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The third cross-country skiing event of the 2022 Olympics crowned a third winner: Finland’s Iivo Niskanen, bronze medalist in skiathlon, this time won the 15 km race in classic style on Friday.
The other two titled cross-country skiers in these Games, Russian Alexander Bolshunov, skiathlon winner and Norwegian Johannes Klaebo, Olympic sprint champion, complete the podium.
Three Canadians were in the running for this 15 km. Olivier Léveillé was the best of his compatriots with a 29and position thanks to a time of 40 min 52 seconds.
Rémi Drolet and Antoine Cyr followed, finishing respectively in 33and and at 37and rank.
Klaebo, the Norwegian star had seen it right by making Iivo Niskanen and Russian Alexander Bolshunov the two favorites in the race on Thursday.
The duo made a strong impression during the skiathlon on Sunday, relegating Klaebo to more than a minute and a half after the first 15 kilometers disputed in classic. This time, the Norwegian only gave them back 37 seconds over the same distance.
A classic specialist, Niskanen won the 50km in this style in PyeongChang in 2018. Friday’s Olympic title is his third – he had also been crowned with Finland in the team sprint in 2014.
It is also the third medal for brother and sister Niskanen at these 2022 Olympics in what looks like family emulation.
In fourth place for his sister Kerttu Niskanen in the skiathlon, he responded the next day with a bronze medal. On Thursday, the 33-year-old cross-country skier did better in turn by taking the silver for the 10 km. Performance beaten the next day by Iivo, winner of the 15 km.
