Frida Karlsson had the lead during several of the race’s first intervals. But it was by the smallest possible margin.
Close behind chased Ebba Andersson.
After half the race of the Swedish premiere in Bruksvallarna, Andersson was half a second slower than Karlsson.
Then everything was about Andersson.
“I was continuously given times and felt that I had good control over my riding,” she says in SVT’s broadcast.
— But on the climb on the second lap I got to feel it, so it wasn’t the same snap in the ride at the end that I started with.
The 27-year-old was 7.4 seconds faster after 7.3 km and when the lead was 13.5 seconds with 500 meters to go – then the victory was secured.
— It was obviously tough, you’re not used to standing out with the number plate on and giving what you have at the moment.
In the end, Andersson was 11.8 seconds faster than Karlsson.
— I know that Frida holds high standards. That’s a good yardstick I have in her, even though I know she’s had challenges and limitations lately.
Karlsson – who barely a month ago suffered a setback in training, overloading his left foot, and was forced to rest from skiing – was “very happy” with second place.
“It was far beyond expectations,” she says to SVT.
— I was quite eager at the beginning, opened quite hard, but I think I still hold it together well. I was a bit tired in the middle of the lap.
— I had zero idea where I was, as I haven’t been on snow that much.
Jonna Sundlingwho won the sprint on Friday, was third.
The World Cup starts in Ruka, Finland, November 29–December 1.