 seconds behind her, and less than a second ahead of a totally spent Karlsson.
Svahn would finish fourth, 11 seconds behind, just ahead of Nepryaeva. Kramer would conclude her day in ninth place, posting the best finish of her young World Cup career.
Diggins continued to extend her lead in the race for the 2026 Overall World Cup Crystal Globe, a competition that will be decided—and a trophy that will be awarded—at the season-concluding races a few weeks from now in Lake Placid, New York.
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The cost of doing business: athletic carnage among podium finishers at the finish line of the Women’s 2 x 10 k Skiathlon in Falun. (Photo: FasterSkier screenshot)
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The Men’s 20 k Skiathlon gets underway in Falun, Sweden. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
With fresh snow overnight and temperatures hovering just above freezing, it was the kind of conditions that keep ski technicians guessing and athletes second-guessing. A week removed from the Olympics in Italy, the World Cup resumed for the second day with a 20-kilometer Skiathlon on a course that rewards patience and punishes weakness.
And while viewers looked on, whether to witness something historic or something new, Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo won again.
Klaebo covered the 10 k classic and 10 k freestyle in 48:41.8, edging teammate Harald Oestberg Amundsen by 0.7 seconds and Martin Loewstroem Nyenget by 0.8 seconds in a Norwegian podium sweep. The victory extended one of the most remarkable streaks in modern cross-country skiing and tightened his grip on the overall standings and, maybe more importantly for the remaining season-long narrative, extended his lead in the FIS distance ranking for the Distance Crystal Globe.
The race was familiar and predictable, with Nyenget driving much of the pace, Amundsen staying close, and Klaebo remaining measured in the pack. When the decisive move came in the final sprint, Klaebo, once again, not only had the answer, but made it look easy.
“This was a tough one,” Klaebo graciously said on the FIS broadcast after the race. “I think Martin was very strong today. I think he was in the front almost for 20 k.”
Martin Loewstroem Nyenget (NOR) leads, Andreas Fjorden Ree (NOR), Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR), Harald Oestberg Amundsen (NOR), and the rest of the field at a frenzied pace at the beginning of the Men’s 20 k Skiathlon in Falun, Sweden. (Photo: Thibaut/NordicFocus)
Classic Leg: Bonus points that created a breakaway
The men opened with three laps of the 3.4-kilometer red course, climbing the Mini Mördarbacken each time. Conditions sat just above freezing, with fresh snow complicating the classic wax call. Athletes chose between traditional kick wax and zero-skis, the latter relying on a texture sanded into a softer base material underfoot.
The pace was honest from the gun. At 5.4 kilometers, where bonus World Cup points were on offer, Nyenget and Klaebo pushed hard, with Klaebo claiming the maximum 15 bonus points, followed by Nyenget and Amundsen. That acceleration fractured the field.
A lead group of Norwegians formed with Nyenget, Amundsen, Klaebo, and Andreas Fjorden Ree. Arsi Ruuskanen of Finland and Savelii Korostelew, competing as a neutral athlete, also managed to maintain contact. Behind them, a gap had opened to a chase pack led by American Gus Schumacher.
By the end of the classic leg, the leaders had established a gap that would prove decisive.
Martin Loewstroem Nyenget (NOR) continued to set a fast pace at the front of the Men’s Skiathlon. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
The Exchange and the Mördarbacken
Transitions in a Skiathlon are rarely glamorous or decisive, but a skier can lose contact with the lead if they don’t stay calm. Amundsen executed a clean ski exchange and briefly looked poised to dictate terms once the field switched to the blue 5-kilometer skate loop.
That loop includes the full Mördarbacken, a long, layered climb that television struggles to do justice. The ascent, which parallels the ski jumping landing hill, builds in segments, steepening before easing slightly when it cuts across the slope, then rising again one last time. It is not just a memorable climb in name, but once you have skied it, you will never forget the ‘Murder Hill.’
Nyenget continued to press the pace up front. Klaebo, as he often does, sat tucked in, attentive and measured.
