Klaebo drops tic-tac-toe as home phenom, Azzurri do well
Klaebo wins again
Johannes Høsflot Klæbo also triumphs in the 10km in classic technique with individual start and grabs his third gold out of as many races held at the World Championships in Trondheim (Nor) in a race that saw Giovanni Ticcò knock on the door of the top10 and the entire Italian quartet close in the top 23 positions.
Under a heavy snowfall that made the rainbow event even more tiring, the Norwegian star set the best time in 28’16″6, ahead of his two compatriots Erik Valnes and Harald Östberg Amundsen, who were 8″8 and 11″0 behind, respectively, to complete an all-Norge podium. Sweden’s Edvin Anger è had to settle for fourth place at 14″2 from Klæbo, followed by’the other Norwegian Nyenget, who fell at the entrance to the stadium, and compatriot Poromaa.
Good, very good performance by the Azzurri who were at ease on the Norwegian snow: Trentino’s Giovanni Ticcò è was excellent twelfth and paid 56″8 from Klæbo to secure the best result of his career. Just behind the 25-year-old Fassa man is the more experienced Dietmar Nöckler è 16th at 1’00″6, with Paolo Ventura 20th at 1’01″9 and Francesco De Fabiani 23rd at 1’12″8.
Paolo Ventura: “We knew the conditions would not be easy. I am quite happy with my race, I think I did a good test. The materials were very good, I felt good both uphill and downhill: I started a little bit quiet and increased in the second part of the race. Now I remain available for the relay, then head to the final 50km”.
De Fabiani: “Considering it had been a long time since I had competed, I have to be realistic and say that è it went pretty well. I had the’goal of getting into the 20s and I went short distances. I feel that some miles are missing: first the precarious form, then the flu, the fact is that for one reason or another I was stopped for a long time. I managed to qualify in extremis, and of course you would like to do the maximum result in front of such a crowd and in such an atmosphere. It’ll be important to have a next season not affected by these health problems as happened these last two winters. It’ sucks to train so much and then be forced at home to watch the races on television. If nothing else, I feel better: we will see if we can finish the season as best we can and then think about the next”.
At 3:30 p.m. è the women’s race is scheduled, over the same distance.
