Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo won the men's 20km skiathlon at the FIS Cross-Country World Cup in Falun, Sweden, on March 1, 2026, extending his winning streak to 12 races. Teammates Harald Oestberg Amundsen and Martin Loewstroem Nyenget finished second and third, respectively, in a Norwegian podium clean sweep. The victory came a week after Klaebo's Olympic gold medal haul in Milano Cortina.
The race, held under fresh snow and temperatures just above freezing, combined 10km classic and 10km freestyle legs on a challenging course featuring the notorious Mördarbacken climb. Klaebo completed the distance in 48:41.8, finishing 0.7 seconds ahead of Amundsen and 0.8 seconds ahead of Nyenget, who led much of the pace.
A lead group of six, including four Norwegians—Klaebo, Nyenget, Amundsen, and Andreas Fjorden Ree—along with Finland's Arsi Ruuskanen and neutral athlete Savelii Korostelev, broke away early during the classic section after bonus points at 5.4km. By the ski exchange at 10km, they held an 18-second lead over the chase pack. In the freestyle leg, Ruuskanen and Korostelev faded, finishing sixth and fourth, respectively, while Ree took fifth.
"This was a tough one," Klaebo said on the FIS broadcast. "I think Martin was very strong today. I think he was in the front almost for 20k." He added, "To be honest, I don’t think I have a goal anymore for this season. The main goal is completed, and now I’m just going to enjoy the last races."
American Gus Schumacher placed seventh at 49:38.6, 56.8 seconds back, noting challenges with kick wax on zero skis during the classic leg. Canada's Antoine Cyr finished 10th in a controlled effort. France's Théo Schely achieved his second World Cup top-10 with eighth place, 57 seconds behind the winner.
The win bolstered Klaebo's leads in the overall and distance standings, with seven races left before the season finale in Lake Placid. Falun, set to host the 2027 World Championships, tested positioning and endurance on its gradual terrain and steep ascents.
