Day 2, Part 3 Winter Olympics

Hello, and welcome to our balcony

here at the Pyeongchang Winter

Olympics for day two of the action.

Day one brought the first medals of

the games, excitement, drama and a

bit of GB disappointment but

ultimately it was a great start. Day

two will have more of the same.

Unfortunately the weather has proved

a bit of a problem today. The

temperature has fallen dramatically

and the wind has been a real

problem.

It meant a postponement of the men's

downhill and super-g skiing which

will take place later in the week

and the cancellation of the women's

snowboard slopestyle which was

including Aimee Fuller for Team GB.

That will run as a straight final

tomorrow but we do have plenty to

keep us warm today. I'd like you to

let us know what you are up to. Tell

us who you are looking out for, who

you are watching and what events you

are really excited to see. Use the

hashtag BBC Olympics. We will start

our BBC Two coverage at the Alpensia

Cross-Country Centre where the two

Brits are in action at the

skiathlon. Team GB's real medal hope

Andrew Musgrave is among them. From

the Huntley Nordic Centre in

north-east Scotland committee comes

in with a real chance of a medal.

We had a disappointing Olympic Games

in Scotland, he felt that he

overtrained but now he feels he is

at his peak. Graham Bell went to

meet him as he prepared for

Pyeongchang.

Pyeongchang, your third Winter

Olympics. What have you learned from

Vancouver and Sochi?

When I first

went to Vancouver, I was still a

junior. I wasn't that experienced. I

was definitely going to find out

what the Olympics was like. I went

to Sochi, and I did slightly

underperform compared to how I

thought I should be able to do. But

I've learned a lot, especially after

Sochi about peak form, dealing with

pressure, things like that. A lot

more experience going into these

games compared to last time.

You won

the Norwegian championship is ahead

of Sochi. That got you a lot of

press. Did it put extra pressure on

you ahead of Sochi too?

I think I

was affected by it. I trained

digital too card, did a little too

much in the lead up, I let things go

to my head. It's one of the things

I've learned.

And in Sochi you said

you skied like a tranquillised

badger. Why a badger?

Is a good

question! It was the first thing

that came into my head, I was so

annoyed with the race, I was never

going to be a favourite for a medal

but I should have done better.

The

guy that you beat, just weeks

before, won the gold.

He was too

good on the day, what a spectacle! I

outperformed myself on that day, if

I did the same in the Olympics I

could have been there fighting for a

medal but now I feel I should be

able to be at that level without

having a super exceptional day.

And

what of the British team have that

gives them an advantage over the

Norwegians or the Swedes, or the

Russians? What gives you an edge?

I

think the fact that we are a small

team. Sometimes it is a disadvantage

but sometimes it can be an

advantage. We look at things

differently, we come from a

different background. Big teams,

they do the same things but they

have always done. They have a big

structure and it can be hard to

change. We can come in and think of

things we've done differently that

may have worked, that they'd never

thought of trying.

It's looking good

for Pyeongchang. Which disciplines,

which events, are you targeting?

The

15 kilometre is a skate race. That

will pretty much be my main event.

The 30 kilometre is a combination of

classic, the first 15 kilometres

classic, then the next 15 skiing. I

finish my best style. Those two

races are the ones that I am

targeting.

And what are your hopes

and expectations from Pyeongchang?

I

was forced into the World

Championships last year, I feel I'm

a better skier this year than last

year. This year is realistic for me

to be fighting for a medal in the 30

K and the 15 K. Bring home a medal,

that is the goal!

We are not far away from the

skiathlon at the moment. Andrew

Musgrave and Callum Smith of Team GB

going in that. Rob Walker is our

commentator for the cross-country. A

little earlier this week, I went

with them to the Alpensia

Cross-Country Centre for him to look

at the course in his own special

way...

This is the main arena for the

cross-country skiing here at

Pyeongchang. A total of 12 gold

medals will be won here in one of

the Winter Olympics most gruelling

sports. I'm just waiting for Rob

Walker. He will do a bit of a run

around with me... What are you

doing?

I'm off!

But... What? It is

-16 degrees out here, I'm not doing

that! I'm off to get some transport!

# Keep on running... #

I'm nice and warm, I don't know

about you, but we do have British

interests who could do good stuff

around the slopes.

Annika Taylor is

competing for the first time, Callum

Smith is back for his second games,

and Andrew Young is back for a

third. We have the rock star Andrew

Musgrave and there is so much hope

and expectation. We do need to be

careful. We shouldn't be hanging a

medal around his neck but the fact

that we are even talking about him

being a potential medallist shows

how far he has come and what he's

done to raise the profile of

cross-country skiing in Britain. I

really hope he gets a medal. We are

looking at at least one top ten

finish and it would be fantastic.

It

would be amazing but it is cold. You

are shivering. Will we check out

more of the course? And you go! Are

getting my transport, shall I? -- I

will get in my transport, shall I?

# Keep on running... #

Go on, Rob!

This is a real example of some of

the steep climbs, and the steep

descent switch up in this race.

This

is brutal! You can see the gradient

now. They make it look quite easy.

This may not look very technical at

the moment but there is a very steep

downhill section. There will be some

tumbles because as they try and

coming towards the finish, there

will be jostling for a position.

That is why it is so good to watch.

You should we watch out for?

The

Norwegians, this sport is in their

blood. As far as the men are

concerned, Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo

has won nine of 12 World Cup races

this season. He is 21 years old and

even the Norwegians are staggered by

what he's doing on the World Cup

circuit. Surely he will get his

first Winter Olympic gold, even a

second or a third? As far as the

women are concerned, there is a lot

of excitement surrounding Marit

Bjorgen, competing in her last

Winter Games. She is in decent form

and will be keen to go out in style.

Cool!

What was that? I've just been

having a cup of tea! How was the

cause?

Older than I am used to. I've

been a club runner and a fun run

since I can remember. -- older. I've

never run anywhere as beautiful as

this. It is absolutely stunning

here. Stunning. I can't wait for the

start.

There's not much I had to say

about that! Incredible for Rob

Walker. Now he's in the commentary

box alongside Ollie Williams.

All I can say, Polycom is I hope for

your sake his trousers are on!

We

are all good! You should see the

amount of attention he got from

Norwegian journalists for that, they

loved you, Rob, didn't they?

They

thought I was crazy but if you

cannot do cross-country skiing, it's

the best way to get a taste of the

hills and how tough the course is

going to be. Welcome to our second

medal.

If this race is half as good as the

women's skiathlon from yesterday, we

are in for a treat. Double the

distance the women did yesterday,

this was -- they did 15 kilometres,

this is 30. Four circuits, in the

classic style, then four in

freestyle, that is Andrew Musgrave's

favourite technique. It is

understand rumours grow for we will

keep an eye on. There are a host of

world-class men who are all out for

a slice of Winter Olympic history.

We have touched on Johannes Hoesflot

Klaebo. The 21-year-old, without a

doubt, is the sport's new sensation

this season, picking up the mantle

from the greats before him. If

Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo wins today,

he will be breaking a record that

has stood for 30 years. I should

mention as well here's compatriot,

the 33-year-old master of

consistency in the skiathlon, hoping

to build on a bronze medal behind

the defending champion here in

fabulous form, Dario Cologna.

