Petter Northug: The World Cup sprint could turn into a tactical race

Traditional skiing

Petter Northug: The World Cup sprint could turn into a tactical race

by INGEBORG SCHEVE/André Santos • 14.12.2023

Member Article

Photo: Vegard Wivestad Grøtt/Bildbyrån

On Friday, it’s time for the World Cup sprint in Trondheim. This is what Petter Northug has to say about the course that will be used for the World Championships sprint in 2025.

On Friday, the World Cup round and the trial World Championships in Trondheim open with a skate sprint in Granåsen. Petter Northug, who won nine World Cup sprints and took one World Championship gold in sprint during his career, knows the track that will be used in this weekend’s World Cup and the World Championships sprint in next season’s championship better than most.

The course to be used for the World Championships sprint in Granåsen is 1390 meters long and has a total of 47 meters of elevation. The elevation difference is 23 meters, with a maximum incline of 24 meters.

“It’s a challenging course, and often, the best skier comes out on top. It’s a course that offers opportunities for athletes with various qualities. Stamina pays off, technique pays off in this course, and you can gain an advantage downhill if you handle it well,” says Northug to Langrenn.com.

However, he believes technically skilled athletes like Johannes Høsflot Klæbo have significant chances.

“There are athletes who like uphill sections, and then there are athletes like Johannes Klæbo, who excel at descending. And here, they have the opportunity to gain an advantage.”

Tactics and technique

Northug believes it’s a fair course but suggests tactics and technique can be just as decisive as raw stamina in the World Championships sprint.

“It’s a technically demanding course with many curves, so you have to be alert going in and out of them and be careful to take the right turns. Seconds can be gained there, and he (Klæbo) might be the best in the world at it. You have to use your skiing skills and balance to find the best line from point A to point B,” says Northug.

“It has a very good finishing stretch and a compact stadium. The finishing stretch is somewhat artificially flat. This means there can be significant differences in the finish for those with a strong final kick.”

Potential for a tactical race

Even though the course is tough and fair, Northug doesn’t rule out the possibility of a tactical race.

“In the descents, it often slows down at the top here because you pick up so much speed in the downhills that it’s a significant advantage to stay behind. This becomes a tactical aspect to remember when competing in heats here.”

The skate sprint during the trial World Championships will take place on Friday, with prologues starting at 10:00 CET. Norway will have a total of 12 athletes competing in both men’s and women’s categories: eight men on the regular quota and four on the national quota, and six women on the regular quota and six on the national quota.

In total, the Norwegian Ski Association has selected 42 athletes spread across the three competition days.

Petter Northug himself had the opportunity to test the Granåsen course during the Toppidrettsveka this summer.

Here’s the schedule for the upcoming World Cup in Trondheim, which also serves as a trial World Championships for 2025:

FACTS Trondheim World Cup Season 2023/2024

When: Friday, December 15, to Sunday, December 17
Who: Elite national skiers – women and men
Where: Trondheim, Norway
What: FIS Cross-Country World Cup in Trondheim, Norway

PROGRAM

Friday, December 15: Sprint Freestyle (More details can be found here)

10:00 CET: Sprint Quali F, Men
10:00 CET: Sprint Quali F, Women
12:30 CET: Sprint Final F, Men
12:30 CET: Sprint Final F, Women

Saturday, December 16: 20km Skiathlon C/F (More details can be found here)

11:10 CET: 20km Skiathlon C/F, Women
13:15 CET: 20km Skiathlon C/F, Men

Sunday, December 17: 10km Interval Start Classic (More details can be found here)

11:00 CET: 10km Interval Start C, Men
13:15 CET: 10km Interval Start C, Women

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