PHOTO: Bildbyrån
Sebastian Samuelsson took big and long-awaited revenge this weekend.
When he took home the WC bronze and snuffed out Norway on a triple – with help from Petter Northug himself.
And now the Norwegian is singled out as a traitor at home in Norway.
Sunday’s hunt start in the Biathlon World Cup was completely dramatic right up until the very end. Norway was on its way to a phenomenal triple on the podium with only the final lap remaining – after the race was marked by a lot of barriers on the shooting ramp.
Sebbe’s revenge
But the Swedish hope Sebastian Samuelsson was good with and took the back of the third Norwegian in the field, Tarjei Bö. The fight for the bronze went all the way to the finish line and just before the race, “Sebbe” started the sprint and pulled away from the Norwegian rival.
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Samuelsson was then able to easily take care of the WC bronze after Bö couldn’t hang on to the Swede. An incredibly nice revenge by Sebbe who previously had a very difficult WC so far.
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Help from Northug
The Swede can also thank the Norwegian skiing icon for the WC bronze Peter Northug for after receiving unexpected help from Sweden’s worst rival on the ski slopes. Before the championship in Oberhof, the former cross-country star has helped Samuelsson with tips and lessons on how to sprint at his very best.
– Both with Petter and internally in the team, we have talked a lot about the sprint, Samuelsson tells Dagens Nyheter and explains the sprint further:
– If you go to the left side towards the goal, as I did, it is not really the most optimal. Then there is a risk of being closed. But I didn’t dare wait and go on the right side, so I bet everything on one card and tried to be fast when I got the urge for the downhill. I take care of myself very well and feel like I’m in the driver’s seat, then I did exactly what we had talked about.
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The valuable words from Northug must have helped Samuelsson a lot and now it was worth the WC bronze.
– It was probably both. I talked a lot with Petter before, but we in the team have also watched a lot of film from previous sprints, Sebbe admits to the daily newspaper.
Norwegian performance
Northug’s help to an arch-enemy has now provoked strong reactions in his home country of Norway. Vetle Sjåstad Christiansenwho missed the podium in the pursuit start, was not at all happy about his compatriot’s initiative and called for a rather harsh punishment.
– After everything he has said about Sweden over the years, he would probably give back here and help a little, Christiansen tells SportExpressen.
– We must put him in the guillotine and sentence him for treason. And stand and spit on him at Karl-Johan.
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While Tarjei Bö, who missed out on the bronze, understands why Petter Northug helped Sebastian Samuelsson.
– Yes, he probably felt a little sorry for Sweden there after he himself took (Calle) Halfvarsson and (Marcus) Hellner’s medals over the years. Now it was time for Sweden to get a medal in a sprint. But Sebbe is good, he took Johannes in Pokljuka and now he took me so we Bö brothers have to get rid of him before the sprint, says the Norwegian to the evening newspaper.
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