Ola Vigen Hattestad stretched his foot forward when Odd- Bjorn Hjelmeset turned to look for the competitors. That was enough with the smallest possible margin. Deep double-poling is out ? Not the case when you look at the photo from the men’s sprint finale at the Norwegian championship! Marit Bjorgen was outsprinted in the women’s finale.
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<p>Friday’s sprint finale in the Norwegian champion was a thriller. Odd-Bjrn Hjelmeset had coasted through the prolog, quarter and semifinal. He looked to be in total control in the finale as well, until he made the mistake of looking to his right and then to his left (on the finish stretch) for his competitors.</p>
<p>I had been looking at the big screen at the finish stretch in the previous heats and did the same in the finale. I didn’t see anyone but Eldar Ronning and he was far behind laughs Hjelmeset after the race.</p>
<p>Won’t do that again
</p>
<p>It was when he started to look around he lost the race.<br />
– I looked to the right, and didn’t see anyone, but when I turned left I saw Ola in full speed. I tried to accelerate the old body again, but it was too late, says the veteran.</p>
<p>The photofinish showed that Ola Vigen Hattestad was 0.1 second ahead.<br />
Odd-Bjrn won’t do that (mistake) again, said sprint coach Ulf Morten Aune.</p>
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