On the first lap of the skate course, the lead group remained six, with the four Norwegians, Ruuskanen, and Korostelew. By the second ascent of Mördarbacken, it was effectively a three-Norwegian affair with Korostelew, Ree, and Ruuskanen fading slightly and fighting to limit losses and eventually finishing fourth, fifth, and sixth, respectively.
Behind them, the chase pack raced for seventh.
Martin Loewstroem Nyenget (NOR), Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR), and Harald Oestberg Amundsen (NOR), (l-r) crest the second to last climb. (Photo: Thibaut/NordicFocus)
The Finish
With less than a kilometer remaining, the three Norwegians — Klaebo, Amundsen, and Nyenget — remained locked together. Nyenget, who historically has the least sprint speed, had done the bulk of the visible work, setting the tempo on both classic and skate sections.
At the top of the final climb before descending into the stadium, the trio jockeyed for position, no one wanting to lead only to be overtaken by those in the draft. Nyenget took the lead, but was predictably passed by Klaebo on the far side of the stadium, and at the line, it unfolded as it so often does, Klaebo easing up to wave to the crowd with Amundsen outsprinting Nyenget behind him.
“It was very hard,” Klaebo said during his post-race interview with FIS on the broadcast. “But at the end, I managed to keep up with [Nyenget] and managed to do a good last sprint at the end.”
The margins were small. The pattern was not.
Klaebo now has 12 consecutive victories across World Cup and Olympic competition. The last race he entered without winning was the final climb of the Tour de Ski, where he managed his effort to secure the overall title rather than contest the stage.
“To be honest, I don’t think I have a goal anymore for this season,” he said. “I think the main goal is completed, and now I’m just going to enjoy the last races and see how it goes.”
Gus Schumacher (USA) seemed to do the majority of the work at the front of the chase pack. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
Schumacher: Fast Skis, Hard Hills
Gus Schumacher finished seventh in 49:38.6, 56.8 seconds behind Klaebo and spent much of the day managing a gap that opened during the classic leg and never fully came back.
The decisive acceleration came when the Norwegians lifted the tempo in pursuit of bonus points. Schumacher felt it immediately.
“In the classic, when it got fast, my kick was not great, so it was hard to fight for anything,” he said. “I was kind of just getting up the hills, but the pace was fast the whole time.”
He believed the separation was coming regardless.
“I think that gap was going to open at some point, no matter what,” he said. “Just because of how they were skiing from the start, mostly Nyenget, I think.”
Schumacher was on zero skis for the classic portion.
“I was on zeros. I think most people were on zeros,” he said. “Some people looked good, and I don’t know, there’s some variation there for sure.”
On the flats, he felt competitive.
“The gliding sections were great for me. My skis were really fast,” he said. “But the hills were tough.”
After the exchange, Schumacher exited the stadium aggressively and led the chase group for stretches on the first lap of the skate course. The leaders, however, continued to gain time on the full ascent of Mördarbacken.
Asked to describe the climb, Schumacher was more measured than dramatic.
“Honestly, compared to a lot of the other climbs they do, I feel like it’s not horrible,” he said. “I enjoy it partly because it’s not insanely long and it’s got some steps to it.”
That does not mean it is easy.
“It definitely climbs pretty far and has some steep parts,” he said. “But as far as big climbs go, that’s one of my faves.”
What does it demand?
“Same as other climbs,” he said. “Just fitness, technique, poise… the whole deal.”
Kevin Bolger (USA) during the classic leg, on his way to 36th place on the day. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
Bolger: Boxed In Early, Fighting Back Late
Kevin Bolger finished 36th in 51:12.8, but his race was shaped early.
“It’s always hard to feel the pace when you start mid to back of the field,” Bolger wrote in an email afterward. “I’ve always tried to just relax, let the stringing out happen, and take the gaps where they form and make some jumps.”
He later learned from Gus Schumacher that the leaders had opened aggressively from the gun.
