Dominant Klæbo Win – Northug Makes Strong Case for World Championship

Johannes Høsflot Klæbo dominated the sprint competition at Lillehammer, taking control early in the race and quickly pulling away from his competitors. Despite battling a mild illness earlier in the week, Klæbo felt strong by race day and was pleased with his performance.

"I had the common cold virus, but I didn’t feel too sick, just a bit off. It was nice to come back and feel competitive again after a week off," he said.

Looking ahead, Klæbo plans to spend an indefinite period at high altitude in Davos, where he will prepare for upcoming World Cup events and make decisions about his participation in the Tour de Ski.

Even Northug's second-place finish, coming after a close finish against Federico Pellegrino, put him in a good position for claiming a spot in the World Championship sprint event at Granåsen. Northug emphasized the importance of today’s performance in his quest for World Championship qualification.

In the women's final, Sweden claimed a 1-2 finish with Jonna Sundling and Johanna Hagström taking the top spots. Julie Myhre secured a third place, continuing her strong results from recent competitions.

"It's my second podium in a row, and I'm really proud of how I managed to stay composed during the race," Myhre commented after her finish.