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New York Times
08-03-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, Norway's cross-country king, completes historic feat at world championships
Heading to the final turn, Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo took the lead one last time, passing Sweden's William Poromaa. The Norwegian cross-country skiing great had turned the sport's marathon race into a sprint. And there's no beating Klaebo in that. Klaebo raced to the finish, and just before he crossed the line, he peeked back at the other contenders who had faded over the final kilometers of Saturday's men's 50km mass start at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships. He raised his hands to a portion of the more than 100,000 home fans that packed the mountainside in Trondheim, celebrating a victory that completed an unprecedented medal sweep and stamped his place in cross-country lore. Advertisement Klaebo's win in the 50km gave him gold medals in all six events at the world championships, the first time anyone has done that since the event expanded to six events — in 2001 for the men, 2003 for the women. Russia's Yelena Välbe is the only other skier to pull off a golden sweep at the biennial world championships, winning all five women's events in 1997. 'I feel like I've been working so hard to just be here and try to be in my best shape, and managing that and winning six out of six here, it's just crazy,' Klaebo said after the race. 'I don't have any words.' Klaebo finished the six laps around Trondheim's Granasen ski center in 1:57:47.1, 2.1 seconds of Poromaa. A renowned sprinter and 95-time winner on the World Cup tour, Klaebo's place in the sport's history was already well secured. He entered worlds with five Olympic gold medals to his name, along with three golds in each of the previous three world championships. All of those, though, had come in sprints and relays prior to this week. At these world championships, Klaebo won his six golds in 10 grueling days, taking the sprint freestyle on Feb. 27, the 20km skiathlon (which combines the classical and freestyle methods) on March 1 and the 10km interval start on Tuesday while also anchoring gold-medal Norwegian squads in the team sprint classical on Wednesday and the 4X7.5km relay on Thursday. Klaebo was already the men's cross-country name to watch at the 2026 Olympics, but his results in the distance races in the past week make him an even more formidable threat across the entire Olympic program, which runs from Feb. 7-22 in Tesero, Italy. He had come close to winning the 50km world title before. Klaebo was the silver medalist at worlds in 2023 and crossed the line first in 2021 but was disqualified for obstruction — making Saturday's win all the more meaningful for him. 'I feel like I've said this every single race here, that this has been the best day so far, but today, it's just crazy,' Klaebo said. 'Winning a 50k, so close two years ago, disqualified four years ago — it's been a crazy journey when it comes to 50ks.' In the final kilometers Saturday, Klaebo raced in a pack of five in the leading group, including Poromaa and three fellow Norwegians — Harald Oestberg Amundsen, Martin Loewstroem Nyenget and Simen Hegsted Krueger. The others kept a brisk pace throughout the race, hoping to tire Klaebo and distance themselves before the race came down to his specialty — an all-out dash to the finish. Advertisement 'I was struggling on Lap 3 there,' Klaebo said. '(Amundsen) was putting some high pace, but I kind of managed to stay really on the back there, and I feel like I got helped by the hundreds of thousands of people out there.' But in the late stages of the race, the others dropped off. Amundsen faded around the 44km mark. Then, Nyenget fell while leading with just under three kilometers left. Klaebo was right behind and dodged his tumbling countryman to take the lead. Krueger then moved to the front and still led with a kilometer to go, but he couldn't hang with Klaebo and Poromaa has they amped up the speed. Klaebo waited for his time behind Poromaa, bouncing to the inside and passing him down a hill heading into the last turn. From there, the world's best sprinter did what he does and capped his historic 10-day stretch. Krueger finished 8.5 seconds back to win bronze. Nyenget was fourth, 18.6 seconds behind. Amundsen took fifth, 51.8 seconds off the pace. After it was over, Klaebo sat down, leaned against an advertisement along the course and put his head in his hands, absorbing the moment. 'This is way more than I expected and dreamed of,' he said, 'so it's unbelievable.' GO DEEPER In skiing, where 'champions pull up champions,' U.S. women well ahead of the men (Top photo of Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo crossing the finish line Saturday: Lars Baron / Getty Images)
