Monzanator

You wanted to know why Norway developed speed skaters lately (unlike Germany) to begin with. I suppose you wandered so much in trying to prove me wrong you forgot what I was originally responding to I'm impressed you managed to feature Nigeria in a thread about speed skating

Good thing van der Poel isn't a Russian or else we'd have instant doping allegations

Hauser's gone for silver indeed.

Hauser will probably outski Wierer for bronze.

1. Ingebrigtsen family and Warholm isn't exactly depth by international standards. Same as having Hattestad and Rodal in the 90s. 2. Yeah, two amazing players in the whole country. Just because half of Europe can qualify to Euro finals these days it doesn't mean anything - and Norway actually failed to qualify to begin with 3. Ireland has gaelic football & rugby and Belgium has cross cycling at the very least. Also motor racing/ motocross in Belgium which doesn't qualify under any Olympic standards.

If it's flat then weight should play a bigger factor (i.e. Vlhova performs better than recently and ofc Shiffrin). Bassino and Worley are rather lightweight skiers, they can indeed struggle on a flat GS course.

Most teams have regressed over the last 10+ years, it more or less started with French women's speed team, then Canadians went off the boil and hell, Austria has the worst depth on the women's side since I started watching alpine skiing. I believe the sport has gotten too expensive overall and even the traditional nations don't want to spend that much money anymore. USA & Canada have drifted into big success in freestyle skiing and quite frankly Germany is doing better in snowboard than alpine skiing as well. The rise of freestyle skiing in the last decade or so has shallowed the talent pool for alpine skiing IMO.

Yeah, but sprinters are more vulnerable with age? Erbanova retired way too early for whatever reason. Sablikova will be winning WCh medals until she's 40yo and Bowe probably keeps going until she wins an individual Olympic medal (while Richardson also retired prematurely). I imagine Leenstra was feeling the heat from Dutch competition and she was never a pure winner to begin with. Always behind someone's back.

No meltdown... Jacquelin was in Wierer mode there.

Well, Bassino wasn't even in high school back then?

Still can't rule out a total meltdown on the last shoot

Cortina doesn't host GS races on World Cup so I can't really say that Bassino is looking vulnerable?

I see Olga Fatkulina is still winning WCh medals even after the age of 30

German's women "team" is Weidle & Duerr Martina Ertl could probably make the 2021 Giant Slalom team if she wanted

And he's somehow up on his feet. I thought ACL is gone after the ski jammed the joint.

Well, it gets from bad to worse for Italy as Schieder looks to be injured badly.

Bassino can't choke in GS that much? But anything other than gold would be a disappointement for her.

Muzaton with a Watts moment right there

Mayer blows it with an error too. And then goes out alltogether.

Sander misses Kriechmayr by 0,01. Total failure for Paris.

@hckošice I bet you didn't forget Martina Hingis(ova) was born in Kosice after all?

Still it's 2-0 Trump in the impeachment games

Norway is non-existent in traditionally popular sports in Europe - football or athletics to begin with. Hell, Norway is non-existent in any summer sports barring some one-hit wonders like the Ingebrigtsen siblings or Hattestad. Handball might be the only exception. Their most successful Summer OG sport is... sailing (I'd have never guessed that w/o checking) Second best is shooting. I don't know any country in Europe that can say sailing & shooting are their best "summer" sports

Hanna Sola turns 25 yo on Tuesday. Guess she has her birthday present already. Found some info she's the only biathlete who didn't sign a letter of support for Alexander Lukashenko after last year's election fraud.

They want to host the World Cup but apparently the venue is too small for WC purpose. Maybe if Jakuszyce get an upgrade but that's really pushing it. It seems like Duszniki is a solid B-license and that's their ceiling.