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Germany romped home to gold in the Nordic combined large hill event at the 2018 Winter Olympics, winning by almost a minute in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
Vinzenz Geiger, Fabian Riessle, Eric Frenzel and Johannes Rydzek set a time of 46 minutes, 9.8 seconds, ahead of Norway at the Alpensia Cross-Country Centre.
Austria took bronze, having started the cross-country section of the race first.
Here are the podium times:
Germany (Vinzenz Geiger, Fabian Riessle, Eric Frenzel, Johannes Rydzek)—46:09.8
Norway (Jan Schmid, Espen Andersen, Jarl Magnus Riiber, Jorgen Graabak)—47:02.5
Austria (Wilhelm Denifl, Lukas Klapfer, Bernhard Gruber, Mario Seidl)—47:17.6
Here is the live medal table:
Austria topped the ski jump portion of the race with a total score of 469.5, with Germany close behind as they set a score of 464.7.
Germany's Johannes Rydzek produced the best individual jump of the round, scoring 129.3 points after jumping the second-farthest distance of 138 metres.
The results gave Austria a six-second head-start on Germany, while third-placed Japan were 19 seconds back, per FIS Nordic Combined:
Germany were ahead of Austria by 12.1 seconds at the first changeover, though, and they had also been caught by Norway.
Riessle powered ahead in the second leg, extending the lead to 42.1 seconds, but there was little to separate the chasing pack of Austria, Norway and Japan.
Indeed, it quickly became apparent the Germans had gold all but sewn up, and it would come down to a battle for silver.
Japan's Go Yamamoto fell behind in the third leg, leaving Austria and Norway in a straight fight for second place.
The latter were able to secure it thanks to Graabak's surge midway through the final leg, which left Seidl behind.
Germany's win continued their dominance of the Nordic combined events in Pyeongchang, having secured gold in all three men's events.
Germany locked out the podium as Johannes Rydzek claimed gold in the large hill nordic combined after a fantastic sprint finish at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, on Tuesday.
Fabian Riessle took silver as he finished the 10-kilometre cross-country just 0.4 seconds behind Rydzek, while normal-hill gold-medallist Eric Frenzel claimed bronze.
Japan's Akito Watabe and 20-year-old Norwegian Jarl Magnus Riiber claimed first and second spot, respectively, in the ski jumping round, so they started ahead of the pack for the cross-country.
But, after being caught by the German trio at the halfway stage, the leading duo could not keep up the pace in the closing stages, and Riiber eventually finished fourth ahead of fifth-placed Watabe.
The full result can be found here. See the latest medal table below:
BBC Sport provided the standings after the ski jumping action of the nordic combined competition on Tuesday:
Watabe and Riiber had a decent head start on the rest of the pack in the cross-country, but it was always likely the trio of German competitors would be in the mix come the latter stages, and so it proved.
A group of seven came together at the front of the race when the gap to the two leaders closed around the 15-minute mark.
Finland's Eero Hirvonen and Austria's Wilhelm Denifl were also in the mix at that stage but could not stay in contention to the end.
As the finish line approached it was the three Germans, Riiber and Watabe who were the only ones left in the race for a medal.
The Japanese made a tiny mistake to fall to the back of the pack and Riiber simply couldn't hold the pace to leave it to Rydzek, Riessle and Frenzel to fight for the medals.
A huge burst from Rydzek gave him the advantage in the closing straight, and he had the strength to hold off his compatriots and claim gold.
Germany's Eric Frenzel won gold in the Nordic combined normal hill event on Wednesday at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, while Akito Watabe of Japan took silver.
The pair closed out the top two just as they did at Sochi in 2014, with Frenzel's winning time coming in at 24 minutes, 51.4 seconds and Watabe 4.8 seconds behind.
Austrian athlete Lukas Klapfer rounded out the podium places with a bronze medal.
The trio earned congratulations from the Olympics' official Twitter account:
Franz-Josef Rehrl topped the ski jumping round with 130.6 points, having achieved a distance of 112 metres.
As a result, he started the cross-country section with a 15-second lead over Jarl Magnus Riiber, but that advantage was quickly eaten up by the Norwegian.
Rehrl was fifth by the halfway point, but he ultimately finished 13th.
