“VIESSMANN” FIS World Cup Cross-Country in Falun (Sweden), Pursuit, 08.03.2006
Women competition, Pursuit 5km C + 5km F
First victory in this season for Sachenbacher
Evi Sachenbacher-Stehle from Germany won the foreshortened Pursuit World Cup races over 5 km in classic technique and 5 km in free technique in a time of 29:26.7. The athlete from Germany finished 0,4 seconds ahead of the Czech Katerina Neumannova. Beckie Scott from Canada lost the photo finish sprint against Neumannova and took the third place 0,5 seconds behind the winner.
The overall World Cup leader Marit Bjoergen finished eight, 10,4 seconds behind Sachenbacher-Stehle, after failing down at kilometres 7,5 km. It was a very exciting and tight competition. 18 athletes finished in 15,6 seconds. For the 25-year-old Sachenbacher it was the first victory after the season 2002 and totally the second World Cup victory.
The competition distances for the women and men Pursuit races in Falun were shorter than the usual Pursuit distances, because of the tough World Cup timetable. The normal Pursuits are with a distance of 7,5 km C + 7,5 F km for the women and 15 C km + 15 F km for the men.
Quotes of the athletes:
Evi Sachenbacher-Stehle, GER : ” I'm very happy with the win, especially since I could not start in the same distance at the Olympics. My tactic was to stay not too far behind in the classical part. Than in the free style part I realised that my skis were very good and I could be on the podium today. My goal for the end of the season will be to do my best in the next races.”
Katerina Neumannova, CZE : “I'm glad to finished second today because I was ill after the Olympics. I was afraid that my shape would not be enough, especially on a fast track like here in Falun. I also had difficulties to concentrate on this race because I had a lot of work to do for my sponsors after the Olympics. Now I will compete in Sapporo at the Pre-World Championships in one and a half week.”
Men competition, 10 km C + 10 km F
Junior World Champion Northug won his first World Cup
Petter Northug is the name of the winner from the today's foreshortened Pursuit competition in Falun. The 20-year-old athlete from Norway finished in a very tight race first, just 0,5 seconds ahead of the German Tobias Angerer. His team-mate Axel Teichmann lost the photo finish against Angerer and took the third place, 0,5 seconds behind the winner.
-For Petter Northug, the five times Junior World Champion in a single race, it was not only his first World Cup victory in his career, also his first podium place. The best result until today was the 7th place in the Sprint race from yesterday in Borlaenge (SWE). The current overall World Cup leader Tobias Angerer leads 261 points ahead of the second, Tor Arne Hetland (NOR). With this second place today, Angerer won totally eight podium places in this season and is now on the way to win the World Cup trophy in this season. Axel Teichmann started for the first time after his one month injury with his second podium place in this season.
Petter Northug, NOR: “I'm very happy about my first victory in this Pursuit races, especially after my sickness in the last week. I tried to be only fast as possible and stay in the leading group. I had no special tactics for this race. I was very frustrated that I had not been chosen to be a part of the Norwegian team in the Olympic since I had done very well in the national championships before the Olympics. I will run in the coming 50 km race in Oslo and in the forthcoming World Cup races in China and in Japan. ”
Tobias Angerer, GER:” I was very glad that I had a good race in spite of all the celebrations at home after the Olympics. During the race I performed better and better. The feeling was good. But I was too long in the wind at the end of the last lap to be able to gain enough speed and Northug was too strong today. Maybe he will become a new Bjoern Daehli. Now I'm focused to win the World Cup trophy and will start at the Holmenkollen 50 km on Saturday and in Sapporo, but no more Sprint competition in this season.”
Axel Teichmann, GER: “I knew that Northug is a strong athlete, it was not a surprise that won this race. I know very well what it means to be a Junior World Champion, it is not easy to collect five Junior World Champion title. But I'm very happy about my race since had after four weeks of injury. I had very good skis and my tactic was to stay in front as much as possible although it was difficult because the tracks were narrow and other skiers were pushing right and left. My expectation for the next one and a half week will be to be once more on the podium. After this season I will go to Portugal in holidays.”
Spectators: 3.000
Weather: cloudy ; – 5°C
Snow Conditions: packed
Source: FIS
