For Brink,the victory was sweet, the whole world remembering the race at the 2003 worlds where Joergen Brink held a huge lead on the anchor leg, only to collapse in the closing stages to finish third behind Norway and Germany.
With about 5K to go, the group was reduced to four skiers who entered the final straightaway together for a frantic sprint. Brink then pulled up alongside Tynell and slowly inched past him shortly before the finish line to win the world's oldest and longest ski race in 4 hours, 2 minutes, 59 seconds. Tynell was less than a second behind, while Stanislav Rezac of the Czech Republic was three seconds back in third.
The Swede has lately been struggling with illness and didn´t plan to compete. But after a easy workout on skis yesterday, changed his mind and he went to the start as all the other 16000 skiers did in the morning.
- “I was just stronger and stronger throughout the race, and then there were only three to four km to go, so I realized that I will have a chance.
Brink has a fourth place from 2007 Vasaloppet. This year he has shown that he is a very good long distance skier. Two weeks ago, he was only beaten by Anders Aukland in Tartu marathon. And he knew, who are those guys, he would keep an eye on during today's race.
-“I tried to be with around the "usual" favorites like Aukland brothers, Svärd, and Thynnel.”
“The victory means a lot to me. Only Olympic gold medal has a bigger meaning,” said Brink.
However, it was Daniel Thynnel who seemed strongest at the end of the course.
- “I saw that the others looked tired and I tried to push and push. But they managed to hang on. Tried to "grill" them, but then it was only three km to go and I knew its impossible to get a gap said Thynnel who thought, that Brink deserved to win.
Skierpost.com/langrenn.com
Photo:Kjetil Ree