Winning a record-breaking fourth

toured a ski. Magnificent when he

won four years ago. But the new rock

star of cross-country skiing is

Klaebo. A lot of people are very

excited to see what he can do. Four

podiums this year for Maurice

Manificat. His third games. 84 years

ago. But Dario Cologna is bidding to

become the third man to successfully

defend the title. In the old days,

skiathlon was referred to as the

combined pursuit. It is the ultimate

test of all-round cross-country

skiing ability. Here is the

line-up... Wearing bib Number 10,

Andrew Musgrave. We are so excited

about his chances here. Ollie, I do

think that we need to be realistic.

The last two World Championships

committee has been in 12 and 11. He

is going to smash the best

performance ever by a British

cross-country skiing, 29th in Sochi

four years ago. Now we know he has

come to terms with being prepared

for a major event. He missed the

medal in the 50 K last year. A top

ten or top 15 would be superb here,

bearing in mind his best event is

coming up in the 15 kilometre on

Friday?

That's the point, he isn't

focusing on this event. If he gets

into the top 15, even the top ten,

he will be doing very well indeed to

get that far. This is good

preparation for what is coming up

later this week...

And we just saw

Callum Smith's name, he went to

Huntly. For an open day of training.

He was bitten by the bug, a graduate

in chemical engineering. Full-time

now in Lily hammer. Here come these

Herculean man, ready for what

promises to be about one hour ten

minutes, one hour 15 minutes of

enthralling drama. Alex Harvey wears

bib number four, hoping to become

the first male Canadian

cross-country skiing medallist in

the Winter Olympics. He set history

a few years ago, winning the team

sprint gold in the championships in

2011. Farcical comes first and

Harvey has stayed at number one.

Klaebo there. Harvey has said in a

press conference before the games

began, he thinks the Norwegians, not

necessarily the likes of Klaebo, but

number seven

number seven Krueger, and the number

five Holund, will be able to skew

them out their legs. Maurice

Manificat is back for his third

games.

games. There is the toured a ski

champion, Dario Cologna, so good at

picking out the right time. Alex

Harvey there, a podium in three of

his last four World Cup races. They

skiathlon bronze medallist back in

the Worlds in 2015. Hans Christer

Holund, and in the Lillehammer

skiathlon he was third. He had

Achilles' heel surgery ten years

ago, now he is in top form. And what

about Martin Johnsrud Sundby? Bronze

four years ago, second in the World

Championships last year. He has

described, by the way, his

compatriot is almost embarrassing,

Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, he is that

good. Simen Hegstad Krueger is

rested, his first games. He has not

raced since December. Then, Iivo

Niskanen, his sister was 60th in the

women's skiathlon yesterday. --

16th. A good representation from the

French, in his fourth games, we have

Jean Marc Gaillard. Then Andrew

Musgrave, proudly representing

Huntly and Great Britain. Can he

produced the greatest performance

we've seen from a British

cross-country skier? We all hope so.

The First Event In The Men's

Cross-country PROGRAMME.

They are and this is a race we have

been looking to for the last few

months, bearing in mind the form of

some of the best in the world.

There's so much history on the line

for so many competing here today.

Dario Cologna is hoping to become

only the third man to send the

title, Johannes close the club,

hoping to become the youngest ever

champion.

champion. That was Krueger who fell

there. The good news from their

perspective is that hopefully the

pace would be too fast, they will

have an opportunity to get back.

That's Krueger who was fresh and

arrested for these games. Let's see

if we can get another indication as

to what happened. -- he was fresh

and rested.

It is Krueger who goes

down first, you have got Andrey

Larkov and Denis Spitsov. You're

essentially on top of each other,

number 11, Andrey Larkov, going into

the back. But if you have it happen,

have it happen now when you have got

an hour of skiing left and you can

get back onto the back of the pack

and make your way back on. It's too

early for that to be a race ending

incident but that will unsettle

someone like Krueger who needs a new

pole already, and your race plan is

out of the window.

That's especially

relevant when you bear in mind what

Alex Harvey was talking about before

the race, saying that he thought

Krueger was going to be one of the

classical ski specialist who would

really force the pace. Well, he has

got some work to do to get back

onside with the likes of even this

can. For a split second I thought it

was Andrew Musgrave. -- he is

was Andrew Musgrave. -- he is behind

the finish rider.

It is not just Krueger who was

looking to go out hard early on, it

was people like Hans Christer Holund

as well, and he now does not have

that person beside him. Because if

you can make a break and get away

from Klaebo, amazing young all-round

athlete, you got to hope if it's a

sprint at the end, then Klaebo will

be the man who wins it. You need to

break away.

The cat is 18 seconds at

the moment. Simon Alex Tait

-- Simon Hickey at

we will keep an eye on whether he

can close the gap. He is meant to be

sharing pacemaking duties with Hans

Christer Holund, and Klaebo has been

quite happy to... Another for live

there, the Lithuanian. Just coming

on stock on the -- coming off on the

corner. It is very cold today, it

was -16 when I was going around

jogging, and these men are going at

peak capacity. It's very, very cold,

by far the coldest day we have had

in the last five or six days.

Yes,

-16 or 17 on the back of the course.

The other athletes did well there,

Callum Smith from Great Britain also

fell as well and did very well to

recover quickly and get back up.

It's cold and windy. You have got

ten miles an hour wind, that's not

going to help people get away in the

front.

front. It's good to be harder to get

off the front and try to break

Klaebo.

A reminder, it's four

circuits, 3.75 kilometres in a

classical technique when they stick

to the tracks and then they come in

for a pit stop before they change

skis. Then they will be skiing

freestyle, that's the discipline

where Andrew Musgrave becomes most

comfortable. When he was 11th in the

world champions last year, he was

the 22nd fastest on the classical

half and the fourth fastest on the

freestyle. So if he's there or

thereabouts at halfway, then maybe,

we could see something very special

indeed. But Iivo Niskanen not

hanging around, deciding he wants to

take it on. Maybe you has realised

that one of the two men who would

argue "Push the pace on the

classical half is off the back. At

the last checkpoint he was 18

seconds adrift, we will keep you

posted how much closer he is.

I think that's Krueger has had

replaced the Dutch trucker I think

that Niskanen has had to replace the

Norwegian athlete. He is only young,

26, he does not have a skiathlon

background. He is more 15 K, same as

Andrew Musgrave. He maybe feels his

only chance is to get off the front

and bring a few other people with

them. They need more than two

people, you cannot hang at the front

for 30 kilometres with two skiers.

They need to get a few more if they

want to make an impact.

Meanwhile,

Niskanen taking on the pacemaking

duties at the front with Hans

Christer Holund behind him. Andrew

Musgrave is around seventh or

eighth, certainly up to the group.

And it interesting that Dario

Cologna, we have not spoken about

him because we have had the falling,

he is nice and steady, ticking along

in third place. Andrew Musgrave top

ten. Which excites cars, from a

British point of view, but we are

not in control of the images so if

we don't see him, or he drifts, we

will try and update you as much as

we can as well as updating you on

Callum Smith. But Niskanen leads at

the moment. And even though it's

bitterly, bitterly cold, this is a

long way for these men, respecting

the fact that the hydration needs

are very much there. The golden rule

in any sport, if you get to the

stage of being thirsty, you are

already dehydrated.

