The men’s sprint race in Davos ended in a surprise, when Federico Pellegrino beat Johannes Hösflot Kläbo in the final stretch. For the Finnish men, the day brought flashes of light, but no places in the semi-finals.
17.12. 17:27•Updated 17.12. 18:09
The cross-country men’s sprint competition in Davos ended with an Italian party. Federico Pellegrino clung to the last count of the final when Norway left Johannes Hösflot Kläbon to peesi, and defeated the skiing king with a phenomenally strong finish.
Kläbo, who was undefeated in World Cup sprints for the year, had won 26 of the previous 30 World Cup sprint races.
– I often compete well here in Davos, this feels like home. Thanks to the audience and the race organizers, Pellegrino cheers after the race.
Pellegrino left his pregnant wife in Italy for Davos at three in the morning on Saturday. The skier said that his wife encouraged him to do well.
– This is still like a dream, it feels like I’m still sleeping, a startled Pellegrino opened in an interview.
France finished third in the competition Lucas Chanavat.
Vuorinen clashed with the British skier
Lauri Vuorinen had difficulties in the quarter-finals of the British of James Clugnet with. When starting the second round, Vuorinen tried to improve his ranking on the long straight, but Clugnet changed his ski line in front of the Finn.
– I got caught behind the British skier twice. The first time was right there. I thought that was pretty outrageous. If I’m with you so much that the skis start to rattle, then you shouldn’t do that, Vuorinen said in an interview with after the race.
The second situation between the two was at the end of the straight, when Clugnet closed the lane from Vuorisen, and he did not get the chance to challenge the British skier for the next place. However, the Finn did not end up making a protest.
– When I got to the finish line, I would have protested right away, but now let’s think a little and calm down, said Vuorinen, who performed his best skiing of the season in the race.
The final ranking of the experienced sprinter was 13th. Next, he will stay in his native Rovaniemi for a training break. In the sprint country team, there is a tough fight for World Championship places. Several skiers still have a chance for a place in the competition.
– There are six or seven men who can ski for the sprint team. There is still one World Cup traditional sprint left in Les Rousses, so we will probably know better after that, Vuorinen explained the situation.
Verneri Suhonen said he was a “back”
Suffered from health problems for the last year Verneri Suhonen skied his best race in a long time. Vapaa’s sprint specialist fought until the end for a place in the semi-finals, but eventually finished third in his heat.
– In the last round, I noticed that now there is a place to strike and there is still “leg”. I hit the climb and wanted to be the first to go down. Isku had eaten up the rest of the race, and two managed to slip past, Suhonen, who finished 15th, recounted the decisive moments in an interview with .
The Finn got to a good place from the start and was satisfied with how ready the group skiing was. Suhonen, who suffered from severe heart symptoms in the last year, has not yet been at his best in the early season.
– A difficult year, blows have been taken. The beginning of the season has not been top-flight and I even got sick before the World Cup in Ruka. Now this kind of skiing, so you could say that we are “back”, Suhonen beamed in the interview.
In the semifinals, Suhonen’s shot to the only uphill of the course had a familiar flight.
– Today a pretty big stone fell from my heart. It’s cool to go on with this, the sprinter says.
Both Vuorinen and Suhonen believe that they will next compete in the Scandinavia Cup in Rovaniemi in January. At that time, the program includes the traditional sprint to be skied at the World Championships. Neither of them is therefore likely to participate in the Tour de Skill.
– I have to go up the Ounasvaara first-snow slope enough times to run in the Skandinavia Cup, Suhonen planned.
About other male sprinters Niilo Moilanen was 16th in Davos and will be taking a training break Joni Mäki 25th Lauri Mannila qualified from the heat stage and was 35th.