Even after almost three kilometers, Ebba Andersson went on a pole break and the Swedish leaders had a hard time finding a new one.
- My rod is kicked off in a curve and after that it took time before I got a new one.
I lost many valuable seconds and lost the lead group.
The good feeling I had blew away in the critical event, she says after the race.
In the TV pictures you could see Ebba Andersson riding with only a whole pole and waving for a new one.
A Swedish leader then stood waving a new staff, but on the wrong side from the Swede.
"Do not pay attention to my signals"
Andersson rode for three or four minutes with a pole and from the side she was heard shouting "pole, pole".
When she then got another pole, the next time trial, at 5 kilometers, showed that she had lost 22 seconds in the lead.
- It was very frustrating.
I tried to signal that I needed a wand but it took a little too long before it reached me.
I feel that my chances of doing a good race disappear there, she says.
- It's probably about the fact that you may not have been really attentive to all my signals, so we'll talk about it afterwards.
There were pretty clear signals anyway?
- Yes, I think so too, but we are all just people, now I want to forget this and move on.
Andersson finished in ninth place in the race, one minute and 13 seconds behind the victorious Johaug.