Andrew Musgrave just disappearing

underneath this great shot and there

he is the right of frame wearing

number ten, behind Alex Harvey, the

Canadian. It really is an absolutely

stunning course, this. When you walk

or run up the top of the first hill,

it's a breathtaking vantage point.

Klaebo is two seconds behind but

nothing to read in that. He's right

there. The more important deficit

will do that involving Krueger which

was up at 18 seconds after he fell.

It's now about 27 seconds. So there

is essentially one big pack of

athletes. You could see Krueger come

through now, just behind another 46.

He is desperate to try to work back

to the front because he knows that

he cannot have any impact unless he

gets onto the front and attempt to

break.

Maurice Manificat happy to settle

into the middle part of the leading

group. They are coming in towards

the completion of the first of the

four classical circuits. Niskanen

having a little glance over his

shoulder, Dario Cologna in second.

Andrew Musgrave is in around tenth

place at the moment. 29th is the

best performance by a British

cross-country skier, and it was his

own, disappointing performance in

Sochi, he thought he was capable to

at least get to the semifinal in the

individual sprint. He's just going

through there, Number ten.

through there, Number ten. He has

dedicated his life to cross-country

skiing, Andrew Musgrave. His

father's job in the oil industry got

an interest in him. A spell in a car

and then in Huntly, a club which has

inspired many cross-country skiers,

and if you go to that club, his 27

bed from Sochi hangs on the wall

alongside Andrew Young's number from

1971 when he greeted in Vancouver.

If you are a young skier, no better

place to go in Britain than the

Huntley club which has given birth

to a more than a few winter

Olympians.

Olympians. So, Iivo Niskanen leads.

The Norwegians are quite happy in

third, fourth and fifth. The only

one missing is Krueger who fell in

that collision with the Russians at

the very early stages. There is

Klaebo. He has been ridiculously

good this season.

good this season. And you were

following the ski Federation Twitter

feed and there are some mixed views

amongst the cross-country skiing

fraternity as to who is the

favourite for this one?

Yes, they

put it up to a vote on their Twitter

feed earlier on, four athletes,

which tells its own story, the

governing body itself thinks it's

between formats

between formats four athletes, and

the favourites came out as Klaebo

and Dario Cologna. The Norwegians

love Klaebo, they assume he will

come home with a lot of medals. The

Swedish media hate Klaebo because

they do not like Norwegians and they

don't think he's very good. There

was a fantastic expression in one of

the Swedish newspapers a little

while ago which basically said words

to the effect of that the Norwegian

press, in "Klaebo in the way they

had done, created a sea of

Norwegians with an ocean of

exaggerated hope. Klaebo is very

young, he has won gold buckles in

everything he has competed in, but

has he competed too much? -- gold

medals. If you temper it a bit and

you don't race so much in the

season, maybe you have a better

chance

chance in the Olympics and that is

where Dario Cologna comes in.

Yesterday, Norwegian female athletes

were looking a little tired, and

Heidi Weng was clearly suffering.

It's interesting because four years

ago, Dario Cologna's early-season

build-up to Sochi was disrupted by

an injury, he was on the exercise

bike for months and it was quite a

bad run. As a result, he came into

Sochi very fresh, won the skiathlon

and defended his 15 K title. This

year, he has competed in and won the

tour to ski for a record fourth time

but I see parallels between Cologna

and Charlotte Kalla, he is a proven

winner, not just on that but in the

Winter Olympic context and he knows

what it takes to peak for a big

occasion. And a lot of people feel

as though Cologna could be only the

third man

third man to successfully defend his

title.

title. Niskanen leading, it's a real

shame on an individual level for

Simen Hegstad Krueger because

classical is his best technique and

it must have been a real shock for

him. Just one of those things that

he was a man who fell with the two

Olympic athlete representing Russia

just behind him.

Nonetheless, Krueger's challenge

looks as though it has gone. We will

keep you posted on those times, to

see whether he can close the gap.

18, Clement Parisse. He comes here

with a little bit of form. But at

the moment, we have Johannes

Hoesflot Klaebo in third. Alex

Harvey of Canada is in sixth place,

wearing big number four. Similar to

the Norwegian outfit that it does

not have blue stripes on the base of

his quads. That's how you tell the

difference.

An interesting story for

Canada, probably his last Olympics

come on the verge of retiring. Like

Andrew Musgrave, he has spent the

last decade spending time trying to

get a degree. To become a lawyer. He

is as good a male cross-country

skier that Canada has ever produced

but they have not won and Olympic

Nordic skiing medal, that's all he

wants, a medal of any colour, he

says. The skiathlon, for him, he was

a world bronze medallist. He

considers himself a medal contender

and says it is his favourite event.

He is going to be in the top five

mix. If nothing goes wrong for

him...

You certainly has the

pedigree, third in 15. Then just off

the podium, last year, Andrew

Musgrave is in the top ten at the

moment. A fantastic performance,

bearing in mind his favourite style,

the freestyle, is still to come...

Clement

-- Niskanen looking over his

shoulder. It's an interesting debate

considering Klaebo, as we get a

dramatic shortcomings you can see

his own breath there, Niskanen.

Cologna.

Cologna. It's a really interesting

debate because when you follow the

races where Klaebo has been

dominant, the Sprint would be the

most obvious for a gold medal. But I

do think I've got this right, he has

only competed in one senior

skiathlon race, Lillehammer in

December, and he won! He is so

young, we still do not have enough

races to count against him in this

regard, even though, of course, the

Sprint would be the event in which

he would be the favourite. Krueger

still 38 seconds behind, Maurice

Manificat isn't as strong as he is

on B3. He is 15 seconds off the

pace, not life or death at the

moment but certainly Krueger's

deficit is pretty tough. But Klaebo

has only had one opportunity to show

what he can do in the skiathlon and

he won the World Cup race. He is

currently in third place, and is so

exciting to watch. Not just from a

Norwegian point of view, but we are

excited from the neutral standpoint!

It will be exciting to see how he

deals with it. His compatriot worse

dogs with injury. Andrew Musgrave is

wearing Number 10, you can see that

he is just behind the front pack

breaking away. Norway are looking at

Klaebo, a very different individual,

and much livelier. And much

friendlier, some people say, they

are expecting big things now, we can

just see Krueger making his way back

through. He is

through. He is behind Yoshida of

Japan. Imagine it is a Formula 1

race. It isn't easy to weave through

20 or 25 athletes. You've got to be

very careful otherwise you end up in

the same situation you were in in

the first place.

Not completely out

of it yet, Krueger, but he does have

a tough job. Dario Colonia, the

defending skiathlon champion, and

deciding to make his presence felt

and Niskanen is having none of it!

Coming up wide on the outside...

This will develop into a fascinating

race, when you get towards the

business end. Sometimes it is

difficult from the British point of

view, Andrew Musgrave is doing

fantastically at the moment.

Currently in tenth, behind the

breakaway group. If you are watching

cross-country for only the first or

second time, these are the rock

stars of their nation's sportsmen

and women. It is difficult to

exaggerate enough just how big the

stars are. The Norwegians say that

this is their Olympics. It's a great

showcase but their greatest hopes

come in the summer Olympic Games.

For Norway, this is the big one. The

summer Olympic Games is an

afterthought. This is absolutely

huge in the countries.