“I heard they started quite hard,” Bolger said. “So I think it was just a hot pace from the start and things just naturally spread out.”
For Bolger, the defining moment came within the first lap of the classic leg.
“Unfortunately, I got stuck behind Andrew Musgrave and went from mid pack to last after the first lap,” he said. “So it was a lot of work to catch back up after that.”
In a Skiathlon, that kind of early compression can cost dearly. Once the field stretches, passing becomes energy-intensive, and the leaders ease the pace.
The waxing decision, at least, felt clear.
“Waking up and seeing the fresh snow and the temperature around zero, it was clear it was going to be zeros,” Bolger said. “But you never know what the techs are mixing up in the truck. As you run out to the start, you look around to see what other people have under their skis.”
Bolger chose zero skis and was confident in the call.
“I went with zeros, and I was very happy with that decision,” he said. “Tim Baucom and I did some good testing and landed on zeros because they were running the best for me, and I was super happy with that.”
By the time the race shifted to the skate leg, the front group was already out of reach. Still, Bolger felt he had something left.
“I was really happy with my classic leg,” he said. “Even with getting stuck early and having to work to catch back up, finishing that classic leg with the energy I had, I knew I could put together a good skate.”
The full Mördarbacken climb on the blue loop remained the critical point.
“I think everyone knows when that massive climb is in the mix, that’s a very critical part of the course and a tipping point for a lot of people,” Bolger said. “If I can get up that hill with the group, I’m in. Once there’s separation, the chances of that coming back are small.”
He described the climb bluntly.
“She starts pretty gradually, and you feel confident at the bottom,” he wrote. “But she turns boys into men real quick, or men into boys quick at the top.”
In soft conditions, with lactate building, the final pitch can expose anyone.
“It’s hard to keep the legs moving when the lactate’s flowing,” he said. “It’s really hard to describe it, but that’s the best way to say it.”
JC Schoonmaker (USA) finding joy in the distance racing as he builds fitness and experience with the longer races. (Photo: Thibaut/NordicFocus)
Schoonmaker: Finding Value in the Distance
JC Schoonmaker finished 58th in 52:40.4, but the placement did not tell the full story of his day.
“The longer distance was pretty tough, but also fun to do that kind of race again,” Schoonmaker wrote afterward. “Even though it was a tough day and not my best race, I find a lot more enjoyment in a 20 k like that, where I’m 60th or whatever, than a sprint qualifier where I’m 35th. Cool to push yourself and ski in a pack.”
Falun’s Skiathlon rewards positioning and sustained pace more than sharp accelerations. For Schoonmaker, the takeaway was direct.
“Today shows me that I probably need to have a bit more pace to be competitive in these longer races,” he said. “Just overall need to be fitter and stronger than I am right now.”
He felt competitive through the classic leg, especially in tricky waxing conditions hovering around freezing.
“The conditions were a bit tricky for sure,” he said. “Whenever zeroes are in the mix as well as wax, it can be a little stressful.”
Schoonmaker chose kick wax rather than zero skis, a minority decision in the field.
“I ended up going on wax, and I think I was probably one of the only guys in the field to do that, so I was a bit nervous at the start,” he said. “But they worked great for me, and I think I made the right call.”
The transition to skate proved costly.
“I felt more competitive in the classic leg, had a bit of a blow up as soon as we switched to skating, and found my flow after a bit, but just lost too much time right after the transition there,” he said.
Then came the full Mördarbacken climb, twice.
“The Mördarbacken is a tough one, I think mostly because it’s just so long,” Schoonmaker said. “It has a lot of grade fluctuations, which I think is cool in a hill and a bit of a grind, but I like the way it skis.”
Other American Finishers:
Hunter Wonders – 47th place
Zanden McMullen – 61st place
Antoine Cyr (CAN) on his way to a top ten. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
Canada: Cyr Inside the Top Ten
Antoine Cyr led the Canadian contingent, finishing 10th. It was a controlled race from Cyr, who held position through the classic leg and limited losses on the climbs during the skate.
