SANDNES – “Sausage” Øystein Pettersen was third. “I feel like I am on top of my roller skiing game. Today, everything worked according to plan. I have worked a lot on the same tasks as last year, especially on technique, and it’s starting to look very good,” Bjørgen said to Norwegian television station NRK after Saturday’s race at the Blinkfestival in Sandnes.
Bjørgen has been named “the queen of Sandnes,” and with the two last victories in the southwestern town, there is no reason to change that.
However, the skier from Rognes in Trøndelag doesn’t read a lot into her dryland success. Her focus is on the World Championships in Holmenkollen in February.
Marthe Kristoffersen was second in the women’s sprint race Saturday.
Øystein Pettersen, who won the men’s 15K event in Sandnes Friday, was the top Norwegian but had to step down to the lowest spot on the podium Saturday. Christoph Eigenmann of Switzerland won, in front of his teammate Joeri Kindschi.
“I just wasn’t fast enough, and I didn’t pick the best path for the final turn into the finish. The boys pummeled med, it’s as simple as that,” Sausage said tot NRK after his sprint race. As usual, Pettersen had a smart-aleck comment for the winners too.
“You know, if you win here, you won’t win on snow,” he said.
“I sure hope that’s not true,” Eigenmann replied.
From NRK, July 24, 2010. Translation by Inge Scheve, FasterSkier
Inge Scheve
Inge is FasterSkier's international reporter, born and bred in Norway. A cross-country ski racer and mountain runner, she also dabbles on two wheels in the offseason. If it's steep and long, she loves it. Follow her on Twitter: @IngeScheve.
