No one could stop Norway from three podium finishes.
But William Poromaa had the best championship race of his career.
The Swede finished fifth in the WC premiere.
William Poromaa has long been singled out as Swedish cross-country skiing’s savior on the men’s side, and in the past year the breakthrough has been a fact. Poromaa has gone from super talent to a real medal contender at major championships, and the hype has been great for this year’s WC.
Join the fight
Several skiers in Norway have singled out Poromaa as the biggest threat, and on Friday he made his debut at this year’s World Ski Championships. Poromaa got a good start in the classic part and he was in the pack all the way to the ski change. Once there he made a good change, and he gave himself a good chance for a top position.
Calle Halfvarsson was also good at the beginning, but something happened during the ski change. Calle Halfvarsson seemingly went straight into the wall, and he lost enormously during the first kilometer after the change, and there his chance for a medal disappeared. Norway was looking to do a Sweden – in other words, to have all four skaters in the top, as the ladies had in the sprint yesterday.
READ MORE: Swedish skier Frida Karlsson’s clear criticism during the skiing World Cup – now wants an answer: “I think I’ve never…”
Best location
Norway’s four riders created a considerable gap to the other riders a bit into the second part of the race, but William Poromaa was also in the lead. However, it was clear early on that Poromaa would have nothing to do with the medals, as the Norwegians Simen Hegstad Krueger, Sjur Röthe and Johannes Kläbo made too big a move. However, he fought with Pål Golberg for fourth place – and to break the Norwegian dominance.
William Poromaa had a best sixth place in an individual competition in a major championship before this year’s WC – but he beat that position now. Poromaa was unable to threaten Norway with a medal, but it was an honorable fifth place and a good start to this year’s WC. Calle Halfvarsson was sixth.
Simen Hegstad Krüger won gold, ahead of Johannes Kläbo and Sjur Röthe.
READ MORE: Norway in shock over Calle Halfvarsson’s strange explanation for the medal miss: “Well, he can’t say that?”