Ruka, Finland hosted the FIS Cross-Country World Cup on Sunday, with athletes battling challenging conditions in the men’s 20km mass start event. Austria’s Mika Vermeulen came close to a podium finish, ultimately placing fifth after briefly leading the race, while Norway’s Harald Östberg amundsen claimed the gold medal. The event, part of a larger Nordic competition in Ruka that also includes ski jumping and nordic combined, saw fierce competition and highlighted the impact of variable weather on race results.
Langlauf
Mika Vermeulen narrowly missed a podium finish at the cross-country World Cup in Ruka, Finland, on Sunday, finishing fifth in the 20km mass start. The 26-year-old Austrian briefly held the lead but faded in the final sprint, finishing just 6.2 seconds off the pace and 8.4 seconds behind the winner.
Norway’s Harald Östberg Amundsen took the gold medal, finishing ahead of compatriot Einar Hedegart by 1.9 seconds. Sweden’s Edvin Anger secured the bronze, after a late surge caught Vermeulen just before the finish line.
“It’s a shame, we gave it a try,” a slightly disappointed Vermeulen told ORF. “But it’s so fast out there. It’s almost impossible to make selections in the group. Overall, we were a little too weak, but when you try, you can also lose.” He added, “I gave it everything I had. The podium was the goal, but unfortunately I didn’t reach it, and you have to live with that,” after having claimed third place in the 10km classic race at the start of the competition.
Vermeulen: “We tried everything”
Mika Vermeulen after his fifth-place finish in the mass start, in an ORF interview.
Wind hampered Vermeulen’s push
“I really believed we had a chance when we started the final lap,” Vermeulen explained. “But it was very windy. We lost four or five seconds on each descent because of the wind.” Despite the challenging conditions, Vermeulen felt he had nothing to regret. “These aren’t really my conditions.”
Fellow Austrians Tobias Ganner and Alexander Brandner finished 43rd and 78th, respectively. The women’s mass start, featuring Teresa Stadlober, is scheduled for Sunday at 11:45 AM (live on ORF1).
