Sundby superb again but Northug came with a warning shot – Dagbladet.no

OSLO / LENZEREIDE (Dagbladet): Martin Johnsrud Sundby increased their lead her on today jakstart in Tour de Ski and now leads by one minut and thirty seconds on Petter Northug. Finn-Hågen Krogh is no. 3 in summary, exactly two minutes behind Sundby.

Northug, however, came with a small warning shot toward the end of the stage when he jerked the basis Didrik Tønseth and took a few seconds to Sundby on the two last few kilometers.

– It was essentially a møkkaløp but I lose nothing to the competition. So in that respect I am very pleased, says Sundby NRK.

– If I get a bad day, it can quickly break a minute. Nothing is settled, according to the World leader.

Northug showed that pressure is still there and that the shape is approaching. That means Northug may have found momentum form that it takes to do well in Tuesday’s sprint, recoup seconds sovereign Sundby and create some excitement in the summary.

But Sundby seems to have steel control and may even be historic setting a Tour de Ski-record by winning the tour with the biggest ever winning margin.

– If Martin avoids mistakes, he has this in his pocket, said Northug.

Quests Bauers record

In 2007/08 Lukas Bauer won the Tour de Ski with the whole 2.47 minutes ahead of René Sommerfeldt and Giorgio Di Centa. Tord Asle Gjerdalen was best Norwegian in 4th place.

It was at that time Norway had a “tourforbannelse.” From the first edition in 2006/07 to 2012/13 won no Norwegians, neither the men’s or women’s side, the Tour de Ski standings.

Now, suddenly Norway in a class of their own, and Sundby hunts record to Bauer about the biggest victory margin in this prestigious tour.

Northug is best likely to be no. 2. It can also be Norwegian in the final podium position. Finn-Hågen Krogh won at today jakstart sprint for 3rd place ahead of Sergej Utsjugov while Sjur Rothe and Didrik Tønseth followed on the next spots.

It also reflects the position in the summary.

Full Control

Johnsrud Sundby went out with an edge over whole 1.18 minutes Petter Northug and increased distance initially. Northug was in turn overtaken by twelve seconds of Didrik Tønseth so Sundby was hunted by a Norwegian duo.

Two Norwegians were also in Group three, with Finn-Hågen Krogh and Sjur Røthe as the Norwegian broadcasts in addition to Russian Sergej Usjugov. In group four went Dario Cologna along with Alex Harvey, Alexey Poltoranin and Evgeniy Belov.

Tønseth went on Northug kilometer after kilometer before Northug suddenly jerked close in a tough uphill. When Northug struck jerked, he catching up Sundby with nine seconds within a few hundred meters.

But it did not help much in the grand scheme. Sundby controlled into a new supreme triumph and increased its lead to Northug with another few seconds.

Next stage is the classic sprint in German Oberstdorf on Tuesday. It might Sundby presumed weakest distance.