Krüger expresses regret after slow performance in team sprint

Simen Hegstad Krüger and Even Northug performed slowly and will not be seen in the finals of the team sprint at the World Cup in Davos later on Friday. Two Norwegian teams qualified for the final.

Johannes Høsflot Klæbo and Pål Golberg were third fastest in the men's qualifying, while Krüger and Northug failed to make the cut. Krüger was ten seconds behind the fastest runner in his heat, and Northug could not make up the gap.

In an interview with NRK, Krüger admitted his shortcomings.

"I handled it really poorly. I caught an edge in the first turn and had to start completely over," he said.

"It was such a poor prologue that I can only apologize. Annoying, but that's how it is," continued Krüger.

The runners on the team each raced a prologue of 1.5 kilometers before their times were combined. The fastest 15 teams advanced.

Astrid Øyre Slind and Kristin Austgulen Fosnæs came twelfth in their prologue and are set for the finals. On the women's side, Norway only entered one team.

The finals will start at 18:00.

This season, there will be three team sprints in the World Cup, with the next events planned for Cogne, Italy (January 31) and Lahti, Finland (March 22). The same competition is also scheduled for the World Championships in Trondheim in March.

Individual sprints will take place on Saturday in Davos, with a 20-kilometer classic set for Sunday.