Other Canadian Finishers:
Olivier Leveille – 53rd place
Remi Drolet – 54th place
Max Hollmann – 55th place
Sasha Masson – 66th place
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR) charges for the win once again at the end of the Men’s Skiathlon in Falun, Sweden. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
The Larger Arc
Falun is more than just another stop as it will host the 2027 World Championships. It is also a venue that rewards discipline. The gradual terrain away from the stadium invites packs, and the big climbs around the ski jumping hill expose any fitness weaknesses.
For Klaebo, it was another example of restraint followed by precision.
He leads the overall standings. He leads the sprint standings. The distance standings remain mathematically contested, but days like this narrow the space for drama as we move towards the final races.
After sweeping the Olympics, one might have expected a pause, yet there has not been one.
In Falun, the snow was fresh, the wax calls uncertain, and the climbs unforgiving. The result, however, was familiar.
And with three weeks remaining before the World Cup finale in Lake Placid, what now remains is not a question of whether Klaebo has delivered a historic season, but how complete it might become.
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Norwegians Harald Oestberg Amundsen, Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, and Martin Loewstroem Nyenget (l-r) share the Men’s 20 k Skiathlon podium in Falun, Sweden. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
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Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR) continues his march on a most historic season in Falun, Sweden. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
Six days after the Olympic flame dimmed in Italy, the World Cup caravan reassembled in Falun, Sweden, at the Lugnet cross-country ski center. The Mördarbacken — the famed “murder hill” — still looms over the stadium, waiting to torture the athletes tomorrow. The snow was fast, and the sport’s most dominant man arrived with something bordering on the unthinkable within reach.
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo had already swept the Olympic program: six races, six gold medals. He had already conquered the Tour de Ski. He leads the sprint standings. He leads the distance standings. He leads the overall.
In Falun’s Freestyle Sprint, he resumed his campaign as if nothing had interrupted it.
And to no one’s surprise, Klaebo won again.
The victory — tactical, controlled, clinical — pushed his streak forward and kept alive the possibility of something the sport has never seen: a season in which one athlete claims the Olympic sweep, the Tour de Ski title, and all three FIS World Cup Crystal Globes.
“So interesting watching Klaebo,” FasterSkier’s John Teaford observed. “In the semi, he had Chanavat in front, so Klaebo went wide to force him into the lead. In the final, Chanavat was already there, so Klaebo took the inside to shut down Heggen. He’s racing, everyone else is just reacting.”
On a course where lane choice and downhill drafting often matter more than raw power, Klaebo once again skied as if he had solved the puzzle in advance.
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR) gets his quarterfinal started. (Photo: Thibaut/NordicFocus)
The Course That Punishes Hesitation
Lugnet’s sprint track is deceptively compact — Klaebo won the qualification in 2:33.9 — but it rewards patience and punishes impatience. The downhill into the stadium is long enough to generate devastating draft effects; even if a skier has what seems like a wide enough margin out front, they often get swallowed up.
Lars Heggen, left off Norway’s Olympic team in favor of Oskar Opstad Vike, skied with visible urgency all afternoon. He had qualified 26th but surged through the rounds, eventually finishing second behind Klaebo in the final. Vike, the Olympic bronze medalist in the Classic Sprint, failed to advance to the finals.
In a Norwegian program that might be the deepest in skiing history, the margins remain ruthless, and the storyline between Vike and Heggen will continue throughout the rest of the season.
Gus Schumacher (USA) during qualification. (Photo: Thibaut/NordicFocus)
Schumacher: Six Olympic Races, Then a Movie Theater
If Klaebo’s season has been relentless, Gus Schumacher’s has seen both uncertainty and excellence. Schumacher was the only Olympic racer besides Klaebo to start all six events in Italy, culminating in the 50-kilometer classic last weekend.
His recovery plan for Falun?
“I was just chilling,” Schumacher said afterward. “I didn’t ski Sunday or Monday. Tuesday, I went skiing for a little bit, but I wasn’t too stressed about the training. The biggest thing was just not doing too much.”