Especially

when you have a brand-new starlike

Klaebo. We talk about the skiathlon

that he won, not just what he did

but how he won. He is wearing the

number six.

number six. They had Sundby in

charge of the whole race but Klaebo

came back three. That's the thing.

Even if you have five or six seconds

over Klaebo, he can come back.

Certainly could.

Certainly could. It is very

interesting to see how he goes. What

a performance by Andrew Musgrave.

Just on the left-hand side of your

frame now. In eighth place. Steadily

working his way through the field.

This really would be exciting, if he

is in the mix can be business end,

especially as the 15 kilometre free

is meant to be his best chance of a

winter Olympic medal. He was third

in the freestyle earlier this

season. That races coming up on

Friday. Now, we have Harvey of

Canada just out of shot. The only

Norwegian missing is currently

Krueger, 35 seconds back after a

fall. And what

fall. And what about Sundby? He's

aiming to become Norway's oldest

male cross champion. In his last

nine skiathlon races, he is very

consistent and arguably at the age

of 33, I know that Marit Bjorgen got

the silver yesterday at age 37,

arguably it would take a big effort

for him to still be in the mix in

such a competitive team, come

Beijing, 2022. This could be

Sundby's last chance to become an

individual Winter Olympic champion.

He cannot be discounted, even though

all of the headlines in Norway are

being taken by his younger and more

daring compatriot, Klaebo.

If you

look at someone like Sundby, here's

another one of the old guys. They

are the Norwegians who have carried

the team for a decade. So much

consistency, but we have already

seen this season, Klaebo out of his

dumper completely. -- his number

completely. It would play on

Sundby's mind.

Just getting an

update on the checkpoint, Andrew

Musgrave just around seven seconds

off the pace of the leaders. This is

a brilliant piece of cross-country

skiing by the Britain, the first of

the two men in the distance Paire.

He has the very tall Daniel Rickards

and just behind him. He is no

slouch! -- Daniel Rickardsson. A

relay gold medallist twice for

Norway, he got a bronze in the 15 K

four years ago. I wonder if it is an

indication that they are slowing

down a fraction? Good work by the

French, we haven't really mentioned

that Maurice Manificat closed the

gap. And in the number nine,

Gaillard's fourth games, missing out

on a medal. Andrew Musgrave is just

out of shot on the left-hand side. I

think they are gripping up again

here. It is settling into a place,

rather than it being a case of

Niskanen probing for a gap.

And it

isn't an extraordinarily fast pace

yet. For these athletes. It is still

a bit bunched. Niskanen is using a

lot of fuel to stay out in front but

nobody really has tried to get away

to any real degree.

to any real degree.

Did from Callum

Smith, last seen in 60 First Place.

He finished in that position four

years ago, he says he wants to get a

top 30. A graduate in chemical

engineering from Edinburgh. He now

lives in Norway. Training with the

best. As indeed is Andrew Musgrave,

and his sister Posey, in the

commentary box yesterday with us,

she has travelled to the course to

watch her brother. She letters into

a secret, she says that he is

seeking that degree out, I was

speaking and saying how dedicated he

must be doing a completed degree in

a second language, but she says

there isn't a great deal of work

going on there! He shuffles the bits

of paper and it may take six or

seven years, but he will get the

degree in the end! Webb Andrew

Musgrave at the back of the group,

he isn't focused on his degree now,

he is focused on producing a piece

of British winter Olympic history.

There he is, just trying to attach

himself to the group. Torres --

Thomas Bingham Paire.

He has reattached which is useful. A

great performance so far. Alex

Harvey, moving across to the

right-hand track, wearing number

four.

four. It is Niskanen in the nearly

all-white outfit for Finland. A

little slip there. Important that

the waxing technicians get their job

right. It seems as though they've

done a good job for the Norwegians

this far. Four years ago they were

really struggling.

Uncharacteristically so in the early

races. Krueger, number seven in the

middle of your shot. This is better

from the Norwegian. If he could get

back into the mix for a medal, that

would be absolutely extraordinary.

All credit to him for deciding just

to carry on.

It will be interesting

when we get back to the shots at the

front. I think I saw Niskanen stand

aside and essentially say I've done

my job for the time being. Now he is

back in fifth or sixth position and

saying, it is someone else's turn,

I've done my time. We now have Dario

Cologna and Maurice Manificat out in

front together.

Easy to underestimate how technical

and how skilful these men and women

are in cross-country. It isn't all

about smashing the miles out.

Racking up hundreds of kilometres.

There is real skiing ability there

as well. A couple of the descents on

the course are really brutal,

especially be sharp left-hand turn

as they head backing towards the

stadium at the end of the circuit.

And in this weather as well. You are

not only descending sharply but

moving into a biting wind.

moving into a biting wind.

All of

these athletes are respecting the

conditions and environment, and

making sure that they get plenty of

liquids on board.

liquids on board. 12 seconds adrift,

they have Spitsov. The men who fell

are doing a good job. Spitsov was

knocked over, along with his

compatriot, Larkov, by Krueger. On

the right, wearing Number 10 for

Great Britain, it has slowed, you

are right, Miskin and into the pack.

He feels as though he has done his

job -- Niskanen. It has allowed,

this slowing of the pace, almost the

entire group to come back together.

Krueger is in the second group of

our fleets. Look at the driving wind

in their faces! This is definitely

slowing because soon, we suspect,

are going to have a very good lead

groupware at one stage it was ten or

11.

11. The cameras are focusing on

Krueger, following Spitsov,

rejoining a very big lead pack. A

good effort by the Norwegian. And

good effort from the world number 23

bronze medal is to Spitsov. He got

that last year in the 15 kilometre

and the skiathlon, the Olympic

Athlete from Russia.

Athlete from Russia. The pace has

slowed a fraction... That the

conditions are tough. They really

are. For the first time, Sundby in

the lead and deciding to make his

presence felt.

This downhill comes

into the stadium. Possibly a

deciding factor. The hill at the

end, then the downhill sweep into

the stadium area, back out and

Brown. It could well be what we see.

That could be where we see the race

decided.

Sundby needing, Harvey going really

well, the Canadian contemplating

retirement. No Canadian has ever won

a winter Olympic skiing medal in

cross-country. Andrew Musgrave is in

the top ten. Krueger has managed to

catch up, a fine effort from the

Norwegian, so too has

catch up, a fine effort from the

Norwegian, so too has. Spitsov.

Wearing bib 16. Where heading

towards the end of the classical

half of this race and then there

will be a pit stop. He ends 15th in

the World Championship last year.

This will be the last circuits of

3.75 kilometres skied in the

classical technique. All the main

protagonists are there, including

from a British point of view, Andrew

Musgrave. Marcus Hellner, a

skiathlon champion in Vancouver,

silver four years ago. He hasn't

been in that kind of form this

season but he's certainly got the

experience and exposure to produce a

great performance. He's only five

seconds adrift.

And he's not had the

greatest results recently, only 25th

this season, essentially written off

at home, Swedish fans don't expect

them to do anything, his time has

been and gone. But if you're only

five seconds adrift and in this

pack, essentially, he knows how to

win a race at this level.

