PHOTO: Bildbyrån
Therese Johaug is back in earnest again.
The Norwegian dominated the World Cup weekend in Lillehammer.
And then offered a very confident sneer to all the competitors.
Many speculated how well Therese Johaug really could be after a two-year absence from cross-country skiing. Now we really have the answer this short into the new season of the World Cup.
Johaug’s dominance
However, the Norwegian had to struggle during the premiere weekend in Finnish Ruka, where she was a full 46 seconds behind Frida Karlsson in 10 km. She also missed the podium in the mass start that same weekend.
READ MORE: Frida Karlsson hits back after Therese Johaug’s cheeky pass
But when the World Cup came to Norwegian snow, Johaug was completely unstoppable on the ski tracks. She won both distance races easily and showed everyone that she is seriously back at the top of the world.
– I already felt in Ruka that I was in good shape, but it was probably a bit rusty. Today we had fantastic skiing, so it was nice to be able to fight back, she told Viaplay after Friday’s 10 km.
– I’m pretty sure we had better skis than the Swedes today. There is no doubt about that. It is the shape, the body and the material that play a big role.
Therese’s sneer
Then, Therese Johaug’s self-confidence was significantly greater after Sunday’s victory in the skiathlon. In a video on Instagram, see below, she offers a loud mocking laugh in response to the words of all Swedish rivals that the level has become so much higher during the two years she has been away.
– Haha, then it’s probably me who has become very, very much better then, she says with a big laugh.
– No, I think that when I have been away, many people have driven very fast. But that the level would be so much higher all of a sudden. I don’t think so.
READ MORE: Kristine Stavås Skistad and Linn Svahn are sawn in Norway
Johaug is used to attracting a lot of attention around him and people have obviously reacted to the video, see it below, in the comments on Instagram.
“We got two years of exciting skiing, now we’re back again with the same winner race after race, so completely uninteresting,” writes one user in the comment field.
“Is anyone even surprised that Johaug is dominating this season? Everyone else is a loser after Johaug’s comeback,” writes another.
“It was set in stone that Johaug would win these competitions. Just in Norway and Lillehammer. There is no ‘rocket science’ required to understand it,” writes a third.
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