Johan Kjolstad sensationally won Sunday’s World Cup freestyle sprint race in Nove Mesto, Czech Republic. – Winning a World Cup race feels even better than winning Gold at the 2003 Junior Worlds, said Kjolstad after the race.
![](http://images.fasterskier.com/oldsitearchive/upload/050118image001-4.jpg width=66 height=90 border=1><br />
<BR><font size=1 face=verdana></font></center><BR><br />
– This was incredibly exciting. I had a great day, no doubt about that. I had great skis and felt great. I gave everything toward the end and didn’t dare to look back. I had a feeling that I could win. It was like a dream when I crossed the finish line. It’s the most incredible thing I have experienced. Winning gold at junior World’s doesn’t become insignificant, but its different racing World Cup against the World’s best skiers and beat them. There were both Olympic and World Champions in the field today. It was incredible, says Kjolstad after the race.</p>
<p>The 21-year old had as a goal to advance from the prolog (top 16)</p>
<p>Â – I wasn’t sure if I had managed to advance when I crossed the finish line in the prolog. I was very excited when I saw that I had the second fastest time. I felt that I had skied technically well in the prolog and decided to ski hard in the quarterfinal. I took the lead from the start and had planned to ski very hard up the last uphill toward the end. I got a few meters lead and that was luckily enough, said Kjolstad.</p>
<p>Â He was up against Tor Arne Hetland and Thobias Fredriksson in the semifinal.</p>
<p>– I was more skeptical ahead of the semifinal, but I was thinking back on a rollerski race in Trysil, Norway this summer. I beat them then. I skied very hard up the last uphill and that worked well and did the same in the final. I felt when I was running around between the heats that that I was ready for the next heat. That was a good feeling, and it was fun to prove that I can ski fast among the seniors as well, says Kjolstad.</p>
<p>Sunday’s race was freestyle and won’t affect the Norwegian team selection for the upcoming Worlds.</p>
<p> – It’s too bad that it’s not skating at Worlds. I haven’t been able to ski fast in classic sprint races so far. I’m not able to find a good “flow and rhythmâ€. But next years Olympic sprint is freestyle, and my goal since I won at Junior Worlds has been to fight for a spot on that team, says Johan. </p>
<p>Â The World Cup victory added a few bucks to his account as well.</p>
<p>Â – I’m not sure how much, but I can use it and have no problems finding ways of spending it, says a very happy Kjolstad.</p>
<p>Source : Langrenn.com</p>
</div></div><!-- /btArticleContentInnerInner --><section class=)
![](https://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2020/09/FasterSkier-logo-sq-320x320.png)
FasterSkier
previous
Zack SImons, Lindsay Williams Win Madison SuperTour
next