Cross-country skiing : fifth victory in Ruka for Iivo Niskanen
The cross-country skiers at the top of the start lists made their return to the cross-country skiing world cup at midday on Friday under thick snow. In Ruka (Finland), the world’s best athletes competed for the first time this winter in an individual 10-kilometre classic.
A few minutes after Frida Karlsson‘s recital in the women’s race, it was Iivo Niskanen in his prime who raised his arms in the men’s race. As efficient as ever in his preferred style, the Finn mastered his subject from A to Z in the day’s race.
Stronger than five Norwegians, the reigning Olympic champion of the speciality did not hesitate to exult in the finish area in front of a crowd that was totally behind him. Winner for the first time in his career on this circuit just ten years ago on this same site in Kuusamo, the 32-year-old cross-country skier took his fifth victory on this track, which suits him more than ever.
Behind him, the outgoing world number one in the discipline Harald Oestberg Amundsen took second place, just a second and a half ahead of his compatriot Martin Loewstroem Nyenget, who took his fifteenth individual podium in his career.
Not really in contention for a place in the top 3 as the skilometers went by, Johannes Hoesflot Klæbo settled for fourth place, nearly 30 seconds behind the winner. His team-mates Erik Valnes and Simen Hegstad Krueger are close behind him in the rankings. Behind the Norwegian armada, Jens Burman took seventh place ahead of the surprising Irish-Norwegian Thomas Maloney Westgaard.
Hugo Lapalus in top form for his comeback
Just a week ago, at the opening races in Beitostølen (Norway), Hugo Lapalus proved he was in good form by finishing fifth in the individual classic and sixth in the same event in skateboarding. For his first race against the best in cross-country skiing, the Frenchman once again proved his worth.
The Haut-Savoyard was in solid tenth place when he crossed the line, and was able to find his feet well ahead of the likes of Paal Golberg and Calle Halfvarsson. Following him in the French rankings was Jules Chappaz, twenty-second and once again a strong performer over distance. As did his compatriot from La Clusaz (Haute-Savoie) Théo Schely, twenty-third ahead of Sweden’s Edvin Anger.
Mathis Desloges, competing in only his fifth individual elite event, and Richard Jouve also broke into the top 30 in twenty-sixth and twenty-seventh places respectively. Rémi Bourdin crossed the line in fortieth place, while Chartrous’ Jules Lapierre had to make do with forty-seventh.
The full ranking
The distance ranking
The overall ranking
Read also
- In their first duel, Frida Karlsson gets the better of Therese Johaug
- Ruka: Frida Karlsson takes her first win of the season in style, Mélissa Gal tops the French rankings
- Before their first World Cup meeting, Johannes Hoesflot Klæbo was impressed by Hugo Lapalus
- “We have to look for performance and be obsessed by it”: Les Bleus launch their season this Friday in Ruka
- The full programme for the Ruka World Cup, the first stage of the winter season for cross-country skiers and combined skiers
- Ruka: Fifteen-strong France on the opening day of the World Cup
