In the Norwegian premiere in Beitostölen over ten kilometers classic, Therese Johaug won by 40 seconds, but in the World Cup premiere in Ruka last weekend she had to settle for second and fourth place.
But when she was back in her home country today, when there was a 10 km freestyle with an individual start in Lillehammer, Johaug had to do the same thing she did most of the time before she ended her career two years ago: Step on top of the podium.
Johaug pulled away
Johaug, who won four Olympic and 14 World Cup gold medals in her career, was two tenths behind Frida Karlsson at the first intermediate time after 800 meters.
But at the next intermediate time, which came after 3.5 kilometers, she led by 7.1 seconds ahead of compatriot Heidi Weng and another half a second down to Karlsson.
Karlsson got tired
After that, Johaug’s lead gradually increased, at the finish she was 11.4 seconds ahead of runner-up Weng.
Karlsson’s distance to both Johaug and Weng grew throughout the competition. For a long time she looked able to keep the distance down to Astrid Öyre Slind in fourth place. But Karlsson, who had not competed in freestyle earlier this winter, got tired at the end and finally finished fourth – 46 seconds behind Johaug.
Thus, just like in the men’s race earlier in the day, it was a triple Norwegian on the podium in front of the home crowd.
Ebba Andersson was seventh, just over a minute behind Johaug.
The text is updated