Soedergren wins Holmenkollen 50K
World Cup
Sun, Mar 9, 2008 - By FIS
Anders Soedergren from Sweden won for the second time in his career the traditional Holmenkollen race over 50 km in the free technique.
He finished the 3 x 16,7 course in a total race time of 2:11.44 hours, clearly 2.32 minutes ahead of the overall World Cup winner Lukas Bauer from Czech Republic. The 26-year-old Swiss athlete Remo Fischer was ranked third, 3:02.0 minutes behind the Soedergren and only 0.00,2 seconds ahead of Vincent Vittoz (FRA), who finished fourth.
Soedergren was pushing from the start and was at all intermediate times in the lead while Lukas Bauer started slower and increased his speed to the end of the race. The surprisingly third, Remo Fischer had a good start but in the second lap he lost two places and was 5th. In the last lap, he increased his speed again and could manage the podium shortly ahead of Vittoz.
Anders Soedergren managed today his second World Cup victory, his first one was in Oslo in March 2006. Bauer took his 8th podium place this season. For Fischer it was the first podium place ever in his career, he best World Cup result so far was the 5th place in a 15 km in free technique February 2007 in Davos.
The overall World Cup is already decided, Lukas Bauer will get this trophy for the first time in his career in St. Caterina (ITA) next week. He is in the lead with 1196 points ahead of Rene Sommerfeldt (GER) with 768 points and on third place is Tor Arne Hetland (NOR,656 points).
Bauer won also the distance World Cup before the final races with at the moment 826 points. On second place is René Sommerfeldt 450 points and Anders Soedergren 423 points. On the last World Cup weekend in total 300 points can be won, 200 points that belongs to the distance World Cup and 100 points that belongs to the sprint World Cup.
The next World Cup competitions will be on Friday, 14th of March in St. Caterina – the World Cup Final with three races in three days.
Quotes:
Anders Soedergren (SWE): It is amazing to win this race here. The tracks fit's me well with this steep uphill's and tough profiles. I love the atmosphere here – that pushes me a lot.
I tried to start fast and to hold the speed, I had good ski's an all the parts of the 50 km. For me, the dream from 2006 was continuing today.
Lukas Bauer (CZE): I had a dream season and today I managed again a podium place on the 50 km. I started slowly, because that I have to ski relaxed at the beginning; than I increased the speed and my ski's on the second lap were also great. The pit stop is a good introduction especially on this spring conditions.
Remo Fischer (SUI): I'm very, very happy about my today's race. I can not believe it – it is awesome! I had a perfect race today, everything worked optimal. The spectators out in the wood pushed me a lot. In the finish I pushed my leg in front, that was this small cm which I was ahead of Vittoz. I never expected to be on the podium – it is great for me and my team to manage that.
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