He went to a movie theater on Tuesday night.
“Just kind of like doing sort of normal life things,” he said. “Helped with recovery for me.”
There was no urgency in his tone, no sense of chasing something lost. Instead, he described an emotional decompression that many Olympians quietly experience.
“All week it’s been a little low,” he admitted. “Today was just nice to go out and race.”
Schumacher advanced cleanly from his quarterfinal, but the semifinal unfolded differently. His start, he acknowledged, hasn’t been historically a strength.
“My start has never been that fast,” he said. “So for me to get into a top-four spot early on is hard. I was kind of relying on gaps to open up.”
But they didn’t.
“The pace was kind of too high, or it was too wide or both,” he said. “I really should have just pulled up a little bit, embrace sixth until the finish, and then gone fast there.”
He missed a lucky loser qualification by three-tenths of a second.
“I’m not super happy with it,” he said. “But the quarterfinal was nice.”
After the emotional volatility of the Games, including a crash in his opening race, a silver medal in the team sprint with Ben Ogden, Schumacher’s energy felt steadier in Falun.
“I wouldn’t say I’m digging deep,” he said. “I think I’m just enjoying the ride.”
After an Olympic training block, Jack Young (USA) is back racing on the World Cup in Falun, Sweden. (Photo: Thibaut/NordicFocus)
Young’s Gamble
Jack Young arrived in Sweden with a different story.
He made the Olympic team but did not earn one of the four U.S. sprint starts in Val di Fiemme. Rather than chase race sharpness, he chose volume.
“I trained very hard for the two weeks leading up to Falun,” Young wrote us in an email after the race. “The theory was that my speed was really good and I needed a fitness boost to finish out the season well.”
This may have been a bit of a risk, but one Young was willing to take.
“I’ve never trained even close to this much volume this close to a World Cup sprint,” he said. “But it seems to have paid off.”
He did not miss race intensity.
“In fact, the two weeks of training were some of my favorite weeks of the winter.”
Young benefited from Filip Skari’s disqualification after he received a second yellow card of the season in the quarterfinals, advancing to the semifinals. There, the course’s tactical nuance intervened.
“I wanted to ski the corner really well, exit with speed, and hopefully overtake Vike and Ersson right before the course kicks up again,” he said. “I had too much speed out of the corner and passed Vike too early and lost the draft.”
The mistake was microscopic, but the consequence decisive.
“Today was hectic but fun,” Young said. “Really cool sprint racing.”
If there was a change in him, it was mental.
“This was probably the most locked in I’ve been for a World Cup semifinal,” he said. “I was ready to really race with those guys and try to beat them.”
For a 23-year-old navigating the narrowest margins in sprint racing, that shift may matter as much as fitness.
Kevin Bolger, who narrowly missed Olympic selection, qualified for the heats but was eliminated in a stacked quarterfinal that included Klaebo. (Photo: Thibaut/NordicFocus)
Bolger’s Return
For Kevin Bolger, the weeks surrounding the Olympics were heavier. Bolger narrowly missed selection for Milan-Cortina, and the emotional toll was real.
“I mean — at the beginning, life sucked,” he said. “It feels like everything is against you and that I was wronged.”
He had been to the Olympics before — in Beijing — and that perspective helped, but it did not soften the blow.
“It still really sucked and hurt a lot,” he said.
Bolger’s response was simple: train.
“My motivation was training through that period and hopefully be able to attack these last World Cup weekends. And of course pour my energy into Maja and do what I could to help her get some medals.”
By the time Falun arrived and the World Cup season got restarted, Bolger felt ready. He knew his quarterfinal would be stacked — Johannes Klæbo among those in the heat — and expected the pace to be high.
“I was prepared for that,” he said. “I felt great and was mentally ready for the pace.”
But on a course like Falun — fast, tactical, draft-dependent — ski speed can decide everything.
