Vik Proves He Can Handle a Slow, Wet Track

HAKUBA, Japan — Bjarte Vik started with a big lead and didn’t give it up in winning the Nordic combined gold medal, giving Norway its second cross-country ski champion of the day.

Vik had a 36-second head start Saturday because he had the best effort in the 90-meter ski jump, the first half of the combined event.

Earlier in the day, Norway’s Thomas Alsgaard used a strong burst in the closing 100 meters to beat teammate Bjorn Daehlie in the 15-kilometer pursuit.

But while those were within a ski length of each other through the final 10 kilometers, Vik skied virtually alone through a steady rain.

He appeared to have few problems in the slushy snow, crossing the finish line in 41 minutes, 21.1 seconds. Finland’s Samppa Lajunen finished 25.7 seconds later to win the silver, just ahead of Russia’s Valery Stoliarov.

Kenji Ogiwara of Japan, considered one of the favorites, finished fourth.

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MEDALISTS

Nordic Combined

MEN

Gold: Bjarte Vik, Norway

Silver: Samppa Lajunen, Finland

Bronze: Valery Stollarov, Russia