Hosts Norway rule Lillehammer cross-country

DPA/Lillehammer, NorwayMarit Bjoergen and Martin Johnsrud Sundby led the way as hosts Norway ruled the early-season mini tour in the cross-country skiing World Cup yesterday. Bjoergen led from three compatriots, with two more in the top seven on the women’s side, while the final men’s results saw Norway occupy the first five places. Not to be outdone, Mikko Kokslien made it three wins for Norway on the day by winning a Nordic combined large hill event, but their ski-jumpers missed the podium as Czech Roman Koudelka topped a wind-marred large hill event held in just one round. Bjoergen clocked 28 minutes 19.7 seconds in the 10-kilometres classic style race as she held off Johaug by six tenth of a second. Heidi Weng completed a Norwegian sweep in third place, 12.3 seconds off the pace. “I knew that if I do not give out everything on the last climb I can save some energy for the finish. I believed I could beat Therese on the home stretch,” Bjoergen said. The multiple world and Olympic champion Bjoergen received 200 points for the tour - consisting of Friday’s sprint, Saturday’s 5km freestyle and Sunday’s pursuit - to dominate the World Cup with 519 points ahead of the holder Johaug (388) and Weng (304). Bjoergen had also won the early tour the past four years when it was held in Kuusamo, Finland. Norway’s show of strength included Ingvild Flugstad Oestberg in fourth place, Ragnhild Haga in sixth and Maiken Caspersen Falla in seventh place. Sweden’s Charlotte Kalle slightly spoiled the Norwegian show by coming fifth. The men’s World Cup champion Sundby shook off Finn Haagen Krogh in the closing stages of the men’s 15km for victory in 39:48.2. Krogh, Sjur Roethe, Paal Golberg and Didrik Totenseth completed the Norwegian dominance ahead of Swede Calle Halfvarsson. “My plan was to give everything on the last climb and not look back until I was on the top. I had great skis this weekend. I am happy for being on the podium with my friends,” Sundby said. Sundby tops the World Cup with 391 points from Krogh (309) and Golberg (230). Kokslien got his seventh career win when he pipped German World Cup leader Fabian Riessle by three tenth in the 10km cross-country pursuit after a morning ski-jump, clocking 25:49.8. French star Jason Lamy Chappuis was third. On the large jumping hill, Koudelka soared to his second career victory with 140 metres for 153.9 points in a competition delayed by wind which also forced organisers to scrap the second round. Peter Prevc of Slovenia was second with 149.9 points and Austria’s Michael Hayboeck third as on Saturday, with 149.4 points. World Cup leader Simon Amman of Switzerland was fifth. The Nordic skiing World Cups continue next weekend, with the cross-country skiers in Davos, Switzerland and the jumpers in Nizhny Tagil, Russia.