Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo makes history with World Cup triumph for 20th win of cross-country season
BySportsbeat
Updated 26/03/2023 at 19:14 GMT
The Norwegian Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo sealed a record-equalling 20th triumph of the season in the final race of the year in Lahti. "It's the perfect way to finish off the season," said Klaebo, who has also won the overall sprint title. "All the way I was hoping people would push a little bit harder so we could come faster to the finish line and start celebrating."
'Unbelievable' - Klaebo clinches 20th victory of cross-country skiing season at Lahti
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo made history on Sunday with the Norwegian recording a 20th win of the season in the men's 20km cross country mass start classic in Lahti.
Having already sealed the Crystal Globe, Klaebo demonstrated his dominance of the event as he outsprinted compatriot Paal Golberg and Sweden's William Poromaa to take gold.
Klaebo's time of 44:13.0 saw him finish 5.4s ahead of Golberg who took silver, with Poromaa just behind to take bronze.
Victory on Sunday, following on from a 19th win of the season on Saturday, means the Norwegian becomes just the second racer in history to record 20 World Cup victories in a single season.
Only Klaebo's compatriot, Therese Johaug, had previously done that, becoming the first person to hit that milestone back in 2019.
It was a fourth overall Crystal Globe for Klaebo, who has now achieved a total of 90 podium finishes at World Cup level in his storied career.
"It's the perfect way to finish off the season," said Klaebo, who has also won the overall sprint title. "All the way I was hoping people would push a little bit harder so we could come faster to the finish line and start celebrating.
"It feels amazing to equal the record of 20 wins - nothing I have ever dreamed of before the season started with injury and everything - so I'm just so satisfied and really proud.
"For sure, it's my best season ever."
Second for Golberg saw him take silver in the overall standings, while he also claims the distance title for the 2022/23 season.
And Federico Pellegrino rounded off the overall podium, the Italian taking bronze.
Meanwhile, Norway's Anne Kjersti Kalvaa edged out Sweden's Jonna Sundling for her first World Cup victory in the women's event.
Kalvaa finished just 0.9s ahead of Sundling to take gold, with the Swede forced to settle for silver and Germany's Katharina Hennig coming home with bronze.
"It was amazing," Kalvaa said. "I felt so good today and I had amazing skis so I just had to believe in the process and give it my all in the finish - it was amazing to finish first.
"It was a hard race - it was the last race of the season and everyone is tired so it goes a little bit up and down, but I felt good."
Tiril Udnes Weng finished down in 18th place but a strong finish did not matter for the Norwegian, who had already sealed the Crystal Globe.
She finished ahead of America's Jessie Diggins in second, while Finland's Kerttu Niskanen finished in third.
Niskanen claimed the distance title, while Maja Dahlqvist won the sprint Crystal Globe.
- - -
Stream the 2022/23 winter sports season live on discovery+, the Eurosport app and eurosport.com
Scan me
Related Topics
Share this article
Advertisement
Advertisement