Been really enjoying watching the racing each morning- the American women are skiing incredibly well. Surprised by Frida's tough race today, but that should keep the overall interesting.

Also really excited to see Gus with a 14th overall today. Really solid result.

Frida hurt her self falling uncontrolled doing chins at the hotel in the morning (true story! https://www.svt.se/...illande-efter-olycka Didn't find a news source in english.) No risk for worsening an injury but sore after falling on her bum.

https://instagram.com/...igshid=1g0qhmzsbs8i9

Just heard that on FasterSkier's interview with Matt Whitcomb. Wild! Glad it isn't a bad injury, the Swedish women are awesome to watch race.

I understand why Norway dropped out. They're concerned about long term Covid effects on people who make a living via lung power. I get that. I'm still curious how the races would have gone with Norway in the mix. Every time I ski I always run up a hill yelling "Klaebo!" just to embarrass my daughter.... And probably myself, if I had amount of self-awareness.

Hotel owner is going,...WTF! She ripped the trim out of the frame. Chinning with your fingertips. I thought that was for rock climbers.

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They constantly try to escape from the darkness outside and within
Dreaming of systems so perfect that no one will need to be good T.S. Eliot

As Diggins from MN might say, Uffda. That is one dumb way to hurt yourself so close to a race.

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"The person on top of the mountain didn't fall there." - unkown

also rule 5

Another solid effort by Jessie and Rosie this morning. Bummer to see Rosie lose touch with the lead group in that last kilometer or so, but gritty skiing by Jessie to get another podium. Also great to see KatherineO (20th) and Hailey (22nd) skiing so well! Tough day for Julia after a great race yesterday, but I really hope she can bounce back for the sprint in Val di Fiemme.

On the men's side the Russian train was in full force, but great to see Gus grab another top 15!

On Diggins:

I follow her on Social Media and she seemed to be training up a storm despite the pandemic this past summer - which is REALLY the time, for any Endurance Sport, to be laying it on - perhaps even more so for Nordic Skiing. This often get's forgotten - it's the training you do 6 months out from your main race season that is REALLY key.

So for triathletes/cyclists/runners - NOW is key and critical if you are looking to be at your best in July/Aug - when we get into the main race season in the Northern Hemisphere.

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

That's a great story to read - the commentators (on Norway TV, much to the disgust of my wife who can't get SVT in the UK) only said that she'd tripped or something similar in her hotel room.
I can so very much see that happening though - you get bored in the hotel room, you do something dumb, you break something... Usually it's a lamp or something when you're playing soccer indoors.

So just a general question, I was poking around the interwebs, and it looks like the only way to watch is to stream via Peacock?

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"one eye doubles my eyesight, so things don't look half bad" John Hiatt

Jessie is one of the best trained athletes on the world cup.

American athletes have one advantage over the Norwegians...they don't have to be in shape early in the season and can time their peak for the world champs. It's just impossible to be in top shape for the November to March season.

Jessie is slowly getting in better race fitness throughout the season with every race. Just wait... she's going to kill it at the world championships. It sure seems her peak is going to be timed perfectly.

Also:

Mark my words. USA women get a silver medal in the relay at world championships. Sadie Bjornsen, Hailey Swirbul, Rosie Brennan and Jessie D (in that order) is a fierce line up. Honestly, they could beat Norway on the right day and get a gold. The world champs isn't that hard of a course and Johaug might not be able to climb away.

Pretty nice when you also have KatherineO and Sophie as options for that relay too!

The Swedes have not been up to what we hoped for. Even without the Norwegians we are doing at best so-so in the overall.

Mens side... the less spoken about it the better.
Womens side: Linn Svahn great the first stages but as expected not in for the overall (but no blame on her, she isn't a contender for the overall). Frida on track until doing chins and breaking hotelrooms. Ebba had a bad start and has left her self being too far behind for a reasonble chance to catch up.

And now Linn has tested Covid-positive and the whole team might be thrown out.

Looking forward towards TdS 2022... (will still watch the rest of 2021 course).

USA is looking super strong for relays now. Worlds and Olympic medals are real possibilities and and I can't wait to see how they do.

Oh, that's awful about Linn. We need the Swedes in this TDS! I'm hoping it was a false positive but best wishes their team. Glad to see Ebba coming back into form, she scares me, so talented!

I live in Trondheim (where Klæbo, Iversen , Northug ++ live/lived ). Two friends did more or less exactly what you describe above - Then suddenly Klæbo came and passed them yelling and smiling back :-)

Good news: the follow-up PCR-test was negative, so false alarm on Linn and Covid!

GUS!!!

Just busted out an 8th in the 15km classic mass start. Awesome.

I hope so! In the past, she has peaked early, or been slightly overtrained at the end of the season. But since 2018 winter Oly's, I think she's gotten it figured out!

She's awesome, definitely one of my favorite athletes to look up too. She's real and honest on her blog about her past struggles, and supports heavily the "Emily Program." Hell, it takes up the most valuable sponsor spot on her headband.

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"The person on top of the mountain didn't fall there." - unkown

also rule 5

That's so awesome! I was there watching in Quebec City when Harvey, Bolshunov and Klaebo were coming in toward the finish and on the last long uphill he just literally ran away from them, and they're incredibly strong skiers! It was a whole other level.

After the first race in Quebec there were a TON of kids waiting for him. He rushed past and the person with him said "press conference". Next race was the same thing. After the last race he stayed for an hour, signing anything and everything and posing for pictures. He seems like an awesome dude.

Tough women's race today. I thought Jessie did a really nice job in the first three laps skiing smart, working the downhills, and picking up the bonus seconds. Some gritty skiing in that last lap to stay in touch and only lose 9 seconds to Stupak in the overall.

Bummer for Rosie, looked like she was possibly lacking some kick from early on, or maybe just fatigue catching up from her huge start to the season. Hopefully she can bounce back over the next two days and climb back onto the podium (only 30 seconds out).

yeah, definitely a tough race for Rosie.

Us master blaster skiers don't realize just how punishing that course is. There is no amateur course in the USA that is comparable. Just a crusher.

The A-climb is an average 18% grade with the first 100m of the climb above 20%. You have to be hella fit to classic up that...I would be waddling. For a cycling power equivalent, you need to be be around 180-200% of your FTP up every climb to make it. Imagine doing an interval set of 1-2 min at 200% of your FTP with 30 seconds off for 30 continuous minutes where you get to rest by doing pushups (eg double pole). That is the effort level...monumental.

Val di fiemme is a punishing course if you miss the kick wax even a little or your body isn't perfect. You need perfect fitness to be able to stride up those hills without missing a kick and resorting to herringbone and bleeding time.

I think Jessie had one of her best days ever. Too only lose 22 seconds on a steep striding course that doesn't play to her strengths is a real great race for her. She's gonna have a great classic sprint tomorrow and win the TDS. No one will catch her in the final climb.

I think both Natalie Nepryeva and Teresa Stadlober have a chance on the final climb. I think between those 2 and Diggins, that's your podium. The order is going to be interesting. Of the three I think Diggins is going to come out on top but it will be close.

Stadlober is 3:06 mins back in the TDS overall and nepraeva is 2:19 back.

Even in a nightmare scenario where Jessie falls in the sprint and nepraeva wins (+1min), stadlober and Nepraeva would need to gain 1:19 on Jessie in the final climb.

I just don't see that happening. Jessie isn't theresa johaug, but she's not going to lose the final climb by +1min.

If Jessie makes it to the semi-finals tomorrow she is guaranteed a TDS win. She is a good classic sprinter in the past, so I see her doing well.