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Hometown hero Klaebo completes golden sweep at Nordic world championships
TRONDHEIM, Norway (AP) — Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo completed a historic sweep of the cross-country skiing world championships on Saturday, and he did it in in his hometown of Trondheim. Cheered on by around 100,000 fans, the Norwegian great claimed a rare victory in the 50-kilometers mass start freestyle for an unprecedented six for six at the Nordic worlds. 'This is way more than I expected and dreamed of, so it's unbelievable,' said Klaebo, who slumped against the advertising hoardings after winning his 15th world title with his head bowed and his elbows on his knees. 'I feel like I've been working so hard to just be here and be in my best shape and managing that and being able to win six out of six … it's just crazy' No man or woman had done the sweep at the world championships since it was extended to six events — in 2001 for the men and 2003 for women. Klaebo completed the course in one hour, 57 minutes and 47.1 seconds, beating William Poromaa of Sweden by 2.1 seconds. Simen Hegstad Krueger was third, 8.5 behind his Norwegian compatriot. The 28-year-old Klaebo, perhaps the greatest cross-country skiers of all time, came into the world championships with no victories in the discipline among his five Olympic gold medals and nine world titles. He was runner-up by one second in 202, and was disqualified in 2021 after crossing the line first. 'I feel like the crowd really helped me out there,' Klaebo. 'I was struggling on lap three. But I managed to stay on the back of the pack and was helped by the thousands of people out there. 'I feel like I've said this every day, but this has been the best day so far. Winning the 50K — I was so close two years ago, disqualified four years ago — it's been a crazy journey.' Klaebo kicked off his historic achievement in Trondheim on Feb. 27, anchoring the Norwegian team to gold in the relay. He won the 20km skiathlon two days later, the 10km on Tuesday and the team sprint on Wednesday. That last victory saw Klaebo become the most decorated male cross-country skier of all time at the worlds, and he added to that tally on Saturday. ___ AP sports: The Associated Press
Associated Press
08-03-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Hometown hero Klaebo completes golden sweep at Nordic world championships
TRONDHEIM, Norway (AP) — Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo completed a historic sweep of the cross-country skiing world championships on Saturday, and he did it in in his hometown of Trondheim. Cheered on by around 100,000 fans, the Norwegian great claimed a rare victory in the 50-kilometers mass start freestyle for an unprecedented six for six at the Nordic worlds. 'This is way more than I expected and dreamed of, so it's unbelievable,' said Klaebo, who slumped against the advertising hoardings after winning his 15th world title with his head bowed and his elbows on his knees. 'I feel like I've been working so hard to just be here and be in my best shape and managing that and being able to win six out of six … it's just crazy' No man or woman had done the sweep at the world championships since it was extended to six events — in 2001 for the men and 2003 for women. Klaebo completed the course in one hour, 57 minutes and 47.1 seconds, beating William Poromaa of Sweden by 2.1 seconds. Simen Hegstad Krueger was third, 8.5 behind his Norwegian compatriot. The 28-year-old Klaebo, perhaps the greatest cross-country skiers of all time, came into the world championships with no victories in the discipline among his five Olympic gold medals and nine world titles. He was runner-up by one second in 202, and was disqualified in 2021 after crossing the line first. 'I feel like the crowd really helped me out there,' Klaebo. 'I was struggling on lap three. But I managed to stay on the back of the pack and was helped by the thousands of people out there. 'I feel like I've said this every day, but this has been the best day so far. Winning the 50K — I was so close two years ago, disqualified four years ago — it's been a crazy journey.' Klaebo kicked off his historic achievement in Trondheim on Feb. 27, anchoring the Norwegian team to gold in the relay. He won the 20km skiathlon two days later, the 10km on Tuesday and the team sprint on Wednesday. That last victory saw Klaebo become the most decorated male cross-country skier of all time at the worlds, and he added to that tally on Saturday. ___
Reuters
08-03-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Cross-Country Skiing-Klaebo wins 50km mass start to complete golden clean sweep
