NRK’s expert Fredrik Aukland called the nob of Krüger, who had won three golds, in the WC’s five-mile for the biggest scandal ever at a Norwegian WC selection.
Krüger wanted to drive, but was considered not good enough in classic style, which also applied to Hans Christer Holund, who was also rated in the WC’s five-mile race.
– I’m also thinking about why I wasn’t allowed to run the WC five-mile, I can honestly say that. But now it turned out as it did and I was extra eager to fight back today. It tasted extra good to win, says Krüger to SVT Sport.
What did you think when you weren’t allowed to run the five-mile in the WC?
– Because the form was so good, I wanted to drive and was disappointed by the selection.
The Norwegian national team coach Eirik Myhr Nossum believes that the selection was largely about the fact that the WC five-mile was run in classic style
Should Krüger and Holund have been allowed to drive in the WC?
– We have a strong team and in the WC it was classic and here it was freestyle. I have no doubt at all that they would have done well in the WC, but in the end we only have four or five to start and have to draw the line somewhere, says Nossum.
The WC fueling provided extra ignition fluid
But for Simen Hegstad Krüger, the WC petting gave extra fuel before “Kollen’s” five-mile run.
Together with Hans Christer Holund, his clubmate in the Oslo club Lyn Ski, and Iver Tildheim Andersen, as well as Jens Burman, he changed skis after three laps (25 km) – in which he lost just over 20 seconds.
But when the large group changed skis a lap (8.3 km) later, the conditions were the opposite and the Norwegian trio gained a lead of just over half a minute. In the end, it was Krüger and Holund who settled for the victory.
– It was big for me to win in Holmenkollen, I’m from Oslo, so it was special because this is where I learned to ski, says Hegstad Krüger to SVT Sport.