Sundby

from Harvey. This is Spitsov, going

alone.

alone. He's a really talented young

athlete. As I said, a medallist in

the under 23. A third in the

the under 23. A third in the final

tour of Ski. The 21-year-old doing

his best to capture this big-league

group. Andrew Musgrave still there,

wearing Number ten, just behind a

rock star of the circuit this year,

Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo. Thomas

Bing, the German, still attached as

well.

well. And I wonder, in Sundby's

mind, he's identifiable because he's

got that blond beard which is

probably freezing in these

conditions, I wonder how far into

the freestyle half of the race,

Sundby might decide to have a go.

The acceleration that his young

compatriot Klaebo has is phenomenal.

Some of the races we have seen this

season, Klaebo has come back from

deficit against Sundby from huge

margins. What he did in Bill Hammer

was outrageous, it's well worth

looking at in you have five minutes.

Sundby does what Niskanen did a flap

and a half ago and says, I have done

my bit. I wonder how long Sundby can

leave this because he knows that

Klaebo, if you've not shattered, he

has the speed and arrogance of youth

to come sweeping past.

We saw in the

women's event yesterday, Charlotte

Kalla left it quite late until the

last couple of climate is and put

the accelerator down. I don't know

if you can do that with clay bow. --

. It was an amazing race. This is

Spitsov trying to do his best to get

back to the group.

The Norwegian Publix will be

churning in.

It's pretty early in

Norway for this race, but he was

estimating a minimum of a quarter of

the entire population would be

getting up to watch the men's

skiathlon and he said if the races

were

were closer to peak viewing, he said

it would be half the population. It

gives you some indication as to how

big this sport is in Norway.

We

usually use football as a

comparison, but maybe track cycling

would be a better comparison, you

know that there will be medals and

it will be a feel-good event. You

have got Sundby, clay bow, Hans

Christer Holund, you know that

something is going to happen. This

is box office television for

Norwegians because the whole field

is packed with athletes that could

do something special.

do something special.

Maurice

Manificat, the Frenchman, very

experienced athlete, leading from:

you're at the moment. -- from

Cologna at the moment. Andrew

Musgrave is at the back of this

group just behind Marcus Kalmar.

Cologna is looking good at second

place. Very composed. Hasn't really

done too much work at the front of

the field. Harvey just slipped a

little there. He was skiing

immediately behind Cologna who has

now moved over to the left-hand

track. Harvey is wearing number

four. We would get an indication as

to the deficit to Andrew Musgrave.

Eight seconds. So he's just allowed

a second or two to grow between

himself and the leading ten. At the

end of this loop, they will be

swapping over to the freestyle which

is his favoured technique. And how

exciting would it be if he was to

get in amongst the traditional

heavyweights, the Norwegians and the

Swedes and Finns? A fantastic story,

in this, his second-best event. I

wonder how excited Posy Musgrave is

getting up on the course? We will

find that when she us in the

commentary box later.

This isn't his

best event at the top 15 finish

would be great, but he has been very

clear before the races that he

considers himself a realistic model

contender and he has not been afraid

to say it -- metal -- chrome medal

contender. He says that he has

learned his lessons from the hype

that he had before Sochi, he has

been on a World Cup podium this

season, he knows that if he stays in

touch the way he is doing, he

believes he has it within himself to

push through and get a medal, maybe

here, certainly in the 15 K.

The

biggest lesson he has learned is the

hardest one, not overtraining. He

won the Norwegian Championships just

ahead of Sochi and then I think

maybe it was such an inspirational

moment, Spitsov just getting on the

back of the group, Andrew Musgrave

is wearing Number ten. There he is.

I think that was the biggest lesson

he learned, it wasn't that he was

overawed by the occasion, he arrived

completely shattered because he was

overtraining. That's something very

much within his control and he went

back after the Sammon, got a little

bit ill, he said he always got ill

after the Tour de Ski, and he has an

opportunity this time after he has

arrived that his batteries are fully

charged.

One thing that helps is

coaching. In between the Olympics he

has brought on board Norwegian

coaches, essentially poached from

private skiing teams in Norway and

now he has the institutional

knowledge advantage of working with

top coaches from the country that

does this sport in the best way. And

they know how to get him to the

start line in perfect stage because

they have been doing it for Olympic

champions for years.

It's not quite

a Formula 1 pit stop, but it will be

important. As he said yesterday in

the women's skiathlon, you cannot

win, a bit like a triathlon, you

don't win the race in transition but

you can certainly give yourself a

problem if it doesn't go smoothly.

This can and just making sure --

Niskanen making sure he has an

opportunity to get in and out as

smoothly as possible. It is usually

35 seconds. Switching skis, they

have completed their circuit in the

classical technique and different

skis required for the freestyle

which will be faster. Andrew Young,

who is not competing for Great

Britain in this race but we will see

him later on, he equates its two

race with breast wrote front crawl.

So the freestyle or skating half

will be quicker. The main thing to

notice here is not so much if one

man gets out half a second quicker

than the others, but if anyone has a

lengthy problem. Looking to make

sure they are in and out. A little

bit of a double-take from Maurice

Manificat. Andrew Musgrave safely

through. Krueger has almost caused

the gap up, but traditionally he's

better on classical. He has not had

an opportunity to dominate, he has

used his classical ability to get

back to the big league group.

Musgrave just five seconds or so

adrift, pretty much in the big

leading group.

And out into the

skate skiing which is his preferred

discipline so this is as good as he

would hope to be at this point in

the race.

And other than Klaebo, all

of the main protagonists are there.

That's one of the men who fell with

Krueger at the beginning of the

circuit. He has done well to keep

going. His compatriot Spitsov has

got back in touch with the big

leading group, as has Simen Hegstad

Krueger. So we're halfway. Pretty

quick from Klaebo in the pit stop,

so to Jean Marc Gaillard.

so to Jean Marc Gaillard. Sundby

took away. -- took a while. The

classical half is done, now we turn

our attention to the second set of

four microcircuits of 3.75

calamities. -- kilometres. Sundby

was a few seconds slower than

Klaebo, we might just get an idea

here, he's next to Hans Christer

Holund, so what happened? Nothing

dramatic, just a little sluggish.

But it has cost him a few seconds.

Looking out for the frozen blond

beard. He is wearing number six. I

would have thought he is right back

up in the mix. That's a big group

now. It will not stay that way for

all four circuits as most of the men

will not want to leave it until the

last circuit because it will play

into the hands of Klaebo, and Sundby

has got back on terms.

has got back on terms. There is

Andrew Musgrave, what a performance

this is so far. A long way to go.

Eighth place, and bearing in mind

his previous best performance in

cross-country skiing from is 29. We

have got a few BBC news crews

heading up to the course. We were

saying to them, don't leave it too

long because he's looking good this

season, he might do something

special.

special. A little look over the

shoulder from the Italian.

shoulder from the Italian. Niskanen

leading, Klaebo in the middle of the

group. The Italians getting himself

on terms with that group. 14 or 15

of them, if you cant the guys who

are six or seven seconds off the

pace, but they're all thereabouts.

Klaebo wearing number one, because

he is the World Cup leader this

season. Marcus Hellner behind him.

This is quite a good shot, because

when we were up on the cause, we

couldn't really work out where the

gold poles were. This gives you a

slightly better feeling of what it

looks like over the summer. You

would hope it is a lot warmer than

it is today -- golf holes. By far

the coldest day we've had since we

went on because on Tuesday.

