VIESSMANN FIS Cross-Country World Cup in Gaellivare (SWE), Individual start free technique, 18th of November 2006
Katerina Neumannova from Czech Republic and the biathlete Ole Einar Bjoerndalen from Norway won the World Cup individual race in the free technique in Gaellivare (SWE) .
The 33-year-old Neumannova could celebrate her first World Cup victory today in Gällivare (SWE), which is situated nearly 100 km in the north of the Arctic Circle. This was in total the 17 World Cup Victory in her career. She finished clearly 24,4 seconds ahead on this 10 km course of the double Olympic Champion from Estonia, Kristina Smigun. The third place took the overall World Cup leader Marit Bjoergen from Norway. She is leading now this ranking with 160 points, 53 points ahead of the today's winner. The Ukrainian veteran Valentina Shevchenko was edged out of the top three at the last, having to make do with fourth place.
: “ I'm feeling well, it is nice to be a winner. I have been doing well last week in Muonio at the test race and I could confirm this good result now here in Lapland. This is my last season and I want to compete a much as possible at the World Cup races. So I'm also a little bit focused on the overall ranking. My daughter Lucie is also there in Gällivare and support me a lot, but now she will got home after this competition and I will travel alone to Kuusamo for the next competitions.”</p>
<p>Kristina Smigun (EST): ” I'm very happy now, I did as best as I could. Katerina was so strong that I couldn't beat her in the today's race. Normally I started very well into the winter season and I hope I could also hold my shape until the end of it. My goals for this season are the World Championships but also the Tour de Ski. I will take part there and give my best.”</p>
<p>Marit Bjoergen (NOR): “I felt not so good today and because of that I'm satisfied anyway with my race. The snow was not so good so I had to work hard. I'm happy that we have Hilde (Hilde G. Pedersen) back again in the team and she is still very strong. She will be a very good help for the relay tomorrow. But I thinking that I will not compete for so long time as Hilde. She is a very outstanding athlete.”</p>
<p>Ole Einar Bjoerndalen (NOR): “I started very slow into my competition and that was the reason why I didn't expect to be on the podium after I had finished my race. But that was wrong. In general my shape is at the moment very good and my goal was for today being under the first five. I'm happy that I could realize this. It was my day, today! Maybe I will start in Sapporo at the World Championships but the qualification is very hard and for sure the first priority has the Biathlon World Championships and World Cups.”</p>
<p>Tore Ruud Hofstad (NOR): ” I was a little bit surprised to become second in the today's race. I couldn't train optimal this summer and I need normally two competition to come into the rhythm. I expected that my team mate Ole Einar will be strong but I was a surprise for me to be right after him on the second place. My goal for this season are to be good at the World Championships and also to have some podium places in World Cup competitions. At the moment I don't now if I would compete at the Tour de Ski because it fits for me personal not very good but this kind of races are important for the Cross-Country sport.”</p>
<p>Franz Goehring (GER): “My today's race was a very surprise for me. I don't felt 100% well and when I heard during the race that I'm 20 to 25 seconds behind Ole Einar Bjoerndalen I didn't expect to be under the first ten. Now I'm very happy that I took a podium place and that is also the qualification for me for the World Championships in Sapporo (Information from editor: One result under the first 8 is needed for the qualification in Germany or two results under the top 15). That was one of my goals this season. I'm also very satisfied that our whole time did well, five athletes under the top 11 that is a good start for us.”</p>
<p>Results are available on: <a href=http://www.fis-ski.com/uk/604/1228.html?cal_suchsector=CC&event_id=21674)
http://www.fis-ski.com/uk/604/1228.html?cal_suchsector=CC&event_id=21674