Unlike in Sochi, Watabe out-jumped Frenzel this time around to secure an eight-second head-start on his rival, but it was not enough for him to take the victory.
After 5 kilometres, Watabe, Frenzel and Klapfer comprised the leading pack along with Riiber, and the quartet—who finished in the top five behind Rehrl in the ski jump—stayed close together until the final kilometre of the race.
Frenzel and Watabe pulled away from their rivals, with a late push from the former in the final uphill section proving decisive.
Norway's dominance in Nordic combined continued Thursday as they overcame a 25-second deficit to claim gold in the men's large hill 4x5-kilometer team relay at Mountain Cluster in Sochi.
In a photo finish, Norway's Joergen Graabak beat Germany's Fabian Riessle to the finish line by 0.3 seconds.
Defending Olympic gold medalists Austria, who finished 3.4 seconds back, settled for bronze.
| Finish (Medal) | Team | Ski Jump | CC Race | Time/Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (Gold) | Norway | 462.8 (+0:25) | 46:48.5 | 47:13.5 |
| 2 (Silver) | Germany | 481.7 | 47:13.8 | +0.3 |
| 3 (Bronze) | Austria | 476.3 (+0:07) | 47:09.9 | +3.4 |
| 4 | France | 455.2 (+0:35) | 47:51.3 | +1:12.8 |
| 5 | Japan | 433.3 (+1:05) | 47:25.6 | +1:17.1 |
| 6 | USA | 397.6 (+1:52) | 47:43.1 | +2:21.6 |
| 7 | Czech Republic | 440.0 (+0:56) | 48:40.1 | +2:22.6 |
| 8 | Italy | 383.9 (+2:10) | 47:54.7 | +2:51.2 |
| 9 | Russia | 426.2 (+1:14) | 51:35.8 | +5:36.3 |
Trailing by nearly two minutes heading into the cross-country relay, Team USA finished sixth, two minutes, 21.6 seconds back of Norway.
The result is disappointing for the Americans, who were confident coming into the event based on veteran Bill Demong's assessment, per The New York Times' Ken Belson: "I think our team has been jumping well on the larger hills recently. There’s definitely five or six teams who have medal potential, and we’re definitely on that short list."
The host Russians were even less fortunate, finishing ninth—more than five and a half minutes after the gold medalists crossed the finish line.
Norway's win was highlighted by Graabak's sprint to the finish on the final 100 meters, but his effort wouldn't have been possible if not for Magnus Krog's performance on Norway's first leg.
Krog, a cross-country ski specialist who won bronze in the 10-kilometer normal hill in Sochi, erased Germany's 25-second lead, giving the Norwegians a shot at the gold.
Germany's big lead came courtesy of a strong performance in the ski jumping stage, in which they posted a combined score of 481.7. Austria weren't far behind with 476.3, but Norway were much further back in third after scoring 462.8.
Norway completed the cross-country race in a total time of 46 minutes, 48.5 seconds. It was 25.3 seconds faster than Germany and 21.4 seconds faster than Austria, who saw their chances dwindle when veteran Mario Stecher faded in the anchor leg.
The gold medal marks Norway's 10th at the 2014 Winter Olympics, which is the most of any competing nation. It is their second gold and fourth overall medal in a Nordic combined event.
With the Games set to conclude Sunday, Norway are in excellent position to win the gold-medal count.
Although they still trail the United States, Russia and the Netherlands in the overall medal count, Thursday's triumph could give them the spark they need to finish atop the standings.
With four days of competition remaining and a handful of more medals to be won, Norway are poised to keep things interesting in Sochi this weekend.
Follow Bleacher Report Featured Columnist Patrick Clarke on Twitter.
With individual matters completed in the Nordic combined event, Thursday gave the teams their turn to do battle, which saw four athletes from each of the nine competing nations getting their chance to shine.
Before the drama of the cross-country relay later in the day, it was the large hill stage that first took the spotlight, although Finland wouldn't play a role in the opening phase, registering a "Did Not Start."
Each of the four jumpers accumulates a total team score from their attempts, with 45 points equating to a one-minute time advantage in the relay.
