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The World Cup moved to its second to last venue today as racers competed in the Drammen, Norway, City Classic Sprints. Over the years, Drammen has taken on an aura all its own as it serves as a transition between the crushing Holmenkollen marathon and the final weekend of the race season. Drammen is unique in many ways. It happens inside the center of a city, it has a course which is considered very tight by World Cup Sprint standards, and it can often determine the winner of the Sprint Crystal Globe. Coming on Holmenkollen’s heels, it can also often have a start list where many of the top racers are absent.
But today, most of the stars were present to shine as a great deal was at stake. Entering today’s race, Jessie Diggins had a 159 point lead in the Overall competition over Linn Svahn (SWE). With a potential of 115 points going to today’s winner, Diggins needed to avoid being shut out of the finals like she was just a little over a week ago in the Lahti Sprints. And, with three races coming up next weekend in Falun—offering a total of 345 points—it was critical for Diggins to continue to keep Svahn at bay.
Svahn would not only be trying to gain ground on Diggins but also trying to also secure her Sprint title. Coming into the race she had a 178 point lead in the Sprint competition over Kristine Stavaas Skistad (NOR). A strong showing today could mathematically wrap up the Sprint crown. But also on Svahn’s to do list was to chip away at Diggins’ lead.
But at the end of the day, the Diggins-Svahn battle was overshadowed by Rosie Brennan’s (USA) performance. Brennan was able to advance out of the quarterfinals—finishing second—move forward from the semifinals as a lucky loser, and ski a strong race in the finals to reach the podium and finish third. Finding triumph toward the season’s end was a sweet moment for Brennan who has been frustrated by her performances the last several weeks.
“[I’m] honestly very surprised,” Brennan commented. “At the end of the season, everyone is on their last ropes, and you never know what the body is going to give you, I’m really happy, it was really nice to have a podium again.”
She acknowledged the stress of racing so soon after Holmenkollen. “I was glad it was today and not yesterday,” Brennan said. “I felt really bad yesterday. I think that extra day helped compared to last year, but you just never know what the body will do. I really enjoy Drammen, I think it’s one of the best World Cups we do.”
But the Diggins-Svahn dance continued to keep everyone’s attention. Svahn finished second today, while Diggins was unable to advance out of the quarterfinals—finishing 16th—after being impeded by Emma Ribom (SWE) in their heat. Svahn’s success and Diggin’s bad luck combined to further tighten the battle for the Overall Championship. Diggins’ lead was reduced to only 102 points. Ribom’s interference led to her disqualification which did provide some consolation for Diggins, moving her up in today’s results, and giving her an extra two points.
“It was tough, my body felt really good,” Diggins said after the race. “Two things happened that were not great…I got trapped on the inside, it was frustrating, we weren’t going fast enough, and I knew it, I couldn’t get out. And I needed some better glide on the downhills. I did everything I could, but I think I need to have a stronger double pole and be more aggressive out of the start.”
Svahn’s second place finish gave her a 176 point lead in the Sprint standings over Kristine Stavaas Skistad (NOR). With only 115 Sprint points left in the season, Svahn’s performance secured her Sprint Crystal Globe.
On the men’s side, Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR) had a chance to wrap up his sixth Sprint crown. Going into the race he held a 141 point lead over teammate Erik Valnes (NOR). A win today would lock up the crown for Klaebo. After claiming a landmark victory last weekend in Holmenkollen, any other racer might have been questioned about how much fight he would have left in him only two days later. With Klaebo, none of the normal concerns seem to apply. So, as usual—and despite Sunday’s effort—he would be the prohibitive favorite. Klaebo qualified first, and went on to win the Sprints. Going into next weekend, he takes a 190 point lead over Valnes, and has mathematically sewn up the Sprint crown yet again. “I had so much fun, I love this race,” Klaebo said, but he is not optimistic about his chances in the Overall competition. “I think I’m a little too far back, so I’ll be super happy with today’s races.”
North American men had a day to celebrate. While no North American men reached the podium, Antoine Cyr (CAN) finished fourth, and American J.C. Schoonmaker took sixth.
“It feels great to be back in the finals,” Schoonmaker noted. “I would have loved to put up more of a fight in the end, but it’s some pretty fast guys in there and they don’t make it easy.”
It was a thrilling day in Drammen, and with so much riding on today’s race the pressure was high and was only accentuated by the narrow Drammen course where things can quickly go sideways.
Drammen Women’s Quarterfinals
Svahn served notice early that she was still in the hunt by qualifying first. Rosie Brennan also had a good qualifier, finishing third.
Kern and Brennan were in the first quarterfinal together facing Skistad. In a difficult field, Brennan was able to advance by finishing second. Kern had to wait, having finished third, while her fate as a lucky loser was decided.
Svahn chose the second heat and left little to chance as she went out early to win her heat. She had already achieved part of today’s goal by gaining 13 points on Diggins by qualifying first while Diggins qualified eighth. While Svahn had a lot of math on her mind, Skistad skied in total control, appearing to exert very little energy, to finish second in the heat.
