MORA, March 6 (Xinhua) – For the tenth year in a row, a Norwegian skier won the intensive Vasaloppet for men on Sunday when the 90-kilometer-long classic Swedish event celebrates its centenary.
The frenzy ended with Andreas Nygard crossing the finish line first in 3:32:18. However, it was a tight race where Nygard regained the lead just before the line and beat second-placed Emil Persson from Sweden by one second. The local skier Axel Jutterström finished third.
Several of the top-seeded participants withdrew after falling, which gave the race a dramatic start.
50 skiers remained in the leading group after 24 kilometers and after 61 kilometers, 23 skiers separated by only 15 seconds.
With ten kilometers to go, it was even tighter, as 17 skiers were within three seconds of each other.
“I was surprised that we were packed near the finish line. We went very fast,” Nygard said after the race, adding that he almost withdrew halfway after one of his ski poles broke, but continued thanks to the assistance of his countrymen. .
“There are a lot of emotions, Andreas Joar Thele gave me his ski pole when mine broke during the race, and I managed to deliver. It’s so crazy and nice”, the Norwegian expressed his feelings.
The Vasaloppet has become an element in the winter sports calendar since the first competition in 1922 and has grown enormously in the last hundred years.
Including female elites, hobby athletes and hopeful beginners, 15,800 skiers signed up for the event. Among skiers from 49 countries and regions, He Qinghang from China finished in 262nd place in the men’s race.