Here's a full breakdown of the teams' large hill results:
| Rank | Country | Group 1 Points | Group 2 Points | Group 3 Points | Group 4 Points | Total Points | Time Difference |
| 1 | GER | 117.0 | 120.8 | 121.9 | 122.0 | 481.7 | 0:00 |
| 2 | AUT | 114.8 | 126.7 | 125.3 | 109.5 | 476.3 | +0:07 |
| 3 | NOR | 114.8 | 107.4 | 110.4 | 130.2 | 462.8 | +0:25 |
| 4 | FRA | 106.3 | 108.4 | 120.0 | 120.5 | 455.2 | +0:35 |
| 5 | CZE | 113.9 | 104.2 | 111.9 | 110.0 | 440.0 | +0:56 |
| 6 | JPN | 120.9 | 90.2 | 108.2 | 114.0 | 433.3 | +1:05 |
| 7 | RUS | 96.0 | 105.0 | 101.5 | 123.7 | 426.2 | +1:14 |
| 8 | USA | 99.9 | 92.5 | 108.0 | 97.2 | 397.6 | +1:52 |
| 9 | ITA | 88.7 | 88.7 | 106.3 | 100.2 | 383.9 | +2:10 |
| 3 | FIN | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | DNS | 0:00 | 3 |
The Russian Federation stacked up an early lead in the race for bonus time at the cross country, but that was always going to be the case given that they had the honour of going first in the order.
In fact, the best was saved until the penultimate team as No. 9 Germany proved class is spread throughout their line-up.
Eric Frenzel, having won gold in the men's individual normal hill, and Fabian Riessle, proud owner of an individual large hill bronze, both impressed on the way to seeing their team score a massive 481.7.
However, Austria weren't far behind in the order, thanks largely to the stage-high score of 126.7, courtesy of veteran Christoph Bieler, not to mention team-mate Mario Stecher's similarly impressive 125.3.
CBC Montreal presenter Douglas Gelevan was quick to state the prestige that 36-year-old Stecher brings to this year's event:
Were the rest of the Austrian outfit on the same level as their seasoned peers, Germany may have been dislodged from their perch—but it was not to be.
Austria must now reduce the seven-second time advantage if they are to prevent Germany powering on to the gold medal.
It's far from an insurmountable disadvantage, especially when one considers that it's been the jumping and not the long-distance skiing that Germany have thrived in thus far at the Games.
Lower in the standings, the United States will start the relay 1 minute and 52 seconds after the current leaders, while Italy are even worse off by a distance of 2:10.
That being said, at least every team can count themselves more fortunate than Finland, who won't even compete in the cross-country phase thanks to their DNS.
Forty of the world's top Nordic combined athletes will compete at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, starting early Thursday morning on the American East Coast.
This specialized event combines the elements of ski jumping and cross-country skiing, and Olympic competition is still limited to men. But International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach recently told Karolos Grohmann of Reuters that he'd like to see women included in the Nordic combined event in upcoming Winter Games.
"Think about Nordic combined for women," Bach said. "We have ski jumping for women, cross country for women, so why should we not have Nordic combined because we see that they are a great success and this is a very good way to promote women's sport."
For now, these four-man teams from 10 countries will try to fly and sprint their way to the podium. While you can watch the ski jumping portion of the event live at 3 a.m. ET on NBC Sports Network, the 4x5-kilometer race will start at approximately 5 a.m. ET.
Team USA took silver at the Vancouver Winter Games in 2010, so let's take a look at the U.S. medal chances in Sochi plus schedule info and predictions for the one-day event.
| Event | Date | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Large Hill K-125 Jump | Thu., Feb. 20 | 3 a.m. | NBC SN |
| 4 x 5-km Relay | Thu., Feb. 20 | 5 a.m. | N/A |
Team USA Faces Tall Odds to Earn Medal
There's been a changing of the guard since 2010, and the U.S. men's team doesn't look like it has much of a chance to reach the podium on Thursday.
America's quartet features a couple of experienced veterans in Bill Demong and six-time Olympian Todd Lodwick, along with the young Fletcher brothers Bryan and Taylor. Ken Belson of the New York Times laid out the team's expectations heading into the team event:
If the Americans are going to unleash their attack, it will most likely come in the team event Thursday, in which members of a four-man team ski jump off the large hill and then participate in a relay on a course at the ski jumping site.
The United States won the bronze medal in that event at the world championships in Italy last year, though that was before Lodwick injured his shoulder ski jumping. But the Fletchers have steadily improved: Bryan, 27, is ranked 13th in the world; Taylor, 23, is 28th.
