PHOTO: Bildbyrån
What a great start by Calle Halfvarsson in today’s race.
On his birthday, the Swede led after half the race.
But then lost everything and came 10th in 10 km classic during the World Cup in Falun.
It has been a really nice season too Calle Halfvarsson who really found form again. The newly 34-year-old impressed greatly during the five-mile race at the 2023 World Ski Championships in Planica and was so incredibly close to a much-anticipated World Cup medal.
Calle’s World Cup effort
Because in the highly dramatic race there was an all-Swedish duel for the bronze medal between teammates Halfvarsson and William Poromaa. The younger Poromaa proved to be the strongest and sprinted away from the national team veteran, who had to settle for a sour fourth place.
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On Friday, Calle Halfvarsson was back on Swedish soil for another World Cup race. At home in Falun, Calle had to carry the blue-and-yellow flag with pride as WC bronze hero Poromaa was absent due to illness.
READ MORE: That’s why Frida Karlsson and Ebba Andersson are missing – the national team doctor reveals the truth about the star duo
Halfvarsson led
Appropriately enough, it is also Halfvarsson’s birthday and at 34 years old he entered the race with high confidence. The Swede set off at a furious pace, like Jonna Sundling did earlier, and for a long time had the lead in the race.
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Even when half the race had passed, Halfvarsson had the lead ahead of all the Norwegians. But then everything would change when the Norwegian star skaters switched gears in the final stretch and went away in a big way.
READ MORE: Calle Halfvarsson is forced to abandon the family – the drastic measure amid great concerns: “I’m trying to…”
Kläbo won again
Halfvarsson would hook further in the last kilometers and it was never really a close battle in the end. But he finished in tenth place and in any case got to celebrate his birthday as the best Swede today.
First of all to finish was the dominant Johannes Hösflot Kläbo as so many times before, second place was today’s big success Martin Löwström Nyenget and third was another Norwegian in Harald Östberg Amundsen.
– It is very much Norwegian…, notes expert Anna-Karin Strömstedt in Viaplay.
– They have a very high latitude in that country.
Also Swedish Truls Gisselman impressed greatly with a personal best of sixteenth place.
– Overall, it’s a good Swedish effort today, says TV expert Strömstedt.
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