Calle Halfvarsson blamed the skis after the medal miss in the sprint relay.
The Norwegian experts don’t buy it.
– I am surprised that he even says that, says Fredrik Aukland.
Jonna Sundling and Emma Ribom were super favorites and held the press during Sunday’s sprint relay, when they secured Sweden’s third gold during this year’s WC. On the men’s side, Calle Halfvarsson and Edvin Anger made a good qualification, as they finished second only to sovereign Norway.
The criticism against the explanation
But when it came time for the final, Sweden didn’t have much to gain. Calle Halfvarsson and Edvin Anger looked like they were working really hard, and in the end they had nothing to do with the medal race, and the Swedish men have to wait for the first medal during the competitions in Planica.
And it was anything but happy Calle Halfvarsson after Sunday’s competitions. The Swede was furious with how the skis worked, and he went so far as to call them “training skis”.
– When we switched to the competition skis, Edvin said: “It feels like it’s still the training skis that we warmed up on”. Often the competition skis feel much easier, but unfortunately that was not the case today, he says.
He continues:
– We don’t have the margins that allow us to go with bad stuff to hang on to the best. It ruins our day.
READ MORE: The cocky greeting from Norway despite Sweden’s great success in the World Cup – sticks out the chin: “Now we have to…”
Johaug’s mockery
But in Norway, you don’t buy Calle’s explanation that there would have been some election miss at all. According to Norwegian NRK, the experts “laugh” at the Swedish star’s words.
– I am surprised that he even says that, given that Sweden did so well in the women’s class. Sweden can’t have had such bad skis.
Also Therese Johaug, an expert at NRK, knocks down Calle’s explanation – and she comes with a mocking saw.
– The Swedish girls won and they have the same team on the bus. I’m guessing they’re on the same page. It has a lot to do with who is on the skis too…
READ MORE: The incredible tributes to Ebba Andersson after the WC gold – Petter Northug in shock: “Insane”