“I think our team has been jumping well on the larger hills recently,” Demong said. “There’s definitely five or six teams who have medal potential, and we’re definitely on that short list.”
But the U.S. individuals didn't perform well in the large hill/10-kilometer race on Tuesday, as Taylor Fletcher (20th), Bryan Fletcher (22nd) and Demong (31st) were all at least 1 minute, 15 seconds off the pace of the winner, Norway's Joergen Graabak.
Lodwick, Team USA's flag-bearer during the opening ceremony, didn't compete in the cross-country portion of the event due to a shoulder injury. But that didn't dampen Lodwick's spirits, as he videobombed NBC reporter Randy Moss during his own injury update, making instant TV gold.
Given the team's slow performance in the individual race and Lodwick's physical issues, it looks tough for the Americans to reach the podium on Thursday. Not to mention there are some top-notch countries that will likely separate themselves from the pack during the cross-country relay portion of the event.
This will likely mark the final hurrah for Lodwick and Demong, the 2010 large hill/10-kilometer gold medalist, but it's also probably just the first of many Winter Games for the Fletcher brothers.
Medal Predictions
Gold: Germany
Silver: Norway
Bronze: Austria
From the looks of it, this will turn into something of a two-nation race between Germany and Norway on the cross-country track. Both nations have great depth in this discipline, but I think the Germans are structured to pull off a close victory.
While Graabak and his fellow countryman Magnus Hovdal Moan went one-two in the large hill individual event, Germany was the only nation to place four athletes in the top 10. Rounding out the group at the 10th position was normal hill/10-kilometer gold medalist Eric Frenzel, who has established himself as the best Nordic combined ski jumper in Sochi.
In the end, I think Frenzel's shortcomings in cross-country will be made up by his teammates in the relay, which features four five-kilometer sprints that usually leave athletes collapsed and gasping for air at the finish line. Norway should make it interesting, though, and we could see a close finish in this event.
Rounding out the predicted medal winners is Austria, which won gold in 2006 and 2010, but doesn't look as strong this time around.
True to its namesake, Norway has just dominated one of the premier Nordic Combine events at the 2014 Winter Olympics. Its athletes proved that they could ski jump and cross-country ski with equal efficiency on the way to two medals in the individual large hill and cross-country event.
Norwegians Joergen Graabak and Magnus Hovdal Moan finished first and second, respectively, with Germany’s Fabian Riessle finishing third during Day 11 of the Sochi Games. It was the first time in 78 years that Norway's competitors have gone 1-2 in this event, as per Infostrada Sports:
Let’s take a look at the results from the finals of the individual large hill jump–and cross country race, as well as a recap of some of the top performances of the competition.
Scores
| Rank | Country | Name | Jump Points | Jump Rank | Jump Time Diff. | Race Time | Race Rank | Time / Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NOR | Joergen GRAABAK | 118.4 | 6 | +0:42 | 22:45.5 | 1 | 23:27.5 |
| 2 | NOR | Magnus Hovdal MOAN | 117.8 | 7 | +0:45 | 22:43.1 | 2 | +0.6 |
| 3 | GER | Fabian RIESSLE | 115.1 | 9 | +0:56 | 22:33.1 | 3 | +1.6 |
| 4 | GER | Bjoern KIRCHEISEN | 113.2 | 11 | +1:03 | 22:26.6 | 4 | +2.1 |
| 5 | AUT | Bernhard GRUBER | 123.4 | 3 | +0:22 | 23:16.8 | 5 | +11.3 |
| 6 | JPN | Akito WATABE | 120.8 | 4 | +0:33 | 23:06.0 | 6 | +11.5 |
| 7 | FRA | Jason LAMY CHAPPUIS | 120.7 | 5 | +0:33 | 23:10.9 | 7 | +16.4 |
| 8 | GER | Johannes RYDZEK | 112.7 | 12 | +1:05 | 22:46.4 | 8 | +23.9 |
| 9 | NOR | Haavard KLEMETSEN | 127.0 | 2 | +0:08 | 23:44.0 | 9 | +24.5 |
| 10 | GER | Eric FRENZEL | 129.0 | 1 | 0:00 | 23:57.9 | 10 | +30.4 |
Recap
Graabak started 0:42 seconds behind Germany Eric Frenzel, the winner of the ski jumping portion of this event, due to the Gundersen method that allows the competition to start in intervals and have the true winner be the first to cross the finish line.
