Daniel Richardsson

January Olof Daniel Richardsson ( born March 15, 1982 in Hudiksvall, Gävleborg County ) is a Swedish cross-country skier.

Richardsson, whose strengths lie in the classical technique was first used sporadically in the World Cup, and reached no results in the top ten. It was not until the 2008/09 season, he established himself in the Swedish national team and ran as a starter for the season twice a World Cup podium. One winter it won Richardsson in the Tour de Ski 2010 for the first time a World Cup race over ten kilometers. At the Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver in 2010, he represented his country again as a relay runners start and so contributed its part to the fact that Sweden was the first Olympic champion again in this discipline since 1988.

Career

Richardsson grew up in northern Sweden Iggesund and was first used on 19 - year in December 2001 in FIS races. In his first two starts in each pure Swedish participants fields, he finished with a clear behind the winner Per Elofsson only ranks in the rear half of the standings. However, he was shortly thereafter for the first time, used in Schonach at a major international event, the World Junior Championship in 2002. Both the Sprint and in the mass start, he was one with a 33 and a 28 rank for better half of the grid. The following year, he continued to take part in lower class events; single top-ten result was a fifth place in the Continental Cup, which he reached in January 2003. At his first World Cup competition he arrived two months later: In the Falun host Sweden were allowed to nominate several seasons; Richardsson came together to, among others, with the later Olympic Champion Bjorn Lind for his historic home province of Hälsingland, but occupied knocked off the 14th and so fourth last rank.

The first single start Richardssons in the highest competition series is dated February 2004. Doing so, he again benefited from the fact that the Swedes in Umeå were allowed to appoint a national group, but did not have a 65th rank out. Similarly ran the following seasons: While the Hudiksvaller increased in the second-class race series and frequently reached the top ten, he was at best employed in the World Cup sporadically and only in races in Sweden. In these few starts Richardsson once managed a result in the top 30; the 90 km long Vasa Race in March 2006, he finished in 13th place. The Vasaloppet was 2006, however, the only time for the World Cup, also lacked almost all the world leaders so that the placement was not representative. During this time, the Swede finished his studies in Umeå and was PE teacher. This he could not concentrate on the cross-country and was used during competitions in his own words " not always so fresh ." In retrospect, he said he had no other choice because he did not belong to the national squad and have therefore received no funding from Sport ago.

In the second staging of the Tour de Ski in the winter of 2007/ 08 Richardssson received the opportunity to participate in the short term. His younger teammate Emil Jönsson, who scored in the sprint at the best Sweden, fell due to an allergic reaction of the nose and airways, as well as Johan Olsson. Was re-nominated Richardsson, which reached a 25 rank as the best stage result and finished third in the overall standings the 47th position, with almost 13 minutes behind the winner Czech Lukas Bauer. In the same season followed by further World Cup bets, where he was able to convince the team sprint in Liberec in particular, when he finished fifth in collaboration with Emil Jönsson. At the beginning of the winter 2008/ 09 Richardsson was an integral part of the Swedish national team and has been used in the first two seasons of winter each as first runner on the classic route. Both times had to Sweden in second place the Norwegians narrowly beaten in the final sprint. In single race now get the Hudiksvaller good results - with a handicap start during the Tour de Ski, he reached tenth place, overall he was in the overall standings 23

After Richardsson had occupied an eleventh place in the final competition before the Nordic World Ski Championships 2009, he was employed at the World Cup in three competitions. In the two individual races over distances of 15 and 50 kilometers, he placed each in the top 30; as a starter for the Swedish squadron he lost on his lap but already more than a minute on the best nations. This residue could not shorten his teammates, so the bronze medal winner at the end of 2007 occupied the sixth place. Richardsson justified his slump with the fact that he felt tired at once and the others were then run away. After the World Cup Richardsson achieved his best World Cup result so far, an eighth place in the mass start about 50 km in Trondheim. At the beginning of the season 2009/10 the number of World Cup appearances Richardssons took off again; before the Tour de Ski 2010 he played there only three races. In the stage race in early January 2010, the Swede first completed proper competitions where he but each missed the Top Ten. When ten-kilometer individual race in classic technique on January 7, 2010 in Toblach, he won then surprisingly for the first time in a World Cup race - also the first time that he ever reached the podium. Richardsson had opened the race quickly and had been second best at each split. Finally, the last kilometers, he also overtook Lukas Bauer and took his brief two seconds. At the same time, he improved his fifth starting position in the overall standings. Although he could not keep up in the final stage of a long time with the running for third group, he lost on the climb to Alpe Cermis some time and was the overall result of eight.

The success in the Tour de Ski, which was celebrated in the Swedish media as a "historic victory", also increased Richardssons popularity. The Swede, who at first could earn through sport no money was given financial support by the club and by sponsors. Next goal he gave at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver; there he was hoping for a place in the relay and "revenge" for the poor World Cup relay race. After two individual races at Whistler Olympic Park, where Richardsson 22 and 23 was, he received on February 24, actually a position in the season - again the start of the runner. This time he held on his lap with the best athletes and joined as a third party on his teammates, who eventually won the gold medal by a clear margin.

At the Olympic Games 2014 in Sochi Richardsson initially won the bronze medal over 15 km in the classical style whole 0.2 seconds ahead of Finn Niskanen. In addition, together with the Swedish season he managed to defend the title over 4 times 10 km.