Dahlqvist was in top form when she won the first four sprints of the 2021-22 World Cup season. But after her first place in Dresden on December 18, 2021, it came to a halt.
Therefore, Saturday's victory in Cogne, the 30-year-old's first individual World Cup win in over three years, must have tasted extra sweet.
It feels incredibly nice. There have been many second and third places. I took five wins in a row four years ago (including the last competition of the 2020-21 season), but then there were no more, says Maja Dahlqvist to Viaplay.
"Win or die"
In a tough final sprint, she finally outran Swiss Nadine Fähndrich and Laura Gimmler of Germany. When Dahlqvist crossed the finish line, she punched the air with her fist to mark how long-awaited the victory was.
Today I thought it had to be all or nothing. Either I win or I die. And it went well, says Dahlqvist.
Second or third is kind of the same, but to win - you can't do much better.
For the other Swedes, it didn't go well. Johanna Hagström was the only one of the others to reach the semifinals, but she didn't get to compete. Hagström was disqualified for having skied in the non-skating technique zone in her quarterfinal heat.
Several stars were missing
Some of the top sprinters were missing in Cogne. Jonna Sundling chooses to compete in the Swedish Championships in Borås, while Linn Svahn is focusing on preparations for the World Championship in Trondheim, which starts in the last week of February. Even Norwegian star Kristine Stavås Skistad is skipping this weekend's World Cup competitions.
Edvin Anger also had high hopes for a new podium spot - especially since Norwegian star Johannes Høsflot Klæbo was also skipping. But it didn't work out for the 22-year-old Swede who recently took his first World Cup win in his career.
Anger was the only Swede in the final, but finished sixth and last. It was a Norwegian triple in the top: Erik Valnes won ahead of Ansgar Evensen and Even Northug.
I was pretty tired from the semifinal, it took a lot of energy there. Then they skied extremely fast in the final and I didn't quite have that today, says Edvin Anger to Viaplay.
Two blue and yellow joys were otherwise Måns Skoglund and Anton Grahn, who both reached the semifinals in a World Cup sprint for the first time.
