Heavy....and we mean heavy, heavy snow and a 4 x 10 relay that for much of the race had about five different narratives. Russia off the front, then falling back, Norway out of it, then right in the thick of it. It came down to a blistering hop-skate by Klæbo to quell any dreams Bolshunov had of becoming the hero. That and more on the pod.
Show Notes
One can expect some tactics during a 4 x 10 k relay in heavy snowfall for world championship glory. To summarize nearly two hours of racing in three sentences there was this: Russia off the front, then in the middle. Norway in the middle, then off the front. Then Klæbo becoming the king of coy as he tempts Bolshunov and pounces for the win.
This 4 x 10 k relay provided a wealth of storyline threads to consider. There are good skis and bad skis. Good legs and some not-so-good legs. Teams with no matches to burn, others with one match to rule them all. Over
1:52:39 minutes, viewers were witness to much that is great about the sport. We were treated to pure drag racing
and chess match tactics that concluded with Norway winning gold.
Here is to breaking down the 2021 World Championship relay on the podcast.
What is The Devon Kershaw Show by FasterSkier?
As a former World Champion and veteran World Cup cross-country ski racer, Kershaw provides an unfiltered look at elite level cross-country ski racing. Tune in after every World Cup weekend.