It's not the Swedish skiers' season - the Olympic fiasco in Italy was the icing on the cake.
Johan Ekberg, 25, was not selected for the Winter Games. But when the World Cup restarted in Falun, he put in a great performance. With his 15th place, just over a minute behind winner Klæbo, he became the best Swede. Eric Rosjö was the second-best Swede in 17th place.
Goal achieved
Ekberg surprisingly won the Swedish season opener in Gällivare in November and then raced the World Cup opener in Ruka.
He then told TT that the goal for the season was clear:
"It's to improve my personal best in the World Cup. I don't even really remember what it is, but it's nothing to write home about right now. It's going to be much better," he said at the time.
All said and done. In Falun, the goal was achieved. Before the race, Ekberg had been 21st in the World Cup at best.
“Just accept”
It was fun. I made a plan to stay calm. When the best players leave, you just have to accept that you're not that good," he says in Viaplay's broadcast and continues:
This is the best I can do. I'm happy with it.
National team manager Anders Byström was pleased with the day.
"I think it's fun. It's not that far to the podium for Johan. It's really fun," he says.
“Scream and be angry”
Gustaf Berglund, who was part of Sweden's cross-country team in the Olympics, was doing well in the race at first. But then he broke his pole and had to ski almost an entire lap with only one pole. He slipped from 12th place to 33rd place.
"I didn't really see what happened to Gustaf. He was just screaming and angry. He lost quite a few places there," says Byström.
Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, who also won Saturday's sprint, took his 109th victory in the World Cup and continues to dominate the men's field.
At the Olympics, the Norwegian won six out of six gold medals and thus became the best Winter Olympian of all time.
