The second Monday of the Winter Olympics was cross-country team sprint day at Whistler Olympic Park. In this event, pairs of skiers alternate laps over a short course, with each competitor going around three times.
Cross-Country Sprint Day: Norway Takes Men’s Gold, Germany Claims Women’s
Norway’s Oeystein Pettersen and Petter Northug combined to win the men’s race with a time of 19 minutes, 1 second. The win gave Northug his first Olympic gold.
He most certainly earned it, as Pettersen, who replaced the ill Ola Vigen Hattestad, struggled during his laps.
Germany finished second, as Northug passed Axel Teichmann at the race’s conclusion, while Russia claimed the bronze.
The Germans were more successful in the women’s race, as the pair of Evi Sachenbacher-Stehle and Claudia Nystad claimed gold over second-place Sweden and bronze medalist Russia.
Nystad overtook Sweden’s Anna Haag in the homestretch to win in 18 minutes, 3.7 seconds.
More: SB Nation’s full coverage of the Winter Olympics and the 2010 Winter Olympics Medal Count Tracker.
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