BeitostølenFriday, November 22 at 13:36
In the sprint prologue during the national opening in Beitostølen, Iversen finished a full 39 seconds behind the leader Johannes Høsflot Klæbo.
In NRK’s live broadcast, it was not clear what had happened to Iversen, but VGs photographer captured Iversen on the ground. As he approached the finish, he had a broken pole.
– Very unfortunate, he said in the mixed zone after putting on warm clothes in the biting cold of Beitostølen.
– I felt good, but I am not good enough to proceed with one pole, Iversen told VG.
NRK expert Martin Johnsrud Sundby assessed Iversen’s start in the cross-country opener as follows:
– It’s incredibly boring to have that start. It doesn’t give the confidence one is chasing, he said.
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Photo: BjørnEmil Iversen has had some tough seasons since winning gold in the 50km at the World Championships in 2021, but last year he had a long-awaited upswing by winning the Scandinavian Cup overall.
This allows him to have free entry to all World Cup races before Christmas – which is a big advantage in the brutal fight to be selected for Norway for the World Championships in Trondheim at the end of February/beginning of March.
Top 10 in the men’s prologue – from 13:30 the knock-out rounds with quarter-finals begin on NRK:
Top 10 in the men’s prologue
- Johannes Høsflot Klæbo 2:30.53
- Harald Østberg Amundsen 2:31.25
- Erik Valnes 2:31.36
- Aleksander Eide Holmboe 2:32.86
- Matz William Jenssen 2:33.16
- Oskar Opstad Vike 2:33.38
- Even Northug 2:33.95
- Lucas Chanavat (France) 2:34.87
- Sivert Wiig 2:35.13
- Håvard Solås Taugbøl 2:35.87
On the women’s side, Ane Appelkvist Stenseth (29) crossed the finish line three seconds ahead of Hedda Østberg Amundsen – the twin sister of Harald Østberg Amundsen who finished second in the men’s prologue.
– Ane has had a fantastic prologue and knocked out most, says Martin Johns
Before this season, Stenseth lost her national team spot, but she has trained well with Per-Øyvind Torvik, her partner Jørgen Ulvang, and former national team coach Stig Rune Kveen in Trøndelag so far this year.
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See the results list below:
Top 15 in the women’s prologue
- Ane Appelkvist Stenseth 2:53.03.
- Hedda Østberg Amundsen 2:56.37
- Mathilde Myhrvold 2:57.99
- Julie Myhre 2:58.50
- Tiril Udnes Weng 2:58.93
- Elena Rise Johnsen 2:59.01
- Ingrid Bergene Aabrekk 2:59.09
- Nadine Fähndrich 2:59.29.
- Maria Hartz Melling 2:59.59
- Lotta Udnes Weng 3:00.39
- Amalie Haakonsen Ous 3:01.67
- Ingrid Gulbrandsen 3:01.86
- Johanne Hauge Harviken 3:02.09
- Maiken Min Midtskogen 3:02.40
- Léna Quintin (France) 3:02.54
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Kristine Stavås Skistad, Norway’s great sprinter, is out indefinitely after abdominal surgery.
The tension is whether Stenseth can maintain the level from the prologue to the knock-out rounds later.
– We know that Ane has enormous capacity in the prologue. We will first get answers in the semi-final and final on how the training is going. We know she can run a good prologue, but we are curious about how she holds up, says NRK expert Fredrik Aukland about Stenseth.
A good result in the sprint at Beitostølen will be an advantage to secure a spot for the World Cup season opener in Ruka, Finland next weekend.
What were the top times recorded in the men’s and women’s prologues?
Top Finishers in the Men’s and Women’s Prologues
Men’s Results:
- Jarl Magnus Riiber – 2:33.16
- Oskar Opstad Vike – 2:33.38
- Even Northug – 2:33.95
- Lucas Chanavat (France) – 2:34.87
- Sivert Wiig - 2:35.13
- Håvard Solås Taugbøl – 2:35.87
Women’s Results:
- Ane Appelkvist Stenseth – 2:53.03
- Hedda Østberg Amundsen - 2:56.37
- Mathilde Myhrvold – 2:57.99
- Julie Myhre – 2:58.50
- Tiril Udnes Weng – 2:58.93
- Elena Rise Johnsen – 2:59.01
- Ingrid Bergene Aabrekk – 2:59.09
- Nadine Fähndrich – 2:59.29
- Maria Hartz Melling – 2:59.59
Highlights
- Ane Appelkvist Stenseth finished three seconds ahead of her closest competitor and demonstrated strong performance after not being on the national team prior to this season.
- Both men’s and women’s events showcased impressive times, with notable athletes performing well despite recent challenges.
The latest results signify a competitive season ahead, indicating strong potential from both established and emerging skiers.