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SB Nation Winter Olympics Cross-Country

Cross-Country Sprint Day: Norway Takes Men's Gold, Germany Claims Women's

WHISTLER, BC - FEBRUARY 22: Petter Northug of Norway competes during the cross country skiing men's team sprint final on day 11 of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics at Whistler Olympic Park Cross-Country Stadium on February 22, 2010 in Whistler, Canada. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

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Cross-Country Sprint Day: Norway Takes Men's Gold, Germany Claims Women's

The second Monday of the Winter Olympics was cross-country team sprint day at Whistler Olympic Park. In this event, pairs of skiers alternate laps over a short course, with each competitor going around three times. 

Norway's Oeystein Pettersen and Petter Northug combined to win the men's race with a time of 19 minutes, 1 second. The win gave Northug his first Olympic gold.

He most certainly earned it, as Pettersen, who replaced the ill Ola Vigen Hattestad, struggled during his laps. 

Germany finished second, as Northug passed Axel Teichmann at the race's conclusion, while Russia claimed the bronze.

The Germans were more successful in the women's race, as the pair of Evi Sachenbacher-Stehle and Claudia Nystad claimed gold over second-place Sweden and bronze medalist Russia.

Nystad overtook Sweden's Anna Haag in the homestretch to win in 18 minutes, 3.7 seconds. 

More: SB Nation’s full coverage of the Winter Olympics and the 2010 Winter Olympics Medal Count Tracker.

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