“I don’t think I had the most competitive skis in my heat,” Bolger said. “So on a fast tactical course, it’s a bit of an uphill battle. I was hoping to catch the draft coming back to the stadium, but the skis didn’t seem to be running as I’d hoped. But that’s life, and we move on.”
Bolger did not struggle to keep pace with the athletes racing in Val di Fiemme.
“It’s not that hard,” he said. “I had a few weekends of racing to help keep the sharpness going and the shape. It always seems to get better when you can actually just get back into a good training routine. And right now I feel like I’m in a great place and just happy to be racing back in the heats.”
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR) climbs one of the sprint course hills in front of the Swedish fans in Falun, Sweden. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
The Stakes Beyond Saturday
Klaebo’s victory further tightened his grip on the sprint and overall standings.
The distance globe remains mathematically alive, though narrowing. The sprint globe appears close to decided, and the overall lead, barring collapse, is substantial.
What remains compelling is not merely whether Klaebo will win, but whether he will complete something approaching total seasonal dominance.
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR) once again makes it look easy during his win in Falun, Sweden. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
After the Olympics, and the understandable fatigue that would be a result of winning gold in all six races, you might expect Klaebo to take some time off from the World Cup… he did not.
Klaebo moves forward, and what awaits in Lake Placid, where fans will gather to celebrate the close of the season and Jessie Diggins’ final World Cup start, is the possibility of witnessing something the sport has never seen: a Tour de Ski title, an Olympic sweep, and three Crystal Globes claimed in a single winter.
In a season already defined by dominance, Klaebo is now skiing toward something that would endure long after the snow melts.
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Lars Heggen (NOR), Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR), and Benjamin Moser (AUT), (l-r) share the Freestyle Sprint podium in Falun, Sweden. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
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Linn Svahn (SWE) can afford to ignore all the recommended tactics normally employed on Falun’s infamous Sprint course. She’s just too fast. (Photo: Thibaut/NordicFocus)
Falun’s Sprint course rewards experience . . . but not every skier who possesses that experience pays very close attention. Skiers can get distracted by how they feel, by how their heat is shaping up, by the tactics of others. Sometimes, that sort of counter-punching can prove profitable. Not in Falun . . . not on most days anyway.
In Falun, skiers prepare for an infamous and well-known draft on the penultimate downhill . . . they either deal with that draft, or they find themselves out of contention. By now, every skier should know that whomever is leading at the top of the significant downhill is almost certain to be swallowed up by the field. Leading is a mistake, and it appears nearly impossible to establish enough of a lead to overcome the advantage gained by skiers speeding up from behind. Falun represents perhaps the most tactical—and most obvious—of all World Cup Sprint courses. And it will manufacture that same crucial factor next year when the World Championships are staged on this very same course. If skiers take advantage of watching replays of these races, they’ll begin to see that there’s only one tactic to employ in Falun . . . unless, of course, you just happen to be lots faster than everyone else, like Linn Svahn.
In the Sprint final, Svahn found herself forced to the front by a cagey Kristine Stavaas Skistad who positioned herself to take advantage of Falun’s infamous draft. What Skistad did not anticipate was the raw speed that Svahn would bring to the Final. Stuck as she was at the front, Svahn simply engaged the after-burners on the course’s penultimate uphill—a tactical decision that had proven disastrous for every other skier in Falun’s Sprint heats. Accelerate there, and you’re all but certain to get caught on the downhill. But Svahn is riding the crest of a wave that has carried her to the very top of the Sprinting world. The same speed she employed to claim dominant wins in both the Classic Sprint and Team Sprint in the Olympics a week ago continued to propel her to the top step of the podium in Falun. Skistad set things up well in the Sprint Final, but Svahn was simply too strong.
Nadine Faehndrich (SUI) continued her recent podium run in third place ahead of Coletta Rydzek (GER), Maia Dahlqvist (SWE) and Johanna Hagstroem (SWE).
