Cross Country Skiing - the most exciting Olympic Event
By Cory Smith

February 14, 2002

Muehlegg, a stronger skater, won the classic race to all but assure a Pursuit victory

I have been to ski jumping and luge events at the Utah Olympic Park and talked to people who have attended downhill skiing events. This research leads me to believe that the most exciting events of these Olympic Games are taking place at Soldier Hollow. The Nordic venue is the only place where you can get within inches of the competitors as they whizz by. It is the only place where you can run from point to point to follow the action. And the ampitheatre-like design of the venue means you can see most of the course from almost anywhere. Add on top of all of this the fact that we have seen down-to-the-wire sprints and dominating performances on a daily basis, and Soldier Hollow is the place to be. Skiing has never been seen like this in North America.

Today was more of the spectacular same. The men's pursuit is always a relatively high profile event because of the exciting pursuit format and today's show did not disappoint. This was in spite of the fact that Johan Muehlegg was simply unstoppable. Normally he is not a super strong classic skier but today he lead the classic race from start to finish and won by 13 seconds over Frode Estil of Norway. That did not bode well for those skiers who hoped to catch him in the skate pursuit.

Kris Freeman was the top American in 15th

There was quite a pack of skiers trying to do so, with places 3-10 all about 20-30 seconds behind. In this pack were Anders Aukland, Per Eloffson, and many other top names. But despite the fact that Johan stumbled and fell less than a K into the skate, he was not to be seen by any of them again. He continuously pulled away, putting on a clinic on how to muscle your way around a race course. He was way too strong for everyone else.

Within that chase pack however, things were very interesting. At times, the pack was 15 skiers strong and even included Americans Kris Freeman and John Bauer, who finished 18th & 19th respectively in the classic and were steadily moving up in the skate. At the halfway point of the skate, Kris was only 15 seconds from a medal! That is almost unreal. Also joining this pack was Thomas Alsgaard who, after many people had written him off, stormed up from 16th in the classic to lead the pack for much of the second lap of the skate race.

Muehlegg puts on a clinic

On the second lap, the pack broke up and Freeman and Bauer dropped off the pace slightly. The nine skiers left in the lead pack then started to jockey for position, getting ready to sprint for silver and bronze. Going up the last hill, the hammer dropped, and it was impressive to see so many amazing skiers going so hard in hopes of an Olympic medal. Alsgaard and Eloffson looked like the two to beat as the crested the big hill. As they came into the stadium, it was Eloffson, Alsgaard, Frode Estil (who had been quietly hanging out in the pack after being caught early on), and one other who I don't remember. Around the final turn, they all shifted into a higher gear and took off. Quickly Estil and Alsgaard distanced themselves from the other two. Eloffson will have to wait yet another day for an Olympic medal. Most of us, remembering Alsgaard's sprint in Nagano, were expecting him to pull away, but surprisingly Estil was ahead by half a stride and holding it. As they approached the line, it looked as if Estil had the Silver - until Alsgaard's long leg shot forward and cross the line about three feet in front of his body. It was a photo

John Bauer had his second impressive Olympic result coming in 18th

finish - too close to call. Even when they played a slow motion instant replay on the video monitor, it was impossible to tell. They crossed the line at exactly the same time. NBC probably won't show it to you, but it is a finish you just have to see to believe.

Almost as unbelievable was watching Kris Freeman cross the line in 15th place, and Bauer in 18th. Wow, that makes 4 top twenty American men finishes so far this games. Freeman race earned him 15 FIS points. Back in the pack, Justin Wadsworth, who has been suffering from a head cold, had a very good skate leg to move up from 54th to 44th.

All in all, Muehlegg might have dominated, but that certainly did not keep the race from being very exciting.