The 30-year-old prevailed in Zhangjiakou in the classic technique with an enormous lead of 23.2 seconds over Alexander Bolschunow (ROC) and 37.5 over Johannes Hösflot Kläbo (NOR) and after 2014 in the team sprint and in 2018 over 50 km also won a gold medal at the Winter Games in China. Styrian Mika Vermeulen did well again as 23rd.
The day before, Niskanen’s sister Kerttu had won silver in the 10K, and he himself was on top of the podium. The 2017 world champion was in the lead in the individual start race from the first intermediate time, even big caliber athletes such as skiathlon winner Bolschunow and sprint winner Hösflot Kläbo had no chance against the specialists in classic technique that day.
Vermeulen was 28th after the first 7.5 km lap, after 10.5 km he moved up to 19th place. In the finish, the 22-year-old had to pay tribute to this high speed, but ended up with the best ÖOC placement in this competition by Alexander Marent.
Source: Nachrichten