The 22-year-old didn’t let that gap stop him from being in contention down the stretch and making a late surge to win gold, although it wasn’t exactly expected. He’s much less known that silver medalist Moan, who already had two Olympic medals under his belt going into this event.
After the race, the Norwegian gold medalist described his feelings to David Ljunggren of Reuters: “It's surreal. I didn't think I would get to achieve this.”
Graabak has already shown that he has what it takes to be the next big thing in this sport. He made his professional debut in 2011 and made his first podium appearance after just 10 World Cup races, according to his profile on FIS-Ski.com.
He also flashed a flair for the dramatic, pulling away from a five-man pack with approximately 100 meters left to claim the gold. Graabak finished with a time of 22:45.5, a mere 0.6 seconds ahead of Moan and 1.6 seconds in front of Riessle.
None of the athletes that reached the podium finished in the top five during the large hill jump. They used their superior cross-country skills to make up the ground and overtake the slower ski jumpers during the race.
Graabak was the top scorer in that portion of the event, scoring a 118.4—good for sixth-place. Moan was just behind him in seventh-place with a 117.8 score, while Riessle placed ninth with a score of 115.1 in the jump.
Frenzel had a chance to win his second gold medal of the Games after he secured his first during the individual normal hill and cross-country competition. However, he wasn’t sharp during the racing portion of Tuesday’s event and finished 10th overall.
According to the staff of RIA Novosti, the German star was struggling with a virus, which may have contributed to his poor performance in the finals.
What’s Next
With two Nordic Combined medals now in the rear-view of the 2014 Winter Olympics, it’s time to look forward to the discipline’s last remaining event in Sochi—the team large hill and cross-country competition.
Almost all of the stars that competed today will be back to represent their country one last time and hoping to put together a fine enough score to help their four-man team break through and win a gold medal.
Norway currently holds the medal count lead in this sport with three total (one gold, one silver and one bronze), followed by Germany with two total (one gold, one bronze) and Japan (one silver).
It is definitely worth it to tune in on Feb. 20 at 6 a.m. to see the thrilling conclusion of the Nordic Combined at the 2014 Winter Olympics.
Nordic combined is equal parts ski jumping and cross-country skiing, though fortunately not at the same time. Norway understandably dominates the event based on historical results (27 medals since 1924), but the Americans burst onto the scene in Vancouver four years ago and will be seeking to repeat that success.
The Nordic combined gold medalist on the normal hill may not be able to compete in Tuesday's individual large hill event, which could create a vacuum on the medal stand. Here's everything you need to get ready for the action, including when and how to watch, plus who is likeliest to be on the medal stand.
When: Tuesday, Feb. 18, ski jumping at 4:30 a.m., cross-country skiing at 7 a.m. (all times ET)
Where: Krasnaya Polyana, Russia (approximately 40 miles from Sochi)
Watch: NBCSN, ski jumping 5:30-7 a.m., cross-country 10 a.m.-12 p.m.; NBC, 3-6 p.m.
Stream: NBCOlympics.com and on the Live Extra app
Americans Bill Demong and Todd Lodwick each reached the medal stand at the 2010 Games as among the first U.S. skiers ever to medal in Nordic combined. Demong won gold in the individual large hill, and he also took silver alongside Lodwick in the team large hill event.
Johnny Spillane, who won the USA's first-ever Nordic combined medal by taking silver in the 10-kilometer normal-hill event in Vancouver, has since retired.
As noted by Ken Belson of the New York Times:
After years of futility, Americans won a stunning four out of a possible nine medals at the 2010 Vancouver Games, their first Olympic medals in the sport. The success was particularly surprising because the United States has won few Olympic medals in cross-country skiing and ski jumping. But the Americans invested in Nordic combined in the 1990s ahead of the Olympic Games in Salt Lake City in 2002, and it paid dividends in Vancouver.
Breaking the medal drought in the event is one thing; repeating the feat is an entirely different task. Time is not on the side of either Demong, who is 33 years old, or Lodwick, who has set a record at 37 years old by competing in Nordic combined for a sixth Olympics.
