This Time, Daehlie Has to Settle for Being Second Best Norwegian

HAKUBA, Japan — No man has won more at the Winter Olympics than Bjorn Daehlie, which makes losing that much harder.

Especially this loss, this way--so close to yet another gold medal.

Daehlie and fellow Norwegian Thomas Alsgaard skied stride for stride for the final two-thirds of their 15-kilometer freestyle pursuit Saturday, just as they have so many times in so many races.

This time, Daehlie, the man who usually wins, lost, as Alsgaard overtook him in the final 100 meters.

Alsgaard finished in 39 minutes 37.7 seconds, giving him a total time of 1 hour 7 minutes 1.7 seconds. Daehlie’s total was 1:07:02.8--barely a second behind.

“I earned this gold medal,” Alsgaard said. “Bjorn is a great skier and he will dominate cross country so long as he continues to ski. But, after that, I see a chance for me.”

The close defeat prevented Daehlie from becoming the first winter Olympian to win seven gold medals.

Daehlie still became the winningest man in Winter Olympics history, with six golds and four silvers. That total ties him with Raisa Smetanina of the former Soviet Union for most winter medals.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

MEDALISTS

Cross-Country Skiing

MEN’S 15-K PURSUIT

Gold: Thomas Alsgaard, Norway

Silver: Bjorn Daehlie, Norway

Vladimir Smirnov, Kazakhstan