Photo: Terje Pedersen / NTB
Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget (31) ate up Swedish Max Novak (28) in the decisive counterattack.
Sunday 7 April at 12:23 p.m
– Very funny. Incredibly cool to come in here on the pier. Winning ski races is really fun, says Nyenget to NRK.
Nyenget won the Ski Classics race Summit 2 Senja – 60 kilometers which runs from Bardufoss through Sørreisa, Senja to Finnsnes – by 14 seconds to Novak. Eirik Sverdrup Augdal finished third ahead of Saturday’s winner Johan Hoel.
Swedish Max Novak with shiny skis had a gap of 30 seconds during the long climb up Magdaskaret a few kilometers before the finish. But then Nyenget came with fixed lubrication under the skis.
– It’s clear that it’s sad to be caught with a prank again, but I have to be proud of what I do in it anyway, says Max Novak to NRK.
The Norwegian national team runner, who usually does traditional cross-country skiing, parked Novak up the mighty mountains in northern Norway.
– Then I was cooked, says Novak.
Nyenget believes the opposite slope is tougher than the “Monster hill” in the Tour de Ski – and it doesn’t help that it comes five miles into the race either.
– Cramps in the arms, chest and stomach. It is a long ski race, says Nyenget.
In the women’s class, Magni Smedås won ahead of Astrid Øyre Slind and Emilie Fleten. Smedås also decided in the long uphill after a strong recovery – she was hooked from the lead earlier in the race.
– Suddenly I saw them on the ground and then I felt very strong, says Smedås to NRK.
PS! On Saturday, Nyenget came second when Johan Hoel became the first man to win the Reistadløpet on bare skis.