Amundsen sprints to victory in Ruka World Cup

In the absence of Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, Harald Østberg Amundsen took the opportunity to claim victory in the 20-kilometer mass start event at the World Cup in Ruka, Finland.

In the final stages, the win was contested among five to six competitors, all from Norway. Ultimately, last year's overall World Cup winner, Amundsen, emerged victorious, finishing ahead of Jan Thomas Jenssen and Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget.

- Wow, that felt fantastic. I haven't won many races yet. It was a tough race, much tougher than I anticipated. I saw Jan behind me at the end, and I thought he was going to catch me. I had quite a lot of energy left, so it was great to experience that, Amundsen said to Viaplay after the race.

- We missed the showdown with Johannes, and that was a pity. However, I did get a taste of the feeling he often experiences, continued the victor.

Amundsen's conclusion received praise from former cross-country skier Niklas Dyrhaug. - It's a well-deserved victory. He keeps a high and steady pace and still has plenty of power to outpace Jenssen. Amundsen looks like an equally strong version of himself from last year, said the Viaplay expert.

New podium in Ruka

Since last season, the Ruka course has changed. Last year, the world's elite skiers raced 8 x 2.5 kilometers, while on Sunday, they completed five laps of four kilometers.

Just over halfway through the race, up-and-coming skier Andreas Fjorden Ree created a slight gap from the main field, but the 24-year-old was eventually caught by his pursuers. - He is incredibly aggressive and dares to take chances. It's inspiring, and we need more of that in the sport. I had to gather my courage today, Amundsen remarked about Fjorden Ree.

Entering the final lap, a solid group of skiers remained in contention for the victory. Last year, Jan Thomas Jenssen stunned everyone by winning a similar race in the World Cup opener, and he finished second this time, earning recognition for his tactical execution, although Amundsen proved to be a fraction stronger at the end.

Klæbo issues

About half an hour before the race's start, the Norwegian Ski Federation informed that Klæbo would not compete due to cold symptoms. - Johannes tried to ski a bit this morning but decided not to start after feeling some mild symptoms of a cold. He doesn't want to take any chances for the remainder of the season, said the national team's doctor, Ove Feragen.

Klæbo had won the sprint race on Saturday, while he finished fourth on Friday when Finnish Iivo Niskanen triumphed in front of his home crowd.

Next weekend, the World Cup circus continues in Lillehammer, with the following program:
Friday, December 6: 10-kilometer free technique
Saturday, December 7: Sprint free technique
* Sunday, December 8: 20-kilometer with ski change.