As has been her strategy all season, Diggins elected to race in one of the last quarterfinals, choosing the fourth heat. Early on, Diggins sat comfortably in third place tucked in behind the two leaders. As the group came around the final turn into the finishing straightaway Diggins had dropped to fourth. She was never able to gain contact with the leaders Emma Ribom (SWE) and Julie Myhre (NOR) who finished first and second. Myhre had an impressive race after falling out of the starting gate and recovered to appear to take second.
For Diggins, her day was over, and she would now have to wait and see how many more points Svahn could eat into her lead. But, after the heat was over Ribom was handed a yellow card and was disqualified from the race for obstructing Diggins. Ribom’s disqualification automatically advanced Diggins in the standings and gained her additional points, while Myhre was moved into first place. But Ribom’s disqualification didn’t allow for Diggins to advance to the next heat. Ribom would sit on the sidelines for the rest of the day, while Diggins had to watch and wonder about what might have been.
Drammen Women’s Semifinals
In the first heat Brennan faced off against Skistad, Svahn, and Frida Karlsson (SWE). Svahn was the first one to break from the field and take the lead, which hadn’t been a winning formula today. Skistad was right on Svahn’s ski tails, and was able to easily slingshot past Svahn, who then returned the favor by rebounding past Skistad. The pair crossed the line 1-2. Brennan finished fourth and would have to wait for a lucky loser position, which she ultimately won along with Karlsson.
Kern was in the second semifinal with Nadine Faehndrich (SUI) and Johanna Hagstroem (SWE). Faehndrich and Hagstroem took the victory with Kern finishing third, but it wasn’t enough for her to advance as a lucky loser.
Drammen Women’s Final
The women’s finals featured Svahn, Faehndrich, Skistad, Hagstroem, Karlsson, and Brennan. Skistad went out to the front early to set the tempo alongside Svahn. As Skistad slowed slightly, Svahn went to the front which tactically was not the best place to be. Svahn realized that, and then significantly slowed the pace. Faehndrich took advantage of the cat and mouse games to go to the front. However, her strategy didn’t work as Svahn and Skistad were able to slingshot past her. As they approached the finish, Skistad found an extra gear and easily pulled away from Svahn. During the back and forth, Brennan was able to fight her way to the front to finish third.
Drammen Men’s Quarterfinals
The first men’s quarterfinals featured Klaebo and Zanden McMullen (USA). It was a fast heat as Edvin Anger (SWE) quickly jumped into the lead. But no one could keep pace with Klaebo who effortlessly double poled to the victory. McMullen finished fourth to for the moment, preserve a lucky loser opportunity.
Another American Zak Ketterson was in the second heat. He would have a difficult task as he faced Frenchmen Richard Jouve and Lucas Chanavat. Ketterson gave American fans a thrill as he led for the first half of the race. But he couldn’t maintain the lead and it was Jouve and Sivert Wiig (NOR) who advanced.
The third heat saw two North Americans, Antoine Cyr (CAN), and JC Schoonmaker (USA) taking on Overall leader Harald Oestberg Amundsen (NOR). Amundsen immediately went to the front and established a large gap over the rest of the field. But the dynamics of the Drammen course worked against him as the pack was able to swallow him up. It was Ansgar Evensen (NOR) and Cyr taking the victory. Schoonmaker finished third and was now in the lucky loser position displacing McMullen.
Drammen Men’s Semifinals
Klaebo was in the first semifinal alongside Richard Jouve (FRA), Erik Valnes (NOR), Evensen, Amundsen and Wiig. It was Klaebo and Jouve out front early with Klaebo clearly dominating. He once again easily went on to the victory with Jouve finishing second.
Two North Americans—Schoonmaker and Cyr—were in the second semifinal. Haavard Solaas Taugboel (NOR) took the early lead. The race changed quickly when Valerio Grand (SUI) broke a pole and was pushed to the back near the beginning of the race. Even Northug (NOR) and Taugboel finished first and second. Cyr and Schoonmaker finished third and fourth, and both advanced as lucky losers.
Drammen Men’s Final
The two North Americans in the finals—Schoonmaker and Cyr—would face Klaebo, Northug, Jouve, and Taugboel. Jouve went out to the lead early along with Klaebo, who took an unusual outside line. As Klaebo navigated along the outside, Schoonmaker was pushed to the back.
As the skiers came around the final hairpin turn Klaebo was in second, but in a sleight of hand he surged to the front and once again dispatched the competition without anyone seeming to understand exactly how he did it. Cyr went on to finish fourth while Schoonmaker was sixth.
Drammen had lived up to its billing as the lead for the Overall championship between Diggins and Svahn tightened substantially. Sprint titles were determined, and North Americans had an outstanding day.
Drammen Classic Sprint RESULTS MEN
Drammen Classic Sprint RESULTS WOMEN