Americans qualified two skiers into the heats—Jessie Diggins and Sammie Smith—both of whom would find themselves undone by Falun’s infamous draft in their quarterfinal heats. Diggins would finish the day 17th, Smith 23rd.
Canada’s Liliane Gagnon would qualify seventh, confirming her arrival on the international Sprint scene by advancing to the semifinal where she wold finish tenth on the day.
Liliane Gagnon (CAN) announced her arrival as a World Cup Sprint contender with a brilliant 10th place finish in Falun. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
After the Olympics . . .
The Olympics are over, the biggest pressure is off, the medals are stowed safely away. Now it’s back to the re-start of the World Cup season that these skiers began months ago. Returning, as the skiers do now, to the post-Olympic season, this is a time when we may find out who is truly worn out from the Games, contrasted with who may have mis-calculated their peak for the Olympics, but may now find themselves in top shape as all those who collected Olympic medals are strangely and uniquely vulnerable.
The weeks following the biggest competitions are sometimes full of surprises, especially when a few of the medal-winners and event-dominators choose to stay home. Who can blame them? They spent weeks and months and years and careers building up to those Olympic Games. And those who succeed in claiming the medals that the media expected must then run the loving gauntlet of media attention and sponsor responsibilities that accompany Olympic success. After the Lake Placid Olympics in 1980, where the immortal speedskater Eric Heiden had proven to be unbeatable (winning all five of the five speedskating events), Heiden signed up for the All-Around World Championships, where he promptly got beat. Lesson learned: just because you’re the best one week doesn’t guarantee you’ll be the best every week . . . not after the insistent press, the pressing sponsorship responsibilities, and the adoring crowds have gotten done with you, anyway.
Diggins entry into the Falun’s World Cup Freestyle Sprint was significant for another reason: after today, she stands alone as the skier who has recorded more individual World Cup starts than any other. (Photo: Jason Cork/FasterSkier)
Switzerland has one of its medalists on the starting line, but not the other. Nadine Faehndrich is here, but no Nadja Kaelin (medalist in both the Team Sprint—with Faehndrich—and the 50 k). Sweden has its newly crowned Sprint Queen, Linn Svahn, in the lineup, but Jonna Sundling—Sweden’s former Sprint Queen—has stayed home. And of course the USA’s Jessie Diggins was here . . . isn’t she always here? Every weekend, every event, every starting line, Jessie Diggins lines up to race. That’s why she’s seemed nearly impossible to best in the season-long World Cup standings: she’s almost always signed up to race, and she’s almost never out of contention. It’s an astonishing level of durability and prolonged excellence, one that we’ll be able to enjoy and appreciate for only a few more weeks until her retirement . . . until that racer who we’ve known would always be there is no longer there. Believe me, we’ll miss Jessie Diggins terribly in seasons to come.
But, for the time being, Diggins has a World Cup Overall title to defend . . . a defense that would benefit from a few more Sprint points. Her fourth place qualifying time would reward her efforts, but she would ski impatiently in her quarterfinal, fining herself undone by the strategic draft that heat-leaders give up on Falun’s Sprint course. Diggins would finish fourth in a heat that was not fast enough to offer advancement as a lucky loser.
“It was my 357th World Cup start,” said Diggins. “It was just a really cool chance to feel extra grateful to my team, to look back on why that was possible, and to look at the bigger message for me here, that asking for help with my mental health got my physical health to a place where I could race this hard for this long . . . And the season isn’t over yet!”
Samantha Smith (USA) just keeps getting stronger week after week. (She would qualify 19th, and finish the day 23rd). Photo: Thibault/NordicFocus)
Tactics on Display
The first quarterfinal involved Skistad and Svahn. Skistad dangled at the back mid-heat, but glided forward on the final downhill to finish second behind Svahn.
Liliane Gagnon (CAN) qualified seventh at the start of the day, and she skied strongly in the second quarterfinal (won by Switzerland’s Nadine Faehndrich) to claim a lucky loser spot, and a space in the semifinal.
