Johaug gained more than a minute lead over her rivals during her favorite race. At the end of the sun-drenched Holmenkollen, she slowed down and said goodbye to the fans in the crowded stadium. After the race, the four-time Olympic winner and fourteen-time world champion did not shy away from tears.
“It was wonderful. It was very nice, but also sad. It’s weird that I’m finishing. I’ve had it in me for a long time and after Beijing and three Olympic gold medals I felt I wanted to end up on top,” Johaug told TV 2.
In the end, she won the 99th World Cup race less than 20 seconds ahead of Finka Krista Pärmäkoski. Sweden’s Jonna Sundling finished third with a half-minute loss. Czech skiers did not start in Oslo.
Nobody can deprive Něprjajev from the first place in the overall standings. The winner of the January Tour de Ski has a 241-point lead over the second Swedish Ebba Andersson. By the end of the season, there are only two races in Falun left, as the FIS has canceled the planned three-part finals in Tyumen due to Russian aggression and has not found a replacement venue.
Twenty-six-year-old Něprjajevová was second in the World Cup in 2019 and finished third the year before. The last Russian winner so far was Julia Čepalovová in 2001.
| Cross-country skiing in Oslo: |
|---|
| Women – 30 km classic with thunder. start: |
| 1. Johaug (NOR) 1: 19: 22.8 |
| 2. Pärmäkoskiová (FIN) -19.4 |
| 3. Sundling (Sweden) -32.3 |
| 4. Niskanenová (Fin.) -33.8 |
| 5. Hennig (DEU) -34.7 |
| 6. Stadloberová (AUT) -46.7 |
| 7. Brennanová (USA) -1:12,3 |
| 8. Skaanes (NOR) -1: 13.1 |
| 9. Andersson (SWE) -1: 13.8 |
| 10. H. Wengová (Nor.) -1:22,5 |
| SP standings (after 21 of 23 races): |
| 1. Něprjajevová (RUS) 973 |
| Anderssonov 732 |
| 3. Digginsová (USA) 721 |
| 4. Pärmäkoskiová 702 |
| 5. H. Wengová 637 |
| 6. Johaug 635 |
| … |
| 37. Janatova 123 |
| 73. Beranová 25 |
| 88. Antosova 12 |
| 93. Hynčicová 11 |
| 113. Nováková (all Czech Republic) 2 |
