Emil Persson won the men’s edition of the traditional 70-kilometre long-distance marcialonga race.
– This is very beautiful. Lovely. I’ve never felt so good as now, says men’s winner Emil Persson for SVT.
– It’s so huge. It’s in a squad of its own, says Anders Blomquist, SVT’s cross-country expert.
Won: Emil Persson of Sweden wins the 70km marcialonga cross-country race from Moena to Cavalese via Val di Fassa and Val di Fiemi in Italy. Photo: Geir Olsen/NTB
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Persson prevailed after an impressive finish in the competition with the Norwegian duo Tord Assel Jerdalen and Andreas Nygaard, who finished second and third.
– Emil Persson is incredibly strong this year and he’s simply better than us. We have to admit it, Gerdalin tells NRK.
Magne Smydas triumphed in the women’s class impressively in the prologue Anikken Gjerde Alnes.
– It was a lot of fun, says Smidas to the state channel after the victory.
– Now I’m going home and partying with more Haribo.
WON: Magne Smydas of Dalsepegda, Oss, won the women’s class in the Marcialonga, a 70-kilometer race from Moena to Cavalese via Val di Fassa and Val di Fiemi in Italy. Photo: Geir Olsen/NTB
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Northog faced the wall
Petter Northug stayed with the tight pack until the last two kilometers when the field really broke out on the tough final climb.
In the end, the 36th Mosvik Express was beaten by 1 minute 58 seconds.
Northug also won the sprint against a veteran, Anders Oakland.
Northug chase
Ahead of this weekend, Northug had two of the 26 best results of this long-distance race season, most recently at La Diagonela this past weekend, when the winning Mosvik Express finished just 45.6 seconds.
Today, Northug was chasing a season’s best in the 70-kilometer Marcialonga, one of the most important events of the long-distance running season.
However, it only worked.
But she looked bright for a long time.
After 18.6km, Northug passed the 35th at the sprint spot, as the cross-country legend was part of the large, narrow group, also called the main field.
At the crossing point after 45.2 kilometres, Northog was still in the main field, passing in 32nd place, well hidden in the back of the field.
annoyed
Then the tactical champ began maneuvering his way forward in the field, with around 12km to go.
Northug will be in pole position before the final and is famous for his uphill climb in the final.
– NRK expert commentator Simen Østensen said that he notes that Peter is feeling better.
Half a kilometer from the finish, Northug was a little further back in the tight group, 14.3 seconds behind in twenty-fourth place.
Then Northug and the rest of the close group entered the very difficult final climb. Or a wall if you like.
There, Mosvik Express had a hard time competing with the world’s elite.
Peter Northug was the No. 36 finish, beaten 1 minute 58 seconds by Pearson.
He desperately cried for help
The long-distance race was not without drama:
With 25 kilometers to go, Kasper Stadaas made his way to the front and yelled wildly into the TV camera:
– Can I have a right stick? No stick left f****!? Stadaas shouted into the television camera, hoping the message would reach someone who could help him.
Clear message before starting
I cried for help: Kasper Stadaas. Photo: Terje Pedersen/NTB
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In front of NRK before the race, Northug declared he had ambitions for the best result of the season today:
– Marcialonga Important. The shape is good. I feel like I’ve improved pretty well from weekend to weekend. I have to be better than the top 26 and climb higher on the results list here today,” Northug told The State Channel before the start.
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