Spectacular showdown at Teamsprint in Ulricehamn
Feb 07, 2021·Cross-Country
The second race day at Ulricehamn (SWE) awaited with a Teamsprint with 19 nations lining up their teams at the start. The key to success was to stay within top positions and not to get tangled up in the twisty course of Ulricehamn. An unlucky ski loss of the German team in the first semi-final of the women and a tangled ski of the Russian Team in the second semi-final of the men, proved the need to remain focused throughout the challenging course.
In the womens final, Jessie Diggins (Team USA I with Sadie Maubet Bjornsen) was the pace setter and raced all out. Unable to break away, Team Sweden I remained on their heels with Linn Svahn in perfect line when heading towards the finish line. Ready to make a move in the right time, Anamarija Lampic from Team Slovenia had also lined up as well as Switzerland’s Nadine Fähndrich. The four athletes launched side by side in fight for the three podium spots. The well deserved victory was taken by Anamarija Lampic and Eva Urevc from Team Slovenia who stated: “It’s my first victory after my long way back after my recovery so I am very happy that I can celebrate this with my amazing team.”
Team Sweden I with Maja Dahlqvist and Linn Svahn finish in second before a photo finish decides the fight for the last remaining spot on the podium in favor to the Swiss Team with Nadine Fähndrich and Laurien van der Graaff.
The mens final started off less paced but built up tension throughout the laps. A decisive section of the course became the exchange zone as it saw two falls. First, Lauri Vuorinen of Team Finland II (with Juuso Haarala) caught the edge right after the exchange and just before the final exchange, Lucas Chanavat of Team France I (with Richard Jouve) fell and took one of the favourite Team’s out of the fight for the top spots.
Alike in the previous womens final, the speed was immediately exhilarated for the final lap, directed by Federico Pellegrino from Team Italy I (with Francesco De Fabiani) who remained untouchable, crossing the finish line in first position. Roman Furger and Jovian Hediger from Team Switzerland I had kept up and challenged the heats throughout the semi-finals and finals and were ready in a well deserved second position. They played all cards right and Furger launched for Switzerland’s maiden Teamsprint podium in for the men with a second place. Also alike the womens final, the decision for the third place was taken by a photo finish which Team Sweden II with Karl-Johan Westberg and Johan Haeggstroem won by 0.02’ before Michal Novak and Ludek Seller of Team Czech Republic I.
