There were strong winds at the cross-country stadium in Zhangjiakou on Saturday, forcing the action. The temperature is minus 16, but due to strong winds, the effective chill is well below minus 20. The reported wind speed is around 10 seconds.

– There is only danger of frost damage here. It was the right decision, cross-country manager Espen Bjervig told TV Norway.

Four laps 7.1km

The NTB photographer at the location reported strong wind gusts that swept away the snow. The trail is also highly exposed to the wind. Femmila will take a new route that is very windy, so this loop has now been changed to four rounds of 7.1 kilometers long. This means that the distance will be 28.4 kilometers.

– We just have to believe that this is the right decision. That they put runners’ health first, said Martin Johnsrud Sundby, who was a Norwegian TV cross-country expert during the Olympics.

His club mate at Røa, Andrew Musgrave, who voted for Great Britain, thought the change was a joke. He reports on twitter that no Saturday is worse than any other.

Prefer to procrastinate

Russia’s national team coach Marcus Kramer disagrees with the decision and prefers to postpone training until Sunday. But he agrees that the weather conditions are demanding.

– We have not had contact with the jury about this decision, he told Norwegian TV.

This is the first time in Olympic history that the five miles have changed. This has been the program of the Olympics since the first Winter Olympics in 1924.

Norway had four people at the start: Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, Simen Hegstad Krüger, Sjur Røthe and Hans Christer Holund.

– I think it will be very difficult to leave in this wind. This may be an advantage for Klæbo, says Tor Anders Hetland.

This means that runners have only walked 50 kilometers this season. It will take place in Holmenkollen on Sunday 6 March.

[ Her er resten av OL-programmet, inkludert endringene ]

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FACT

Norway’s gold streak at this Olympics happened like this, in chronological order:

1. Saturday 5th February: Therese Johaug: 15km cross-country ski with ski change.

2. Saturday 5 February: Marte Olsbu Røiseland, Tiril Eckhoff, Tarjei B, Johannes Thingnes Bø: biathlon mixed relay.

3. Tuesday 8 February: Johannes Høsflot Klæbo: cross country sprint.

4. Wednesday 9 February: Birk Ruud: Big Air freestyle.

5. Thursday 10 February: Therese Johaug: classic 10km cross country interval start.

Friday 11 February: Marte Olsbu Røiseland: 7.5km sprint biathlon.

7. Saturday 12 February: Johannes Thingnes Bø: 10km sprint biathlon.

8. Saturday 12 February: Marius Lindvik: big hill jump.

9. Sunday 13 February: Marte Olsbu Røiseland: the biathlon hunt begins.

10. Tuesday 15 February: Sturla Holm Lægreid, Tarjei B, Johannes Thingnes B, Vetle Sjåstad Christiansen: 4×7.5km biathlon relay.

11. Tuesday 15 February: Hallgeir Engebråten, Peder Kongshaug, Sverre Lunde Pedersen: ice skating team tempo.

12.Tuesday 15th February: Jørgen Graabak: a combination of the big hills one by one.

13. Wednesday 16 February: Erik Valnes, Johannes Høsflot Klæbo: the classic cross-country team sprint.

14. Thursday 17 February: Espen Bjørnstad, Espen Andersen, Jens Lurås Oftebro, Jørgen Graabak: combined team competition.

Friday, February 18: Johannes Thingnes Bø: start with biathlon.