Lars Berger had never before finished at the podium in the World Cup - the Norwegian very eminently clocking 35:50 in the 15 km freestyle, bagged his maiden cross-country win at the World Championship in Sapporo.
Leaving all the favorites lingering, the outcome of the race is just difficult to grasp - teenager Leanid Karneyenka of Belarus a debutant at the Worlds finished .30 seconds behind Berger for the silver, while Germany’s World Cup Champion Tobias Angerer closed in for the bronze.
The race starting late in the day was made enduring by the snow and the defending champion Pietro Piller Cottrer of Italy found it even stiffer finishing 10th 1:24.3 seconds behind the leader.
Norway managed only one gold medal in Nordic events at the Turin Olympics, though here at the World Championship the Norwegians are desperate to salvage pride.
Read: IHT
