From Norway to France: Top Sprint contenders set for Saturday’s race

The men’s sprint will kick off on Saturday with the qualifiers, followed by the final later on to determine the winners. At the same time, the battle for the Sprint Cup will also begin.

As in Friday’s competition, the Norwegian team will be strong, with Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, Harald Oestberg Amundsen, and Erik Valnes all lining up at the start. All three were in the top five in Friday’s race. The strong Norwegian contingent also includes Even Northug, Haavard Solaas Taugboel, Sivert Wiig, Oskar Opstad Vike, and Emil Iversen.

Valnes claimed victory in last year’s sprint, defeating Frenchman Richard Jouve. Jouve started the season with the Beitosprinten sprint, but his performance there wasn’t enough to make it to the final. The French team has a strong sprint lineup, with Jules Chappaz, who reached the final in Norway, also taking part. Chappaz’s performance was impressive on Friday. 

Italy’s Federico Pellegrino just missed the podium last year, finishing fourth. Pellegrino raced in Olos sprint two weeks ago, where his strong performance earned him third place. The experienced Italian is an expert in classic-style sprinting, and along with the French team, he could challenge the Norwegian dominance.

Friday’s winner, Iivo Niskanen, will also take part in the sprint. It remains to be seen how far his endurance will take him, but a solid performance should at least secure a place in the top 30. 

Teksti: Sanja Karhunen
Kuva: Ruka Nordic