Despite the mistake, she was close to snatching the gold from Jonna Sundling after a powerful climb.
Andersson started the Swedish Championship in Kalix by convincingly winning Thursday's 10km race. She followed it up a day later by winning the team sprint together with Jonna Sundling.
Andersson, as the last skier, went out on today's 30km race as a clear favorite.
Soon, most things went wrong. Andersson got lost. She skied onto the wrong loop. In Expressen's TV broadcast, she was heard shouting that she had skied wrong.
The mistake cost her. After 3.5 kilometers, Andersson was in 31st place – one minute and 20 seconds behind leading Jonna Sundling.
Andersson's own explanation for the wrong route choice:
What went wrong is that I'm way too focused on a downhill skiing. And then I just continue on the 8-kilometer loop that we're supposed to ski three laps on later.
Then I think, just that I shouldn't even be here for the first lap. Then it's just a matter of stopping and turning back. It's an enormous amount of time I'm losing there, she says to Expressen.
After about half the race, Andersson was 48 seconds behind Sundling. She steadily closed in. At the last intermediate time, Andersson led the race. But then her energy ran out.
In the finish, Andersson was beaten by Jonna Sundling by 2.8 seconds.
It was tough out there. Today, I needed that handicap, says Jonna Sundling to Expressen.
Gustaf Berglund won the men's 50km race ahead of Axel Jutterström and Eric Rosjö. Calle Halfvarsson broke off the race.
It's never fun to break off. But that's how it is now. I was completely exhausted and motivation is a bit hard. I hadn't actually thought I'd ski. It was a last-ditch effort, he says to Expressen.
