LastPlaceViking

Despite total domination by the Norwegian men (and yes, it's exhausting and boring), the accomplishments this weekend of Emil Iversen and Einar Hedegart are worth highlighting, despite them being Norwegian. Iversen was dropped by the Norwegian national team after the opener in Beitostølen 2 weeks ago and was not taken to Ruka. Instead, he won both the 10k and 20k Interval Classic starts in Gålå in the Norwegian Cup last week, which granted him a spot on the start line in Trondheim. He took full advantage of that opportunity and finished on the podium in the skiathlon, and finished just off the podium in today's 10k Interval Freestyle. This definitely puts his name in serious contention for a spot on the Olympic team, which looked incredibly doubtful just a few days ago. Einar Hedegart, the 24-year-old biathlete who decided to challenge the stereotype that biathletes are inferior skiers to their cross-country counterparts, just won the 10k Interval Start against all of Norway's best in a de facto Olympic trial. Yes, it's exhausting seeing nothing but Norwegian flags on the men's side, but there can be excitement just beneath the surface at times.

Myhlback looked great, especially on that final turn. Veteran move to cut that corner and power himself from 5th to a podium spot. Really hoping to continue to see more of him.