Kläbo-Festspiele Continue in Trondheim

Kläbo-Festspiele Continue in Trondheim

Johannes Hoesflot Kläbo is simply unbeatable. The Norwegian was once again the fastest in the 10-kilometer classic race. The German competitors fell significantly behind.

The crowd in Norwegian Trondheim carried their superstar Kläbo across the finish line on Tuesday (March 4, 2025) to his twelfth World Championship gold medal.

In the individual race over ten kilometers in classical technique, the Norwegian dominator outclassed the competition. Silver and bronze also went to Norway with Erik Valnes (+8.8 seconds) and Harald Oestberg Amundsen (+11 seconds).

Despite wintry weather conditions, thousands of fans stood on the bleachers and along the track during heavy snowfall, cheering for the local hero Kläbo.

Kläbo fought powerfully against the fresh snow and light wind, continuing an impressive series of triumphs: After his expected victory in the sprint, the 28-year-old recently also unexpectedly claimed the title in the skiathlon, marking his first World Championship gold in a distance race.

From a German perspective, hopes rested on Friedrich Moch on Tuesday. However, the 24-year-old showed once again that he has ground to cover in the classical discipline. The early stages of the race posed challenges for the athlete from WSV Isny, with the gap to the leaders steadily increasing.

In the end, he finished in 25th place, 1:21.5 minutes behind the best time, failing to reach his goal of finishing in the top ten. "I'm quite disappointed," Moch said in an interview with ZDF, adding, "I just didn’t manage well with the conditions from the start."

The other two competitors on the DSV trio fared poorly as well: Albert Kuchler fell back by a full minute and Janosch Brugger finished 1:48.1 minutes behind. Brugger started the race strongly, but fell significantly behind during the second lap, seemingly struggling with the deep snow.

"We expected significantly more," said national coach Peter Schlickenrieder on ZDF. "A combination of many factors led to the poor results of the German team." He also mentioned the material used, which played a big role on that day.

The Norwegians are accustomed to the conditions and snow, training often in snowfall, allowing them to have the right equipment ready. The Germans, on the other hand, seem to lack experience and the necessary "snow kilometers," Schlickenrieder noted.

For more detailed results and live updates, visit the sportschau website.

Photos and statistics available at sportschau.de.