In the goal, Edvin Anger was only 2.5 seconds behind the winner Harald Østberg Amundsen after being almost 1.15 minutes behind at the start, having come in fifth in yesterday's 20-kilometer freestyle race.
It's crazy anyway, to catch up so much on Amundsen, says Anger to Viaplay.
The 22-year-old had the fastest time of the race, with a 10-second margin.
It says a lot, it's really sick anyway.
His explanation for how it went so well in the race:
I had magic things under my feet and my body just wanted to go. I was hungry for the podium and there was still a bit left.
First podium
It was Anger's first podium in a distance race in the World Cup. The sprint specialist had previously been fifth best (in the mass start and in 20 km in this year's Tour de Ski).
I'm also wondering a bit what the explanation is. I take everything seriously, very seriously and do it to become good. Now I'm showing that it gives results even in distance, so I can maybe call myself an all-rounder anyway, says he.
The Swede sprinted past skiing giant and sprint specialist Johannes Høsflot Klæbo at the end.
I thought that now I've made it here and then I should just do it. It wasn't that hard, it became quite a few meters, says Anger, who was almost two seconds ahead of the Norwegian at the end.
For Klæbo, it was only to take his hat off to the young Swede.
It was good, I didn't have much to answer with, says he to Viaplay and tells that he went silent during the race after having to go up and pull when it went too slow.
But the most important thing for me was to take the lead in the total.
"I have a sense of security now"
Klæbo now leads the ski tour 36 seconds ahead of Anger and 57 seconds ahead of Amundsen.
This was the best way to start 2025. I have a sense of security now, have great skis under my feet and look forward to competing further, says Anger.
William Poromaa came in 15th place in the pursuit and was not satisfied with his performance.
It was tough, I went in the back of others and it went too slow and people came from behind. It became a bit stagnant, but I did my best, says he to Viaplay.
Now the cross-country skiers move from Toblach to Val di Fiemme, where the tour ends with a sprint on Friday, a skiathlon on Saturday, and a final mass start on Sunday.
