Sweden’s World Cup Weekend! Poromaa Swipes Les Rousses 20 k

John TeafordJanuary 19, 2025

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Sweden’s William Poromaa (16) made his move late in the 20 k Mass Start at Les Rousses, France, ultimately sprinting to victory ahead of Finland’s Iivo Niskanen. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)

Les Rousses’ 20 k Mass Start would be a race conducted without the usual pace-makers. The Norwegian team had mostly stayed home for their own championships, and the Russian team was voted off the island years ago; therefore, the Les Rousses’ Mass Start would offer an opportunity to see what the rest of the skiing world really looks like. Who would force the pace? Who would dare the race-breaking move? And could Niskanen still dominate a Classic race without the Norwegians there to keep the speed high?

William Poromaa (SWE) leads Iivo  Niskanen (FIN) across the finish line to secure his first World Cup victory in the 20 k Mass Start at Les Rousses, France. (Photo:  Authamayou/NordicFocus)

In the end, the race would be unusually tactical—so much so that significant sprinters like France’s Richard Jouve were able to stay in the lead pack until nearly the very end. Niskanen would atttempt to dominate the last quarter of the race, though he was unable to shake Simen Hegstad Kreuger (NOR) and William Poromaa (SWE). Ultimately, Poromaa would outsprint Niskanen for the victory, only a few seconds ahead of Kreuger.

Beginning the day ninth in the World Cup overall standings, Ben Ogden (USA) would cling gamely to the lead pack throughout the day, finishing 12th.

Americans also saw impressive finishes from Luke Jager 21st, Zak Ketterson 29th, JC Schoonmaker 38th, Kevin Bolger 43rd, and Hunter Wonders 44th. Canadians Olivier Leveille and Remi Drolet were 39th and 42nd, respectively.

In the absence of pace-making teams like the Norwegians (many of whom stayed home for their National Championships), the Mass Start 20 k was a tactical affair complicated by the World Cup Tour’s steepest uphill. (Photo: Modica/NordicFocus)
20 k Classic Mass Start

The Mass Start course at Les Rousses is comprised of a short two kilometer initial loop, followed by six 3.3 kilometer laps. The lap also includes Les Rousses’ infamous uphill, said by competitors and coaches to be the steepest on the entire World Cup circuit.

Conditions were hard and fast, though the super-bright sunshine at Les Rousses could potentially cause problems with adequate kick in shadier sections. Later in the race, that was apparent as virtually no one was able to stride the steepest sections of the lap.

The race began with moderate pacing with racers filling all four lanes of the race course. The field lazed it’s way around the initial two kilometer loop, staying together until Vermeulen and Lapalus separated themselves the first time up the steep hill (possibly more as a result of Anger clogging the track by slowing nearly to a stop in the steepest herringbone section). The early pace was regulated by Hugo Lapalus (FRA), Mika Vermeulen (AUT), Friederich Moch (GER), Paal Golberg (NOR), and Niskanen.

The unsteady pace of the field—and the many tight turns  and challenging downhills of the Les Rousses 20 k course—allowed some ambitions sprinters to remain in the lead group. Richard Jouve (FRA) would finish 11th on the day, just ahead of American, Ben Ogden. (Photo:  Modica/NordicFocus)

While Lapalus and Vermeulen continued to be the primary pace-makers, at the half way point the main contenders were still together; notably, a number of significant sprinters remained within a few seconds of the front including Richard Jouve (FRA), Ogden, and Erik Valnes (NOR). With such skiers in contention, the pack would accordion dramatically—stretching into a long thin line on every uphill and re-compressing into a cohesive pack on downhills and around each of Les Rousses sharp corners.

Golberg had lurked just behind the lead group through the first half of the race, but he was finally shed from the pack when Niskanen and Kreuger drove to the front at 15 kilometers. They were soon joined by Poromaa. Slowly but surely, that trio began to add to their advantage. Ogden continued to hang on stubbornly, but was beginning to bobble at the back of a 12-man chase pack led by Vermeulen, Lapalus, and Valnes.

Niskanen has nine career world cup wins—eight of those in Classic races—but he admitted during pre-race interviews that the long, steep herringbone section of the primary uphill constituted a technical weakness for him. Today, even the most accomplished skiers all but “walked” that section of the course, especially in the later laps where fatigue had begun to take its toll.

As the race entered its final lap, Poromaa and Kreuger attempted to push the pace on the winding downhill sections, hoping to reduce the Classic technique advantages that Niskanen otherwise enjoys. While they couldn’t shake the Finn, they did succeed in taking some of the sting out of his striding, allowing Poromaa to outsprint him to the finish line. Kreuger finished five seconds later to take third and reinforce his hold on the World Cup Distance leader’s bib.

Ogden would recover in the final lap to chase down a few extra places. He would finish 12th, just behind Jouve. Valnes, Lapalus, and Vermeulen would finish fourth, fifth, and sixth, respectively.

Golberg coasted home in 36th, probably ending his chances of being selected for the Norwegian World Championship team.

20 k Classic Mass Start RESULTS

For the first half of the race, the field in Les Rousses put the “Mass” back in Mass Start. Erik Valnes (NOR), William Poromaa (SWE), Mika  Vermeulen (AUT), Hugo  Lapalus (FRA) fill the tracks. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)

John Teaford

John Teaford—the Managing Editor of FasterSkier — has been the coach of Olympians, World Champions, and World Record Holders in six sports: Nordic skiing, speedskating, road cycling, track cycling, mountain biking, triathlon. In his long career as a writer/filmmaker, he spent many seasons as Director of Warren Miller’s annual feature film, and Producer of adventure documentary films for Discovery, ESPN, Disney, National Geographic, and NBC Sports.

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