Harald Østberg Amundsen won the home race over 10 kilometers freestyle, individual start, ahead of four fellow countrymen.
It's no unusual thing with only Norwegians at the top, but the second place in the World Cup race stood out. The 23-year-old Einar Hedegart is normally a biathlete, but now he finished 5.2 seconds after Amundsen. He was more than seven seconds ahead of the superstar Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, who recently took six VM gold medals.
It's a boyhood dream. It's something I've dreamed of and suddenly it's reality. I would have liked to talk to 10-year-old Einar and said that we made it, says Einar Hedegart to Viaplay.
It says something about the biathlon level. That level has been raised and we've known about it, but I think the cross-country skiers have underestimated us, continues the Norwegian, who made his second World Cup start in cross-country.
There has been a war of words for several years now about there being biathletes who could beat the cross-country stars on the tracks.
He has shown that he is strong in 10 (kilometer) skate. He doesn't seem to be holding up in biathlon, so it's good that he's doing well in cross-country instead, says William Poromaa to Viaplay.
Hedegart told the TV channel that he wanted to beat the Swedish star and that the Swedish biathlete Martin Ponsiluoma – acknowledged as strong on the tracks, but weaker on the shooting range – would beat Poromaa in a cross-country race.
No, he doesn't. I don't think so. We'll have to try sometime, says Poromaa with a light laugh.