It's

going to get colder, it is not .5

degrees colder than when the race

began. The wind has also picked up,

very tough racing conditions -- it

is .5 degrees colder.

The

temperature in the air is -17

degrees. Niskanen leading. Gaillard.

Alex Harvey is still there. Cologna

wearing bib number three. Andrew

Musgrave, the closest we have seen

him to the front. He is in about

sixth place, skiing behind Harvey,

wearing number four. This is superb

from Andrew Musgrave. It really is.

A trailblazer for the sport from the

British point of view. I wonder if

there are any little boys all little

girls watching this who got up early

on a Sunday morning. Perhaps it

would spark an interest from them in

cross-country skiing. We are talking

about British cross-country skier

Andrew Musgrave, wearing the Number

10. A trailblazer, without a doubt.

We should reflect on what a big job

cross-country skiing centre played

in the life of all of the British

Olympians. Bob Lacey did so much in

the early days of getting the club

off the ground. He was tragically

killed on his way to a stag do on

his motorbike. Then, Roy Young,

Andrew Young's father, got involved

in coaching and he still is. To get

his own son Andrew Young into the

Winter Olympics and also to do his

best for the rest of the team. It's

a massive effort and there in

Aberdeenshire and the fact we are

talking about Andrew Musgrave being

in the top eight or nine in one of

the hardest races to win? That's a

real tribute to everyone who has

worked so hard up at Huntly.

That

was a marvellous move on the

left-hand side there. Bringing

Klaebo up to the front. He is

wearing the number one on the

right-hand side. He's decided maybe

now is the time? Sweeping through

five, six or seven athletes and now

he is at the front. Sundby is right

up ahead of him, another Norwegian

to push the pace now. Perhaps a

little early, we still have about 30

minutes to go but it's the first

time we see Klaebo and Sundby make a

concerted effort together at the

front.

One of the reasons may be

that the group was too big. Sundby

from Klaebo, a great effort from

Krueger, now up behind them. Norway

Singh, two and three. Andrew

Musgrave in fifth place. I know a

couple of those athletes will have

taken a ski or two back -- Norway in

first, two and three. They do have

some of the best cross-country

skiers in the world behind him.

Don't forget about Cologna. That is

the brutal climb. It is ever so

slightly different. This freestyle

circuit of 3.75 kilometres. This

hill will surely be the determining

factor in many of the races that we

will hopefully be enjoying over the

next 14.5 days. Krueger there. What

a story it would be from his

perspective if he was to get back

into the mix? And another of the men

who fell behind him, the Olympic

Athlete from Russia, Spitsov. You

can see how careful the

cross-country skiers are having to

be on that tight left-hand turn.

Three circuits to go. Sundby is

bidding to become Norway's oldest

individual male cross-country skiing

champion. Krueger, he felt right at

the start of the race. Cologna,

aiming to become only the third man

to successfully defend the skiathlon

title. A winner from Sochi. Well

poised in this race. Andrew Musgrave

of Great Britain is in uncharted

territory, the place, just on the

left of the picture. Very much in

touch. Not just breaking new ground

but absolutely smashing it from a

British cross-country skiing point

of view. Just behind him, Maurice

Manificat. Let's not forget about

Marcus Allen, the champion in this

event eight years ago, silver

medallist four years ago. All of the

big men that you would hope and

expect to see our right up there --

Marcus Hellner. This is developing

into the race that we hoped would

unfold in these brutally cold but

stunning conditions. In Pyeongchang.

This is the big chase group. Good

athletes among them. This is where

the real action will happen. Look at

Andrew Musgrave, coming through

there. The cameras focusing down.

Just on the right of the picture

there, Gaillard. Great skiing by the

Briton. Just watching out, there he

is. In third place, he is just

watching out for Klaebo. Nothing

much to read into this little

deficit for the World Cup leader, it

was a case of everyone making sure

they had clear snow ahead of them to

get their drinks. Sundby, leading at

the moment. A bronze medallist four

years ago behind Dario Cologna.

Andrew Musgrave is still right up

there for Great Britain, as is

Spitsov. Only 21 years old. The

Olympic Athlete from Russia.

One of the three men who fell in the

very early stages, we are talking

about the man wearing number 16, on

the right of the picture. Andrew

Musgrave in ten.

Musgrave in ten. They will be

starting to feel this... If you look

at Claremont Parisse, but hopes for

the French. The two men who

dominated in the biathlon programme,

that will be an exciting race later

today. The French will be joining in

in massive numbers to watch this.

They will be getting excited about

what they're cross-country skiers

are doing here. Maurice Manificat

going ahead of Cologna. Very much in

the mix, alongside the Frenchman

Gaillard in number nine.

We should

mention that this is such a quiet

part of the course. If we let it

speak for a second, you can hear

that it is so quiet out the back.

There is hardly anyone around, you

can almost hear a pin drop. That's

an Olympic cross-country skiing

final, it is just nature out there

and the sound of the few people

skiing. It is so far removed, tucked

away. A beautiful course and dead

quiet at the back like this.

This is a big group, the pace has

definitely eased. There are now 15

or even 20 men. Spitsov, the

21-year-old, leading. Andrew

Musgrave tucked in fourth or fifth

place. Sundby in second. The

Frenchman, Maurice Manificat, coming

through. Still no move from Cologna.

The longer they leave it, the more

tense it becomes. Niskanen set much

of the early pace in the classical

have.

have. -- car. It is beginning to get

quite exciting now... Andrew

Musgrave in the centre of your

picture there, wearing the trademark

blue shades, bright in the mix with

the very best cross-country skiers

in the world. Spitsov leading...

Sundby perhaps knows that he cannot

afford to leave it late against his

very talented young compatriot.

Klaebo, with nine wins on the World

Cup circuit.

Cup circuit. He is alongside Holund

now. Another big climb for these

men.

men. It doesn't get any easier on

this freestyle half of the course.

Krueger is right back up there as

well. Good skiing from the

Norwegians. Now, I wonder, there is

still a long way to go but Holund

has decided to have a little go of

the front. Looking over his

shoulder, his compatriot Klaebo

responds wearing the number one as

is Cologna, the defending champion.

21 kilometres. Nine kilometres to

go. This is a very big group. Andrew

Musgrave going through the shot,

wearing the Number 10. Niskanen and

Alex Harvey, perhaps looking at a

fraction tired there for the first

time. Harvey went through in 15th or

16th place. I wonder if team tactics

are at play? But Holund deciding to

stretch things out -- with Holund

deciding to stretch things out. The

Frenchman there, Gaillard, wearing

the number nine. Somebody has to

make a move that some stage, and I

wonder what the Holund, he may not

be making a definitive bid for

glory, but I think the pace may have

been too slow and he has decided to

up the tempo. You can see that with

how hard these men are working

uphill. Cologna hasn't done much at

the front. The Swiss defending

champion. But he covered that move

as soon as it began. Making sure

that if he needs to break, he can

move quite quickly. That was, in

fact, one of the reasons that Marit

Bjorgen was caught out in the

women's skiathlon yesterday, when

Charlotte Kalla made a move, Marit

Bjorgen was behind the wrong skier.

