FasterSkier’s coverage of the 2013 US Cross Country Championships is brought to you through the generous support of The Memory Clinic in Bennington, Vt.
MIDWAY, Utah — 30 kilometers. Six laps. 18.6 miles. Ninety-plus minutes. Whichever way you cut it, the men’s mass start classic race at U.S. Nationals was one long race. Our images from throughout the day:
Race report | Results
The men’s 30 k field leaves the stadium on an overcast day at Soldier Hollow.
Miles Havlick (UU) leads through the first feed zone at 4 k.
Torin Koos (BSF/Rossignol) and Erik Bjornsen (APU/USST) taking feeds.
Matt Liebsch (Borton Volvo XC United), Mike Sinnott (SVSEF) and Erik Soederman (NMU).
Sam Tarling (Dartmouth) and Noe Bellet (UU).
One lap down, five to go. Norris, Sylvan Ellefson (SSCV Team HomeGrown) and Matt Gelso (SVSEF) lead.
Norris pushing the pace on the second lap.
2013 US Nationals, Soldier Hollow
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Hermod’s, lap 2.
Up over the first tier.
Ellefson and Gelso setting the pace.
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Hermod’s, lap 3.
Koos sitting a few spots back in the pack.
Bjornsen doing the same.
Gelso gathering momentum off the top of Hermod’s.
Ellefson leading on lap 4.
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Elliott tailing him.
Koos looking relaxed.
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Up around the horseshoe.
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Gelso back in the lead up and over Hermod’s on lap 4.
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Norris tucking in behind.
Lap 5. Koos and Norris down the slingshot hill on the sprint course.
Gelso around the sprint corner on lap 5.
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Bjornsen and Norris cornering.
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Sam Tarling and David Sinclair (Dartmouth).
Through the feed zone on the final lap, about 2 k before the finish.
Koos in the lead at the base of Hermod’s on the final lap.
Koos laying on the hurt.
Bjornsen trying to catch him.
Norris and Gelso in third and fourth up the hill.
Koos coming down the homestretch, with Bjornsen, Norris, Gelso and the rest strung out behind him.
An eighth career national title for Torin Koos. Photo: USSA.
Bjornsen in second for his second podium this week.
Norris coasting through the finish in thrid.
Gelso, 4th.
Tarling hammering to fifth, with Sinclair and Elliot sprinting for the next spot. Sinclair outkicked Elliott for sixth.
One happy 30 k champion.
Koos with Bridger Ski Foundation coaches Andrew Moorehouse, Dragan Danevski and Emily Allison.
Bjornsen and APU coach Erik Flora.
Dartmouth teammates Tarling and Sinclair after impressive 30 k finishes.
Bjornsen and and Koos wait to be called to the podium.
Bjornsen congratulates Koos.
1. Torin Koos 2. Erik Bjornsen 3. David Norris.
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