What do Tiril Udnes Weng, Lotta Udnes Weng, Kristine Stavås Skistad, Heidi Weng, Ingvild Flugstad Østberg, Anne Kjersti Kalvå, Astrid Øyre Slind, and Mathilde Skjærdalen Myhrvold have in common?

Yes, they have all been on the podium at this season’s World Cup. Together, these eight account for a total of 19 podium positions in the World Cup so far. Hardly matter what you compare it to, it’s a fantastic number.

If you add to that that Tiril Udnes Weng is still leading the overall World Cup and that Tiril and her twin sister Lotta along with Kristine Stavås Skistad have all taken their first World Cup win of the season, the Norwegian cross country girls are on their way to a season that only few people. have imagined.

Like many others, the undersigned is concerned that the Norwegian women will have a tough time facing the world’s elite this season.

Maybe they also did in Planica, but what they have delivered so far has been very good and way above expectations. This gives hope for an equally good WC.

Perhaps no one except the athletes themselves and their new coaching duo dared to hope for such a good result.

The national team without Therese Johaug is not worse, but better. A disappointing Olympics in Beijing was followed by a fantastic pre-season a few months later, and before WC there was a Norwegian medal hopeful.

Nevertheless, we shouldn’t expect too much from the Norwegian cross-country girls in Slovenia, because where we have many medal candidates, the favorite for the medal is not the Norwegian.

After all, you should try to use your heart and head in the initial tip.

Many of Norway’s podium places have indeed come in races where some of the biggest WC favorites haven’t been.

In a season without a Russian competitor, it is also clear that the path to the podium will be shorter than in the Olympics, but Russia is naturally not in the WC either – and that’s good.

The absence of his former teammate Therese Johaug also means there is one available spot on the podium in all the long distance races.

At the same time, skiing without Johaug is something completely different compared to the big favorites at the start. This change in the way races are decided suits the Norwegian women perfectly.

They should use this to their advantage when it comes to fighting for a WC medal. For the first championships in a long time, they will be awarded on the run and not to the most attractive person along the way.

Where the Norwegian boys are undoubtedly huge favorites at every practice, it will be the foreign competitors, after all, who will wear the favorite stamp both individually and in the relay.

The Norwegian men’s team would have been underwhelmed had they not picked up six of the six gold medals. Nor would anyone be surprised if all six went to the same runner, namely Johannes Høsflot Klæbo.

On the other hand, it wouldn’t be too surprising that Sweden walked away with six gold medals on the women’s side.

So nice of Frida Karlsson, Ebba Andersson and Jonna Sundling, to name three of Sweden’s many gold and medal candidates.

Behind the Swedish girls were America’s Jessie Diggins, Germany’s Katharina Hennig and Finland’s Kerttu Niskanen and Krista Pärmäkoski, who sailed as the biggest medal favorites in the long distance event, while Kristine Stavås Skistad and Switzerland’s Nadine Fähndrich stood out in the classic sprint.

Perhaps it is in the classic sprint and two relays that the Norwegians have the best chances for gold.

Expecting roars of Norwegian joy among the mighty Slovenian mountains is welcome. However, the Norwegian girls don’t have to be the golden favorite. We let foreigners have that pressure, because we have the best challengers in the world!