I was trying to save everything for the last two kilometres. From the day I had on Thursday, I knew that I could sprint well and close well. I was able to come back on the flat section, and I just held on in the downhill sections of the last two kilometres,” Harvey said.
Alex Harvey celebrates on snow and on the podium in Falun, Sweden. Nordic Focus Photo.
By Justin Brisbane, Rocky Mountain Outlook, February 28, 2015
Alex Harvey loves Falun.
The Canadian cross-country ski phenom, dubbed the prince of Quebec, became the first Canadian male in history to win two medals at world championships, grabbing silver in the classic sprint and bronze in the 30-kilometre skiathlon in the Swedish ski mecca. Harvey has now won five medals in Falun since 2012.
“It’s a great day for me. Hard to believe,” he said on Sunday (Feb. 22). “The skis were fantastic. I had really good training over the summer and I think the wax team are doing such a good job, it’s hard for me not to be on the podium these days.”
In a sprint on Thursday (Feb. 19), Harvey had to ski smart as the course began with an immediate steep uphill – not his forte. In the final, he bided his time at the back of the pack before relying on his excellent skis to climb through the pack and challenge leader Petter Northug of Norway. It came down to a sprint finish, but Northug managed to hold on for gold.
In the skiathlon, which combines 15 km of classic technique with 15 km of skating, Harvey tried to stay at the front of the pack through much of the race and then sprint to the finish.
“I was trying to save everything for the last two kilometres. From the day I had on Thursday, I knew that I could sprint well and close well. I was able to come back on the flat section, and I just held on in the downhill sections of the last two kilometres,” Harvey said.