Diggins headlined Quarterfinal 3. She led from the start but seemed hindered by slower skis onthe significant downhill. Diggins ran out of gas in the final straightaway as the heat was taken by Coletta Ryzek (GER) ahead of Moa Ilar (SWE).
Sammie Smith (USA) began the day aas the 19th qualifier, continuing to show the form that saw her named to the US Olympic Team. Smith lined up in Quarterfinal 5 where Julie Myhre (NOR) and Johanna Hagstroem (SWE) provided the early pace. Smith has begun to reveal a strategic preference: allowing herself to drop back into the field early on, then charging forward late in the race. She did that again in Falun, storming up the final climb. Unfortunately, experience suggests that the draft given up on Falun’s Sprint course is often the deciding factor, and Smith (like Diggins before her) found herself swallowed up on the descent. Hagstroem would take the heat win, ahead of Julie Bjervig Drivenes (NOR).
“I felt like I skied the hills really strong today and was disappointed with some of my tactical decisions,” said Smith. “Unfortunately, Falun is notorious for a large draft on the final downhill. I was trying to ski to my strengths today, but I should have been more patient and tried to tuck behind other skiers so I didn’t get drafted so much.”
“The more time I have on skis, the more races I get to do, the better I feel,” Smith continued. “I’m really looking forward to the last few weeks of the season.”
Kristine Stavaas Skistad (NOR) showed that she understood the tactics that Falun’s Sprint course dictates, but Linn Svahn (SWE) was just too fast. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
Tactics Confirmed—Sprint Semifinals
Semifinal 1 offered Skistad a chance at Redepption after a disappointing fifth place finish in the Olympic Classic Sprint,and she perhaps better than anyone else seemed to understand the importance of utilizing Falun’s draft. Gagnon streaked forward to contend with Svahn and Faehndrich, while Skistad and Rydzek—famously fast closers—lingered at the back. Skistad easily coasted back into contention in the draft of the long downhill, and was able to get to the tails of Svahn before the finish line. Those two would move on to the final while Rydzek and Faehndrich would wait to see if they would move forward as luckylosers.
The second semifinal involved a slate of Swedes: Moa Ilar, Moa Lundgren, Hagstroem, and the cagey veteran, Dahlqvist, who rarely leads in the early stages of heats. True to form, Dahlqvist hovered around third or fourth. Hagstroem would ski the downhill draft section to perfection, launching into the lead at the bottom, and followed across the line by Dahlqvist. Again, experience ahead of speed.
Linn Svahn (SWE) established a gap ahead of Kristine Stavaas Skistad (NOR) in the Sprint final. Usually, Falun’s course would not reward such audacity, but Svahn was able to hold her advantage to the end. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
Tactics Defied
In the ongoing defense of her lead in the season-long Sprint standings, Dahlqvist had done her job in just getting to the Final. Her lead would be protected for another week in her quest to finish the season wearing the Sprint leader’s red bib. But the other skiers in the Final had other challenges in mind. Team Sweden’s Hagstroem, Svahn, and Dahlqvist matched up against Skistad, Faehndrich, and Rydzek. Skistad went to the front, where it appeared she would control the pace (and force others to go around her into the lead). Her tactic seemed to be working as Svahn found herself at the front. Skistad must’ve been pretty satisfied with that positioning . . . satisfied, that is, until Svahn applied the power. In just a few strokes, Svahn accelerated up the hill where no one else dared acccelerate, creating a massive gap that left Skistad in an unexpected panic.
While Skistad may be one of the fastest sprinters in the world, her strength is definitely not in quick acceleration. Though Skistad would chase gamely, Svahn was gone, the finish line photo making the result appear far closer than it really was. Faehndrich would hold on for third ahead of a fast-charging Rydzek. Dahlqvist would finish fifth, holding her lead in the World Cup standings, but seeing her lead shrink in the wake of Faehndrich’s podium performance. That season-long race is definitely tightening, and appears likely to be decided in the final World Cup weekend in Lake Placid.
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