Sochi Olympics: Norway wins gold in team Nordic Combined

Germany's Fabian Riessle, left, can't quite catch Norway's Joergen Graabak at the finish line. Austria's Mario Stecher trails them both.

By From the Associated Press

Feb. 20, 2014 4:05 AM PT

SOCHI, Russia — Cross-country ski specialist Magnus Moan made up a 25-second deficit on the first leg and Norway outdueled Germany and defending champion Austria to win Olympic gold in the Nordic combined team event Thursday.

Final-leg skier Joergen Graabak, who won gold on Tuesday in the individual large hill event, outsprinted German rival Fabian Riessle in the final 100 meters to give Norway the victory by three-tenths of a second.

Two-time defending champion Austria took the bronze, 3.4 seconds behind.

Germany took an early lead when all four of its competitors, including normal hill gold medalist Eric Frenzel, jumped 125 meters or better — the only team to do so.

Norway finished the 4x5-kilometer cross-country relay in 47 minutes, 13.5 seconds.

The U.S. finished sixth.

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