Going Cross-Country for "The Miracle in Minneapolis"
A shocking underdog story in cross-country skiing happened last weekend
It’s rare that Team USA ever finds itself in the role of the underdog. It’s even more rare that Team USA is doubted on home turf.
But cross-country skiing?
That’s not really America’s game.
At least—it usually isn’t. Before this year, only two American males had ever won a World Cup-level race. The sport’s calendar typically skips the States entirely, partially because the lack of interest and partially because of the lack of competitors: it had been 41 years since an American won a single distance World Cup event.
And then came last weekend, and the shocking upset that the International Ski and Snowboard Federation has already dubbed, “The Miracle in Minneapolis.”
On Sunday, the best cross-country skiers in the world raced through Theodore Wirth Park in Minneapolis for the Stifel Loppet Cup. Featuring both male and female races, it was the first time a World Cup event had been held Stateside in 23 years. As one local writer, Steve Marsh, described, “Cross-country skiing is a sport where …the only way to watch is to get up at four in the morning and pay some Latvian guy $2 for a bootleg Eurosport stream. But this weekend, here we all were in person, finally…on the prestigious European circuit, with prize money paid out in Swiss francs and everything.”
Some 15,000 fans waved American flags and rang cowbells, and surely, they didn’t expect an American win. Even making it to the podium seemed like a longshot. Many of the greatest cross-country skiers ever were entered into the race, nearly all of them Norwegian. Like many races these days, it could have been a Norwegian sweep.
Then a funny thing happened. 23-year-old Gus Schumacher, who was born just four hours away from Minneapolis, got off to a blazing start. He’s a newcomer to the World Cup circuit and had never reached the podium before. The further he skied, the more fans started to glance at the clock. The kid was ahead—and his lead kept growing.
“I felt really good,” Schumacher said, “and the cheering just got louder and louder.” As he closed in on the fastest time of the day, the crowd started chanting, “U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!” That chant was followed by another: “GUS! GUS! GUS!”
“I couldn’t feel my body,” Schumacher said. “I knew I was going fast… but I didn’t know I was going to win.”
He crossed the finish line more than four seconds ahead of the second-place finisher.
Norwegian star Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, who at only 27 has already won the overall World Cup championship four times, approached Schumacher to give him a big hug after the race. “Here in the U.S.? How can this be better?” Klaebo said. “I mean, it’s huge!”
A host from NBC pulled Schumacher aside for an interview. Schumacher, stunned, stammered, “It’s hard to believe.” Later, he had gathered his thoughts enough to talk to another reporter, “To have this happen today, I couldn't even imagine. I always try to do my best, but usually my best is not the podium.”
Schumacher made the rounds, getting high fives and hugs. The fans kept cheering, waving their flags, and ringing cowbells. Finally, Schumacher addressed the crowd, mic in hand, when his voice cracked. He started to cry, and then he smiled. “This is the best day of my life!”
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