NOTEBOOK

All was not sweetness and light in the men’s 40-kilometer cross-country ski relay, according to Norway’s Vegard Ulvang, who said that Italy’s Marco Albarello had broken one of the ski poles used by Finland’s Harri Kirvesniemi.

“Albarello came from behind and took the lead at the bottom of the second slope (in the second leg of the race)” said Ulvang, who was skiing just behind the Italian and the Finn. “Kirvesniemi didn’t want to let Albarello go and happened to touch Albarello’s ski. Albarello was so annoyed . . . that he turned and lashed out with his pole, breaking Kirvesniemi’s pole.”

A Finnish team coach calling splits to Kirvesniemi quickly handed him another pole, and the skier continued running with the leaders.

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There hasn’t been much made of the Norwegian-Swedish rivalry during the Games, the Swedes generally getting warm receptions from the predominantly Norwegian crowds.

But Swedish radio reporter Mats Dahlberg couldn’t resist taking a shot at the host country the other day when Sweden’s Pernilla Wiberg won the women’s combined gold medal in Alpine skiing.

“Here at Hafjell it’s wonderful to be a Swede, especially since the best Norwegian could only manage 15th,” Dahlberg gloated.