The brightest young U.S. stars in the event are brothers Bryan and Taylor Fletcher, 27 and 23 years old respectively. Bryan is the stronger jumper, with Taylor's forte in the cross-country portion.
However, the Nordic combined individual normal hill already took place on Wednesday, with disappointing results for the Americans. Demong placed 24th, Bryan Fletcher finished 26th and brother Taylor was 33rd.
Germany's Eric Frenzel claimed gold, followed by Japanese skier Akito Watabe and Magnus Krog from Norway.
There could be an opening at the top on the large hill as Frenzel is battling a sickness. According to The Associated Press' Dennis Passa, spokesman for the German team Florian Schwarz relayed the gold medalist's condition on Monday: "Eric is ill. He has a fever. He is not training today and the team doctor will make a decision tomorrow at 8 a.m. whether Eric starts in the individual or waits for the team event," which begins on Thursday.
Germany coach Hermann Weinbuch confirmed that Frenzel is unlikely to be healthy enough to go in the combined individual large hill event: "I think there is little chance he will compete. It's very hard to race here, so he must be strong. You are only a chance when you have all your power."
Since the ill Frenzel will not have all his power whether or not he competes, Watabe becomes a strong bet on the large hill to duplicating his normal-hill prowess. Watabe had a strong showing in the practice jumps on Monday, as did Demong.
Norway's Haavard Klemetsen had a very strong practice after finishing ninth on the normal hill, but his countryman Magnus Moan is a better bet to medal after finishing fifth in normal hill.
Presuming Frenzel is unable to go due to illness, look for Watabe to claim gold, followed by Moan and Demong.
This will likely be the last rodeo for Demong and Lodwick, but the future looks bright for the United States in Nordic combined thanks to the young Fletcher brothers, despite their underwhelming showing on the normal hill.
They will look to improve their 2014 Olympic results with a strong effort on the large hill, but they may very well have to wait until 2018 for a medal.
The USA Nordic combined team didn't get off to the best start on Wednesday, but that shouldn't keep them from making some strong showings next week.
Things didn't exactly go as planned in the 10-kilometer normal hill race on Wednesday for the USA Nordic combined team. Bryan Fletcher finished in just 26th, while his brother Taylor finished just 33rd. Bill Demong was the best of the four, coming in 24th while Todd Lodwick finished in dead last.
Germany's Eric Frenzel took gold while Akito Watabe from Japan took silver, and Magnus Krog was able to take bronze.
The normal hill event really hurt the USA team, as they prefer to participate in the large hill event, where they tend to have much more impressive performances. John Meyer from the Denver Post provided this quote from Bryan after the event:
It was an extremely challenging jump. I think this is probably one of the hardest hills I've ever jumped. It was really difficult to find the rhythm. I found it in the trial round today but went for it in the (competition) jump, laid it all out on the line, all or nothing, and unfortunately it didn't work out. We'll try again next week.
While this event was a disappointment for Team USA, this group of guys should be able to turn it around next week in the other two events.
The Nordic combined team had never really been good prior to 2010 in Vancouver. In fact, the USA team had never won a medal in the history of the Olympics, at least until they went to Vancouver. In 2010, the team finally got their first medal, but they were so good throughout the Games that USA ended up bringing back six medals from Nordic combined events.
The team may have struggled in the normal hill event this year, but that was to be expected to a degree. In 2010, the only athlete to earn a medal in the normal hill event was Johnny Spillane, although Todd Lodwick and Demong came in fourth and sixth, respectively.
The expectations will be much higher for the large hill event, where USA's Demong and Spillane were able to take gold and silver. All eyes will especially be on Demong, as everyone will be looking to see if he can take the gold for the second straight Olympics.
The odds of that seem to be pretty high. The large hill is his best event, winning gold at the 2009 World Championships along with his Olympic gold from Vancouver.
The team event will also be a good opportunity for the Americans to win a medal. In Vancouver, the four-man team was able to take silver. Demong already has the experience of placing in the team event, and the Americans are expecting big things from the Fletcher brothers out of Steamboat Springs, Colo.
Overall, Wednesday was not ideal for USA in the Nordic combined event. However, the large hill event will take place on Tuesday with the team event two days later, and the team showed in the past that those are the two big events.
They haven't gotten off to the best start, but expect to see the USA Nordic combined team taking home at least one medal.