She lost a couple of seconds, I

don't think she would have caught up

with Charlotte Kalla anyway but

suddenly the gap was bigger than it

needed to be. Cologna is playing a

smart game looking at the chase

group. Abbring these moves can he

knows what it takes to beat the

Norwegians. I'm not saying he would

definitely win the race but

tactically it is sharp from the

defending champion in second place,

wearing the number three at the

moment. Klaebo, number one, Maurice

Manificat behind him. Andrew

Musgrave of Great Britain behind

him. Krueger, that really is such a

steep hill. It takes your breath

away to run or walk up it!

away to run or walk up it! The

dissent will be icy.

Holund leading. They are coming

through now.

through now. Coming through to great

applause from the fans, who have

packed out this state-of-the-art

facility. They tested the course

with three Korean national

championships in the big event last

year. 22.5 kilometres.

All the big names are still very

much in contention here. Niskanen,

maybe allowing a few seconds to go?

Ten off the pace. Cannot afford the

gap to go any bigger.

gap to go any bigger. That is

Salvadore, he should be in a

gangster film with a name like that!

Trying to close the gap. It's an

enormous lead group. It contains

Andrew Musgrave, in third place at

the moment. Just towards the

right-hand side of the picture. He

has covered every move. When will

the big break come?

When will the big break,?

It is to microcircuits to go, for in

classical, for in freestyle. Polonia

is after piece of Winter Olympic

history. -- Cologna. If he was

pushing the pace, things have got a

little bit slower which is why so

many men are now right back up

alongside Hans Christer Holund,

including Andrew Musgrave. What a

story it would be. It's still too

early to get excited but do you know

what, he has worked so hard, Andrew

Musgrave, and has transported his

life to Norway. He's immersed

himself in the culture of the nation

who have the best record in

cross-country skiing, and that takes

some bottle to do. He's not going

living on the other side of the

world, he's decided to compete with

and against the best. You have got

to learn from the best. And Britain

is in fourth and fifth place at the

moment, in with a chance of the

Winter Olympic medal in

cross-country skiing, that's

incredible.

We're an hour

incredible.

We're an hour into an

Olympic cross-country skiathlon and

the British contender is this or

fixed.

If you're just waking up, I

apologise if you have heard me say

this before, the best performance by

a British cross-country skier in

history is his 29th place finish in

the sprint in Sochi, that's why

we're getting so excited about the

Britain in fourth place in number

ten, ahead of Alex Harvey, the

Canadian, bidding to become the

first Canadian to win a

cross-country mail muddle. -- mail

medal. A lot of very knowledgeable

cross-country experts feel as though

Klaebo's best chance of the medal is

in the sprint, but he has demolished

world-class fields at skiathlon as

well. Most notably at Lillehammer a

few months ago, well worth looking

at up on YouTube, a phenomenal

importance. Daniel Rickardsson got a

bronze plaque in 2014 in the 15 K.

So he leads, Daniel Rickardsson.

Less than two microcircuits remain.

And Rickardsson is a man for whom

cross-country skiing is almost

therapy. In something like 2013, he

and a friend were changing attire on

his car, and a camper van ran them

both over and the friend he was with

was killed. I think Rickardsson

damaged his cruciate ligament and

it's amazing he had the motivation

to come back. He feels as though

cross-country skiing gives him the

race and an outlet for his grief

over losing his best friend and so

nearly losing his own life. We're

obviously incredibly excited about

Andrew Musgrave, and it's a great

story if he gets on the podium, it's

a great story if Alex Harvey gets on

the podium but there is a brilliant

story to all of these leading man.

Because some of them, like

Rickardsson, have gone through

personal tragedies. It's not simply

the case that if you're from Norway

or Sweden editor Tom the pair of

skis, you're guaranteed to get --

and you put on a pair of skis,

you're guaranteed to get a medal.

They have all been on the hunt for

Winter Olympic history.

It's one of

the toughest sports in the whole

Olympics and now Andrew Musgrave is

in second place!

I can't believe how

well he skiing at the moment. He was

third and sixth in previous events

in the 15 K, which is his best

chance of a medal. And that comes on

Friday. This is a brilliant,

brilliant performance, at the

moment. Oh, my goodness me! You have

got to win the battle of the remote

control if you are just waking up

with the children's channels, forget

about Peter Rabbit! Forget about the

Go Jetties, because you have got

Andrew Musgrave

Andrew Musgrave performing so well,

he is taking it to the Norwegians

with whom he trains, and he studies

for a degree in Norway. Krueger is

leading and if you missed the early

part of the race, he was flat on his

face in the first 200 metres of the

race and somehow managed to crawl

his way into contention and into the

lead. Krueger from Musgrove, Dario

Cologna, the defending champion, in

third. Martin Johnsrud

third. Martin Johnsrud Sundby in

sixth, his beard will be frozen, the

air temperature here is minus 16.

Now they are beginning to work. Now

they realise that the business end

of this most brutal race is upon us.

It's the classic taste of the

allrounder. This can and it's

beginning to struggle, and Jean Marc

Gaillard has been blown out of the

back. -- Niskanen beginning to

struggle. Half the race in freestyle

and half in classical. Look at

Andrew Musgrave. Oh, my goodness me!

What an effort and what a

performance so far. He's just got to

keep it going. Even if he doesn't

end up on the podium, what

confidence this will give him for

his best event, the 15 K. That's why

the director is focusing in on these

shots, we don't have control of

which pictures we are shown by the

director, but they're very good at

following the story and globally,

Andrew Musgrave is the story at the

moment and that's why we're getting

a close-up. They Britain ever inside

the top 25 of any -- no Britain has

ever been inside the top 25 of any

Winter Olympic cross-country skiing

game and he is flying at the moment.

One circuit remains. We're excited

about Andrew Musgrave. And we should

be. But what a story it would be for

cement house that Krueger -- recruit

Simen Hegstad Krueger to rise from

the ground in joint last place and

win the title. This is a bold move

and I'm imagining that one of the

reasons he's decided to do this is

because he knows that the likes of

his compatriots Martin Johnsrud

Sundby and Klaebo, the World Cup

leader, too fast for him, closing

stages. This is absolutely superb

from Andrew Musgrave. Just under

four kilometres away from something

that 15 years ago, we couldn't have

even dreamt of. In British sport.

Krueger has set his stall out early,

it's up to Klaebo and Andrew

Musgrave and the rest of the

world-class field who are chasing

down this brave Norwegian to deny

him what would be a fantastic goal

but all. Andrew Musgrave leading the

charge, now 14 seconds. Spitsov is

right up there, in third in the

maroon outfit. He was also on the

ground in that tumble with Krueger.

Right at the beginning of the race.

Musgrave doing all the hard work.

Silver medal position, I am just

enjoying saying that! Come on,

Andrew! Krueger clearly feels as

though going hard with for climate

is to go is his best chance of

getting on the podium and winning.

-- four kilometres to go. When will

we see a move from Johannes Hoesflot

Klaebo, the World Cup leader who has

dominated the circuit over the last

four or five months?

four or five months? Andrew Musgrave

in second. Let's not forget about

Alex Harvey, the Canadian is chasing

their nation's first male

cross-country skiing medal. History

on the line all across the first

seven or eight men. And the gap is

growing. 20 seconds. Andrew Musgrave

needs to keep driving and believing.

What a break this is from Krueger.

