Heidi Weng sends a message to rival Jessica Diggins after Granåsen podium: “We’ll get her at the Olympics”

Heidi Weng, 34, delivered another strong performance in Saturday’s World Cup race at Granåsen, finishing second behind American star Jessica Diggins. The event was the season’s only mass start with a ski change, mirroring the skiathlon format that will be used at the Milano–Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.

On the final climb before the finishing straight, Diggins made the decisive move and opened a small gap that no one could close. She won ahead of Weng, with Sweden’s Ebba Andersson taking third. The result extends Weng’s streak of podium finishes to every individual World Cup start this season.

Asked about Diggins’ prospects at the Olympics, Weng smiled and told Norwegian broadcaster NRK: “Yes, she’ll race everything, but we’ll get her at the Olympics. She’s hard to beat, but I think it will be fine.”

Norway placed several athletes in the top ten: Astrid Øyre Slind was sixth, Kristin Austgulen Fosnæs seventh, and Karoline Simpson-Larsen tenth. NRK expert Pål Golberg speculated on Norway’s Olympic relay lineup, noting Øyre Slind and Fosnæs as classic leg options, Simpson-Larsen as a possible third leg, and Weng as a potential anchor.

Sunday’s program features a 10 km freestyle, another distance that will be contested at the Winter Games in February. Earlier on Saturday, Emil Iversen impressed in the men’s race, putting himself back into the conversation for an Olympic berth.