Weng: "I guess I’ll let her win a bit at the start"

Traditional skiing

Weng: “I guess I’ll let her win a bit at the start”

by Ingeborg Scheve/Leandro Lutz • 24.11.2024

Member Article

Photo: Marius Simensen/BILDBYRÅN

Heidi Weng finished second behind Therese Johaug in her comeback at Beitostølen, losing by over half a minute. But she doesn’t plan to make a habit of it.

Heidi Weng was the closest competitor to Therese Johaug in what was the Norwegian traditional cross-country skiing star’s first race after deciding to make a comeback ahead of the World Championships in Trondheim.

Therese Johaug has been absent from the World Cup circuit for two years. But on Saturday, she returned as if she’d never been away: dominating her competitors.

Nearly 40 seconds separated Johaug from Heidi Weng in second place after one of Weng’s best performances in the 10-kilometer classic race at the Beitostølen Premiere.

Also Read: Johaug reigns supreme at Beitostølen 10km classic

“The gap was smaller than it usually is at Beitostølen, but maybe larger than I expected because honestly, I didn’t think she looked that sharp this fall,” Weng told ProXCskiing.com’s sister site Langrenn.com after crossing the finish line.

“I’ll savor the fact that I’ve beaten her”

This fall, Weng actually managed to beat Johaug — albeit in training — but she still considers it an achievement.

“I’ll savor the fact that I’ve beaten her in uphill intervals. It’s historic, and I’ll live off that for the rest of my life,” Weng said confidently.

Did you think you’d be closer to her today?

“Not close. But I thought maybe I’d be a little closer than I was today,” Weng admitted.

However, she already knows where her weaknesses lie.

“She’s incredibly good at maintaining her pace all the way through. That’s her strength. I guess I’ll let her win a bit here at the start and then step it up later,” Weng explained.

“I lose a lot of time in the same spots I usually do here at Beitostølen — out in the horseshoe section after the long climb. She’s incredibly good at keeping her pace, whereas I prefer courses with more rest sections where you can recover and then push forward. So, I’m very happy that this day is over,” Weng added with a smile.

“I guess I’ll let her win a bit at the start.”

Next week, both Weng and Johaug will head to the World Cup premiere in Ruka, from November 29 to December 1. There, they’ll face a different type of course and a concluding event Weng is excited about, a 20-kilometer freestyle pursuit.