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Debate the propriety of slopestyle as you will: there’s NO doubt who the real athletes in the Winter Olympics are.
It’s the cross country skiers.
I’ve skied the Vasaloppet and a number of smaller races here in Minnesota. I saw this Harry How picture from Sochi and knew exactly what these women felt like when I saw them laying in the snow after the finish line. There is nothing more exhausting than an all-out skate ski sprint.
Norway’s Marit Bjørgen won, by 1.08 seconds, after falling to 26th place at one point, then clawing her way back into the lead in the last kilometer of the race. She beat the Olympic 10k freestyle champ to win.
There’s no arm waving or fist pumping or anything in this picture. You know those women had nothing left when they crossed that line.
Tim Nelson 