Therese Johaug and national team coach Ole Morten Iversen understand little of the criticism from Thomas Alsgaard.
LILLEHAMMER (Nettavisen): Both Johaug and national team coach Ole Morten Iversen were after Saturday’s 10 km in freestyle stated that Russian Tatiana Sorina repeatedly walked on the cross-country star’s poles.
Iversen thought it cost Johaug the victory, and thus confronted Sorina’s coach Egor Sorin after the race. He thought the Russian runner was behaving unsportsmanlikely since she stepped on Johaug’s poles.
The reaction from the Norwegian camp made Thomas Alsgaard react.
– Therese may be angry at the moment, but that the coaches will start arguing afterwards is completely hopeless, he said in NRK’s winter studio.
Watch Therese Johaug’s reaction in the video above!
Alsgaard thought that the Norwegian reaction was excessive, and said that being trampled on the poles is something that happens in cross-country skiing.
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Johaug is stunned by the Alsgaard criticism
Johaug believes, however, that it must be allowed to speak out when a runner repeatedly steps on her poles.
– We just said no. It must be law. Today, Sorina did not step on my staff once, so then she may have learned a little, she tells Nettavisen.
Sorina and Johaug went against each other on the 3rd stage of Sunday’s World Cup relay, which ended with a victory for the Russian women.
– Do you think Alsgaard would have reacted if he had been you yesterday?
– Yes, I actually think so. I heard when I returned to the hotel that he said “that’s how it was in sports”. But yes, I’m excited about what Thomas would have done if he had had someone step on his poles for five kilometers, says Johaug.
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– The adrenaline is boiling
Cross-country manager Espen Bjervig is stunned that Alsgaard does not understand that there can be a lot of emotions after the finish.
– Thomas must react as he pleases. And then he must of all, who has been so much involved in this, know how the adrenaline boils in the target area when such things are going on, Bjervig says to Nettavisen.
Also read: Alsgaard shakes his head over the Norwegian reaction: – Completely hopeless!
– Sports are emotions and it boils a little in all of us just when you reach the finish line. We put it in the account for it. We chatted with Sorin instead and he is gentle as just that. This is not a problem, says the Norwegian cross-country manager.
Bjervig thinks Alsgaard should know how frustrating it can be when someone steps on your poles.
– You think he reacted even yesterday?
– Yes, guaranteed, says Bjervig.
Also read: Fossesholm in tears: – There has not been a dance on roses
Do not regret the confrontation
This is also the opinion of national team coach Ole Morten Iversen, who was the Norwegian representative who reported the frustration of Egor Sorin, Russia coach and Sorina’s husband.
– I think Thomas Alsgaard would have reacted if he had had someone walking on his poles in a half competition, Iversen says to Nettavisen.
During NRK’s broadcast on Saturday, Alsgaard announced that it is not abnormal for runners to walk on the pulleys on each other’s poles.
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However, Iversen believes that Johaug experienced that it happened abnormally many times during Saturday’s race.
– If you talk to Therese, I think she tells a different story than that this happens all the time, the national team coach says.
Iversen says that he thinks it was right to have a chat with Sorin after Saturday’s 10-kilometer.
– I think that if there are any of my athletes who do something that is a little unsportsmanlike, I as a coach appreciate hearing it from someone else who has seen it.
– It is a simple correction and then there will be no problem later, says Iversen who says that he had a good tone with Russian Sorin during Sunday’s relay.
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