By Inge Scheve
“It’s always fun to wear the yellow bib,” the 25-year-old Norwegian says.
After winning the sprint at Toppidrettsveka in Aure (NOR) on Thursday night and finishing fourth in the 20-kilometer classic mass start in Granåsen on Friday night, Hedda Østberg Amundsen stepped up to the start line for the 12-kilometer pursuit on Saturday with a five-second lead and wearing the yellow bib. There, she stayed the lead group for more than half of the race, with the entire World Cup elite chasing.
“It was a bit rough toward the end after three consecutive days of racing. I just ran out of juice,” Amundsen explains.
Fellow Madshus racer Helene Marie Fossesholm (NOR) on the other hand, was just getting started. The 23-year-old power pack cruised into third place in the pursuit, moving up from 17th, and third place overall in the four-race competition.
The pursuit at Toppidrettsveka was Fossesholm’s fourth podium in a major international event in just over two weeks. Coming off a couple of rough seasons, Fossesholm welcomes every one of them.
“Sure, it’s summer and roller skiing, but racing well is never a bad idea. I’m here for a reason: To race hard and gain some confidence. And I did both,” she says with a grin.