Niskanen had a hard time keeping his tears away and it was still a joy.
After 6.3 km, the Finn led by eleven seconds and had Johaug's times to go.
But it still did not work.
- If you really want to sprinkle salt in the wounds, I had the victory within reach.
The difference was very small in the end.
I was at best 10-20 seconds before, but the end did not go so well.
Therese was able to put another gear in the last uphill.
I did not hear that it was really that even, but I tried everything I could in the end, says Niskanen.
First championship medal
Niskanen broke through with eighth place in the WC in Oslo 2011. Since then, she has been four times four in a major championship - but never managed to take an individual medal.
Until now.
- The medal has an enormous significance for me.
I may sometimes have had a little bad luck when it came in fourth place, says Niskanen in the TV interview.
If Niskanen had a pole out when it comes to gold, the Finnish teammate Krista Pärmäkoski would have the margins with her.
She was one tenth ahead of Natalia Neprajaeva, who came from behind, in the battle for the bronze.
- I knew that Neprajaeva was sometimes ahead, sometimes behind, and she comes hard in the end.
I hoped and asked that the tithes would be on my side this time, says Pärmäkoski.