If you are new cross-country skiing

and more used long-distance running,

that's the same kind of thing. The

Britain needs to hold on, Maurice

Manificat now in second. Dario

Cologna in third, Spitsov, and now a

few metres open up between Andrew

Musgrave and the men who are

currently not battling for three

medals, but two.

medals, but two. Because Krueger is

off the front and going for this.

Surely at some stage, bearing in

mind all that he has been through,

the wheels. Coming off

metaphorically. He has got to tire.

There are a couple of brutal climbs

to come between now and the finish.

But the longer the lead goes on, and

the more it increases, the more

softly few have. The Norwegians are

one of -- self belief he will have.

The Norwegians are one of the best

supported teams, he will know that

the lead has grown to 22 seconds.

Andrew Musgrave now drifting back to

seventh or eighth, needs to find

something in the closing stages. Now

it's 23 seconds. What a brave

performance from this man. Bearing

in mind he was flat on his face in

last place in the opening lap.

15

seconds into it, on his face, gets

up and pushes through. Phenomenal

from him and Musgrave.

He is in

eighth place at the moment,

Musgrave. Still a sensational

performance if he finishes in the

top ten. Just allowing a little bit

of a gap to open up. No one can

question his commitment to the

sport. And to this race in

particular. His best chance, to

remind you, will come in the 15 K.

He's not out of this yet. But

Krueger now, little over a mile away

from a slice of British history --

Olympic history. Mo Farah got off

the deck to win the 10,000 metres

last

last day, and Simen Hegstad Krueger

has got off the floor and somehow

clawed back into the lead. At one

stage, Krueger was something like 37

seconds off the pace of the leaders.

Andrew Musgrave has gone past

Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo. He is the

World Cup leader.

World Cup leader. Simen Hegstad

Krueger, leading. We have just got

to watch and see whether that lead

begins to be eroded. I think they're

closing a little bit. At one stage,

this is Sundby with the rock-solid

golden beard, he has close the gap

from 22 seconds to 14. Andrew

Musgrave has got to hang on. He has

Dario Cologna just in front of him.

I think Klaebo may have run his

race, he is now 32 seconds adrift.

The man that deal Norwegians are

getting excited about might well

produce a gold medal but it's not

going to come in this skiathlon

unless he does something ridiculous

in the last kilometre.

in the last kilometre. Sundby can

see his compatriot up ahead of him

and he has got Hans Kristian

Holland, it could be Norwegian one,

two, three. Because also, Denis

Spitsov, the Olympic Athlete from

Russia, also fell at the beginning.

The Norwegians are closing down on

Krueger and they have a monstrous

climb still to content between now

and the finish.

Here it is... He is seriously

hurting now. His lead has been

halved from 22 seconds down to 11.

Sundby in second place... He has

Holund just behind him. Norway,

occupying all three medal positions

at the moment. Their lungs will be

absolutely bursting. The Frenchman

Maurice Manificat coming into the

mix with four. Spitsov in fifth.

Alex Harvey insects, with Andrew

Musgrave around about seventh place

at the moment. Ahead of the

defending champion, Cologna.

Sensational from Andrew Musgrave.

Phenomenal so far. What can they do

in the closing stages? Is it to be

glory for son and heartache for

Krueger? -- for Sundby? Now, he can

soak up the applause. What a

performance! Surely they've left it

too late here?

too late here? An absolutely

incredible piece of cross-country

skiing from all three of these men.

Krueger, having fallen right at the

start of the race is going to finish

the day in a blaze of glory. An

absolutely incredible recovery

against one of the best skiathlon

fields ever assembled. Krueger is

the Winter Olympic champion. He was

down at the start but he wasn't out.

He didn't give up. The very epitome

of what the Winter Olympics is all

about. It is a one, two, three for

the Norwegians. Holland coming home

for the bronze. We are still waiting

for Andrew Musgrave. A sensational

effort from the Britain. Cologna

just ahead. Andrew Musgrave in

seventh, in 29th was the best

position previously for a British

cross-country skier. He says we

Brits can be world class as well.

What a race and what a finish from

Musgrave. The World Cup leader,

Klaebo, could only finish in tenth.

What a race and what a day, if

that's the first time you've ever

watched cross-country skiing, this

is how good the sport can be!

Williams racing.

Williams racing.

What a race from

Andrew Musgrave and from Krueger.

He's never been on the podium

before. Now an Olympic gold

medallist.

My goodness.

medallist.

My goodness. Niskanen,

the early leader in that race,

pushing the pace. That fellow,

Sundby, in second. Krueger was down,

flat on his face and contemplating

you suspect, for a split second not

getting to the finish. A reminder,

Andrew Musgrave of Great Britain has

finished in seventh, in this, one of

the most brutal tests of

cross-country skiing. He has beaten,

among others, the World Cup leader

Klaebo. Marcus Hellman, the 2010

skiathlon champion. Daniel

Rickardsson, the bronze medallist

from four years ago. Phenomenal

performance from the man whose

career began at Huntly. Let's take

nothing away from Krueger. He fell

right at the start of the race. Over

half a minute behind the leaders. At

one point. Then he found the

motivation and the drive, and the

belief, to come back into the race

and sweep past them all on the

freestyle, not his favourite

technique. His best discipline is

the classical. He lost the

opportunity to impose himself on the

race in the first 15 kilometres. But

how brave was that? With four

limiters to go. Sundby congratulates

his compatriot. These guys are

metaphorical rock stars in Norway.

Krueger may not have generated as

much publicity in the lead up to

this as his younger compatriot. But

he will be the toast of his nation

tonight. That is for sure. What a

performance. I think it may even top

Mo Farah climbing off the floor to

win the 10,000 metres in London. He

was so far adrift, for such a long

time. He could easily have given up.

The one, two, three, to Norway. An

incredible race for the man just

crowned the Winter Olympic champion.

What an amazing performance from

Great Britain's Andrew Musgrave,

finishing in seventh. Cross-country

at its finest here in South Korea.

Incredible, for Krueger to win that.

What a race from Andrew Musgrave,

the best place finished ever by a

British cross-country skier was 20

night, that was him in 2014, Sochi.

He will be delighted with what he

has done today. You may notice that

we've made a move from our balcony

on one side of the building to this

on the other side of the building.

We have some special guests joining

us later on. You see in the

backdrop, the ski jump dominating

the skyline here. Right behind that

was the cross-country. That's where

Andrew Musgrave put that phenomenal

race down. But we are going to have

a look at the headlines on day two,

as we head into the late afternoon

here in Pyeongchang. Here's what has

happened so far... American teenager

read Gerard upset the form book to

get the gold ahead of Max Parrot and

Mark McMorris. Another big winner on

day two so far has unfortunately

been the Pyeongchang weather. High

winds meaning the women's slopestyle

qualification cannot take place

today. All the men's Alpine skiing

race. Another event unaffected by

the weather, the figure skating team

event started before even the

Opening Ceremony had taken place. It

involves the men's and women's pairs

and an ice dance element. Today was

the pairs. Let's go to the

Gangneung, Ice Arena and see the

best of the pair 's action with

Robin Cousins and Katherine Downes.

COMMENTATOR: Looking to retake that

top spot. These are some big

Canadian chances for a gold medal.

Perhaps even in the individual. If