Hometown hero Klaebo reaches 100 in Trondheim as pretenders stake their claim

Who writes Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo's scripts? Not content with winning the 100th - yes 100th - FIS World Cup race of his career, the greatest men's cross-country skier of all time just had to do it in Trondheim.

The Norwegian legend had already taken his hometown hero status to new heights by winning six gold medals from six events at the 2025 FIS Nordic Skiing World Championships here nine months ago.

On Friday, he reached his century by winning his fifth World Cup race on his home track in typically dominant style over his favourite distance. Even more incredible than the 100 wins, perhaps, is the 60 sprint victories from 77 victories, a conversion rate that has made the most frenetic distance in the sport become almost predictable.

Edvin Anger (SWE), Even Northug (NOR), Federico Pellegrino (ITA) and Jules Chappaz (FRA) - a finalist in Ruka, Finland last week - were among the big names not to make it past the quarter-finals in perfect conditions in Trondheim, while Harald Oestberg Amundsen (NOR) and Ben Ogden (USA) failed to make the final after a coming together in the second semi-final.

But if Klaebo's victory was a formality - providing he could stay out of trouble on the difficult corners - the day did at least provide a possible glimpse into the future of cross-country sprinting in the form of 19-year-old Alvar Myhlback (SWE) and Oskar Opstad Vike (NOR), who is only 21.

Both made the final and it was the Swedish teenager - a double world youth champion only last year - who set a blistering pace, his double-poling power there for all to see.

But he was soon swallowed up by five Norwegians, led by Klaebo, Erik Valnes and Ansgar Evensen, who made up the sprint podium in Ruka last week.

Having watched an incident-packed women's final, Klaebo slowed the pace going into the sharp corner before the first descent, but Vike picked up the pace as the men headed downhill for the first time.

It was, perhaps, an inexperienced move. Vike again led coming down the second descent but Klaebo took advantage of the slipstream provided by the long downhill and expertly sling-shotted round his young compatriot on the inside to ensure he was in the lead and, crucially, out of harm's way going into the difficult final corner that claimed several casualties at the world championships.

He streaked away before slowing down to milk the applause from his home crowd, clenching his first in triumph to cross 0.31 seconds ahead of a clearly delighted Vike, who claimed his highest and second-ever World Cup podium.

The most eye-catching performance came from Myhlback, however, who burst from fifth to third down the finishing straight, missing out on second place by just 0.03 seconds to claim his first-ever FIS World Cup podium in just his 10th individual start.

On his 100th victory, Klaebo said: "It's perfect, there couldn't be a better place to take it and also to do it in sprint, it's special.

The action continues in Trondheim on Saturday with the Men's and Women's 20km Skiathlon.

For all the results from Trondheim, click here