Rydzek, kläbo exit world cup drammen: crashes halt norwegian star's season
Drammen, Norway – A bitter end to the World Cup sprint for Coletta Rydzek and a devastating crash for Johannes Hösflot Kläbo defined Saturday's races in Drammen. Rydzek, a medal contender from the Beijing Olympics, was unluckily caught in a jostling pack and forced to withdraw. Kläbo, the reigning Olympic champion, suffered a significant crash that required hospitalization, jeopardizing his quest for a record-breaking 112th World Cup victory.
Rydzek suffers unfortunate fall in sprint
The incident occurred in the final left-hand turn before the finish line. Italian skier Iris de Martin Pinter and Swedish skier Linn Svahn collided, sending Svahn crashing down. Rydzek, unable to avoid the ensuing chaos, also went down. Svahn recovered to finish second, edging out de Martin Pinter, who had stumbled after the initial contact. Sweden's Jonna Sundling claimed victory in the tight race.
Laura Gimmler, Rydzek's teammate and Olympic bronze medalist, advanced to the final but finished fifth, 4.01 seconds behind Sundling. Rydzek's 26th-place finish is a stark contrast to her recent third-place showing in Lahti.
Kläbo's race ends in collision, hospital visit follows
Johannes Hösflot Kläbo's race ended abruptly after a heavy fall. The crash happened during a struggle for position with American Bend Ogden. “It was incredibly icy out there. I lost my balance and just fell,” Kläbo reported. The impact resulted in a significant blow to the back of his head.
Kläbo was transported to a local hospital for observation, though team doctor Ove Feragen stated he was conscious. “It was a serious fall, and that needs to be taken seriously. I see it positively that it doesn’t seem to be anything serious, but that depends on the person,” Feragen told Norwegian broadcaster NRK. His next scheduled event is a 50km freestyle mass start race at the same venue on Saturday.
Despite the setback, Kläbo had already secured the crystal globe for the season’s best sprinter, adding to his recent World Cup and overall World Cup triumphs. His dominance has been unparalleled, boasting six consecutive World Cup wins and six Olympic golds.
Norway's Ansgar Evensen capitalized on Kläbo's misfortune to win the race, a surprising outcome given the absence of Kläbo’s main rivals in the top positions. Germany’s Jan Stölben finished 23rd, his best result of the season.
Kläbo’s absence from the competition leaves a void at the top of the sport. The question now is: can he recover in time for the upcoming season?