Norwegians win team pursuit with new tactics, the Netherlands fourth | NOW

The Dutch skaters did not manage to conquer gold on the team pursuit at the second World Cup in Heerenveen on Friday. The women took silver and the men came fourth. The victories went to the Canadian women and the Norwegian men.

Among the men, there was success for Norway’s new strategy. Since this season, the skaters of Dutch national coach Bjarne Rykkje have been using the tactic that one driver – in this case Allan Dahl Johansson – is constantly in the lead and is pushed by his two teammates.

Johansson, Hallgeir Engebraten and Sverre Lunde Pedersen thus dealt in a direct duel with the Netherlands, which ‘just’ changed. Norway improved the more than eight-year-old track record of Sven Kramer, Koen Verweij and Jan Blokhuijsen with 3.39.08.

The Orange trio finished fourth in 3.42.25, also behind Canada (3.39.94) and Russia (3.41.40). On behalf of the Netherlands, Kramer, Chris Huizinga and Marcel Bosker came onto the ice in Thialf.

Last week, Kramer and Huizinga won gold in the team pursuit at the first World Cup in Heerenveen, together with Beau Snellink. That trio then came to a time of 3.40.33. Patrick Roest gets some rest at the World Cups.

National coach Jan Coopmans will soon announce who, on behalf of the Netherlands, can participate in the World Championship distances (11-14 February in Thialf).

Dutch women are second behind Canada again

Among the women, Ireen Wüst, Antoinette de Jong and Irene Schouten – who made their debut in the team pursuit – gave in a small second to the Canadian trio in the final stage: 2.54.64 to 2.55.58.

Ivanie Blondin, Isabelle Weidemann and Valérie Maltais set the track record (3.55.77) of the strong Japanese trio Ayano Sato, Miho Takagi and Nana Takagi from the books. The bronze went to Norway (2.58.22).

Wüst also finished second behind Canada last week with Carlijn Achtereekte and Melissa Wijfje. Based on the performances of this season, Friday’s trio seems to be the strongest Dutch team.