TRONDHEIM, Norway, March 8 (Reuters) - Norway's Johannes Hoesfolt Klaebo powered through the final bend to win the men's 50km mass start at the Nordic World Ski Championships on Saturday, completing an unprecedented clean sweep of six golds in front of a delighted home crowd. Sweden's William Poromaa battled all the way but was passed coming into the final turn and had to settle for silver, while Klaebo's compatriot Simen Hegstad Krueger took bronze in a tense race resembling a Hollywood thriller over almost two hours. "It's been crazy," Klaebo said at the finish line as he struggled to hold back tears of joy. "I feel like I've been working so hard to just be here and try to be in my best shape and managing that, and winning six out of six here. It's just crazy. I don't have any words." Fans began queuing in the early morning as a crowd estimated by media at over 100,000 filled the stands and lined the course, creating a carnival atmosphere for one of the classic races in a sport that is followed fanatically in Norway. While the bright sunshine warmed the crowd it made conditions difficult for racers, who had to deal with wet, heavy snow that was quickly carved up and demanded every ounce of their power on the punishing uphill stretches. After a slow start and nip-and-tuck first 25km, it took until the 35km mark before a five-man breakaway featuring Norwegians Klaebo, Krueger, Harald Oestberg Amundsen and Martin Lowestroem Nyenget plus Swede Poromaa took control of the race, leaving the field in their wake. Nyenget looked strong and attempted to break with three kms to go but was reined in and, having suffered a fall in the skiathlon race that cost him a medal a week ago, took another late tumble in the loose snow to ruin his chances. The tremendous tactical battle evolved further when Klaebo switched lanes to make a burst into the final climb, but Poromaa answered and made an surge of his own as their pair dropped Krueger. Unfazed, Klaebo let the Swede briefly take the lead before blasting by his rival on the way into the final bend and thrusting through the final straight to claim his historic sixth gold medal as the stands exploded in jubilation. "I feel like I got helped by the hundreds of thousands of people out there. It was crazy, I feel like I say this, every single race that this is, that this has been the best day so far, but today it's ... it's just crazy," Klaebo said.
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo wins all 6 gold medals at cross-country skiing world championships
Norway's Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo completed an unprecedented sweep of all six cross-country skiing gold medals at the World Championships, capping it in Saturday's grueling 50km race in front of tens of thousands in his hometown. Klaebo, the world's top male skier for much of the last decade, won the 50km freestyle (at 31 miles, longer than a marathon) in 1 hour, 57 minutes, 47.1 seconds. He pulled away from Swede William Poromaa in the closing sprint by 2.1 seconds at Granasen Ski Center in Trondheim, about 10 minutes from where he lives. Commentator Chad Salmela said around 50,000 fans were expected to line the course. Klaebo, 28, became the first cross-country skier to win all six events at worlds since the program was expanded from five events to six starting in 2001 for men and 2003 for women. Russian Yelena Välbe won all five events at the 1997 Worlds, also in Trondheim. Klaebo began worlds by winning the sprint (a race less than three minutes) for a fourth consecutive worlds, then the 20km skiathlon (combining classic and freestyle skiing) and the 10km interval start. He then anchored Norway's team sprint and relay to gold. Klaebo's race Saturday was his toughest. His best event is the shortest. He had never won the 50km — the longest race — at a major championship, though he did cross the finish line first in 2021 before being disqualified for obstruction. Klaebo became the third skier to win both the sprint and the longest race at worlds since the sprint debuted in 2001. The others were Norway's Marit Bjoergen (2013) and Petter Northug (2015). Klaebo's 15 career World Championships gold medals across all events are second only to Bjoergen's 18. Next up for Klaebo is the finish of the World Cup season. He leads the World Cup overall standings and can win a fifth career overall season title, one shy of countryman Bjorn Daehlie's record. More history beckons next February. Klaebo already owns five Olympic titles from 2018 and 2022. He is three shy of the career Winter Olympic gold medals record across all sports. 'I'm not thinking much about 2026 right now,' Klaebo said last week. 'The main goal now is what we are doing here now, and what we're trying to accomplish here.' NBC Sports' Dan Meyer contributed to this report from Trondheim. Jessie Diggins, Julia Kern take silver in cross-country skiing world championships team sprint Jessie Diggins and Julia Kern won a team sprint medal for a second consecutive world championships. Nick Zaccardi, Nick Zaccardi,
