– I went really fast on the fourth lap to try to close third place and gave everything but still tried to go easy to reach the bunch, says Ponsiluoma about the situation when he got involved in the battle for victory.
Ten shooters had a chance of victory at the last shoot.
– I didn’t take advantage of the last shooting where there were two misses and I’m terribly disappointed about that, but I have to be very happy with an eighth place, says Ponsiluoma to SVT Sport.
It opened sensationally for victory for Ponsiluoma when leading Vetle Sjåstad Christiansen and Tarjei Bö shot two blocks each at the last shooting. Eight shooters entered and had the chance of victory after the leading Norwegians.
– He rides like the phantom and shot about it. It could have worked, says expert Björn Ferry.
“The sickest skis I’ve ridden”
Ponsiluoma’s skating form was sensational – 24.8 seconds ahead of the next best skater but the four barriers were too much. Sebastian Samuelsson was 13th.
– The skiing was awesome and my new skis are the sickest I’ve ever skied, they went off by themselves, says Ponsiluoma.
It was triple Norwegian in the lead where Johannes Dale-Skjevdal pulled away on the last hill and had to drop down to Christiansen and Johannes Thingnes Bö.
It was basically run after yesterday’s sprint, most people thought, where Ponsiluoma was 25th (1.15.9 behind the lead) and Samuelsson was 26th (1.17.5) and it didn’t get any better when they twinned with each their boom in the last shot in the first lying down and was his boom in the second shot on the second stop.
– It’s okay, but I should have hit one more shot and I feel that the WC shape is starting to come, says Samuelsson, who had three misses.