Winter Olympics 2022 - Norway’s Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo cements legend status, Germany take women's team sprint
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Updated 16/02/2022 at 12:20 GMT
Norwegian star Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo claimed the fifth Winter Olympic title of his career with a superbly timed run for the line in the team sprint, which he won alongside Erik Valnes, with Finland taking silver ahead of the Russian Olympic Committee. Germany took the women's title in a thrilling finish ahead of Sweden and ROC. Watch every moment of the Games on discovery+.
'A sensational win' - Germany take inspired gold in women's team sprint
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo moved up to joint second in the all-time list of men's Winter Olympic cross-country skiing gold medal winners, claiming the fifth of his career by guiding Norway to team sprint (classic) gold, as Germany took a thrilling women's title.
He teamed up with Erik Valnes to move level with fellow countryman Thomas Alsgaard and three behind Bjorn Daehlie, denying Alexander Bolshunov another win for the Russian Olympic Committee, who won bronze behind Finland.
In the women's competition, Germany timed their surge for the line to perfection to deny Sweden gold.
Klaebo displays tactical brilliant in guiding Norway to gold
Team GB were unable to progress from the men’s semi-finals, despite a solid performance from Andrew Young. He was fourth and first fastest in the first two of his three legs, but there was an issue with a broken pole later in the race and along with team-mate James Clugnet, they finished 10th overall.
The favourites all progressed to the final, including the two stars - Russian Bolshunov and Norway’s Klaebo. But they would not race directly against each other, with Bolshunov taking the lead leg and Klaebo the anchor.
No teams broke away in the opening few exchanges, but Norway led for the opening two changeovers, with just 0.4 seconds separating them with fifth.
But Bolshunov made his move in the third, bursting into the lead with lung-busting uphill surges and he brought the ROC back into the stadium 0.3 seconds ahead of Norway.
Klaebo was not able to wrestle back the lead in the fourth leg, with Italy’s Federico Pellegrino changing over first. Valnes was quick out of the restart, though, chased by Bolshunov - who put the hammer down when he started to have the stadium in his sights.
But neither were watching Iivo Niskanen, who raced ahead to put Finland in front at the final exchange, but with barely anything separating them with Norway and the ROC.
Klaebo exploded into the lead with around 200m to go at just the same time Russian Alexander Terentev was changing lanes and he raced clear to take a clear gold, with Joni Maki securing a superb silver ahead of the ROC.
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'Fantastic, they have done the business' - Klaebo leads Norway to team sprint gold
Germans strike at perfect time to win women's gold
The US went into the final of the women’s event as the defending champions, with Jessie Diggins returning to defend her title.
The pace was fairly steady in the first leg with no significant breakaways, as Finland exited the first exchange with Kerttu Niskanen holding a 0.5 second advantage as she handed over to Krista Parmakoski, with Norway and the Russian Olympic Committee trailing.
Again the race was fairly settled and there was nothing in it at the second exchange, with Sweden ahead of the USA and Finland.
But things started to change in the third leg and Norway suffered a huge blow to their chances when Tiril Udnes Weng’s pole broke. She fell back into the pack and was 5.8 seconds off the front at the third exchange, with Finland out in front, chased by Germany, ROC and the USA.
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'There are your champions' - Germany celebrate women's team sprint gold
Norway’s Maiken Caspersen Falla fell 14 seconds off in the fourth, as Sweden - led by freestyle sprint champion Jonna Sundling, went ahead by 0.5 seconds at the handover, with Finland second, 2.5 seconds quicker than the USA.
Katharina Hennig produced a brilliant leg to put Germany into the lead at the final exchange, just ahead of Finland, but Parmakoski overtook early in the leg, with German Victoria Carl chasing.
With less than 200m to go, Sundling surged into the lead ahead of the ROC’s Natalia Nepryaeva and Germany, but Carl was stronger out of the final corner and she took the lead, holding strong to take gold ahead of Sweden and the ROC in a total time of 22:09.85.
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