It's set for Norwegian-Swedish gold battles already on the first World Championship day in Trondheim.
Jonna Sundling is the favorite and is chasing her third consecutive World Championship gold in sprint and fifth overall (only Gunde Svan has more). The main challenger ahead of time is home favorite Kristine Stavås Skistad.
The championship's first race is also one of Johan Olsson's highlights of the entire World Championship. The 44-year-old, multiple Olympic and World Championship gold medalist and now an expert in Viaplay's TV broadcasts, believes in a fierce duel.
I'm really, really looking forward to the women's sprint.
Five consecutive championship golds
After the women's final, the next highlight awaits when the medals in the men's sprint will be awarded. Norway's Johannes Høsflot Klæbo has taken five consecutive championship golds in sprint (two Olympic golds, three World Championship golds) and is perhaps the World Championship's biggest favorite.
But Johan Olsson raises a warning finger for a Swede.
There's a chance that Edvin Anger can beat the giant Johannes Høsflot Klæbo. Because even though it has seemed completely impossible, suddenly there's a spark of hope that I think even Klæbo feels. That there's someone who has a chance, says Olsson and emphasizes:
Because there's no one who has been closer before. But now Anger is close.
Did you believe that when the season started?
No. Edvin Anger has been on the threshold, but now he's on a level that we only hoped he would be on.
"Enormously exciting"
Two other World Championship races he's looking forward to in Trondheim.
Partly the women's relay. Winning a traditional relay with four legs in Norway is tough. Because the relay means extremely much to the Norwegians. Even more than it does in Sweden, says Olsson.
And then also the women's 10 kilometers in classical style, individual start. Frida Karlsson against Therese Johaug.
The comebacking Therese Johaug has not been as impossible to beat as before she quit after the 2021-2022 season. At the same time, Frida Karlsson has been superior a couple of times this winter.
Frida Karlsson has been mega-dominant, but Johaug has all the time tried to brush off the rust from her break. But I see Frida Karlsson as the favorite. And to dethrone Johaug on home ground in front of so many spectators who have only waited and longed for Johaug to come back, I think it's going to be enormously exciting.
