– I probably opened in the toughest team but held on well from the top in, says Hoel to SVT Sport in Bad Gastein.
He rode in the green sprint vest but hopes to have stepped up and broadened for this season.
Hoel is the sprinter who made the leap to long distance last season.
Max Novak: “Perhaps premiere nerves”
Best Swede was Max Novak who tied for fourth – just ten seconds from victory.
– It feels a bit like that, woke up this morning and felt tired. Maybe it was premiere nerves. It is still approved, says Max Novak.
The top ten were nine Norwegians and Max Novak.
Emil Persson, who was outstanding for two years, but had a tougher last year where he suffered from covid, among other things, finished in 30th place – 47.8 seconds behind the lead.
CUT: Watch as the Norwegian drops his skis and runs across the finish line