Was written off yesterday - now believe rivals that Weng can win the Tour

TOBLACH/OSLO (Dagbladet): Heidi Weng (27) finished in fifth place on the ten mile long intervallstarten - just over 20 seconds behind the winner Natalija Neprjajeva.

There was a big upswing for Heidi Weng, who from before had a åttendeplass as bestenotering in the world cup this season.

It was the first time in a long time I have felt that I have taken once again the people in the trail. It is not every day, it. It surely goes up and down throughout the Tour, but today there was an upturn for me, " says Weng to the Newspaper.

no later than yesterday had Weng a very heavy day and ended far down in the standings. The Swedish langrennseksperten and commentator for Expressen (Swedish), Tomas Pettersson wrote that Weng had lost vinnerviljen and called her skiverdenens biggest mystery.

Even called Weng not good enough and cast doubt over whether she would complete the tour. Today was the 27-year-old is finally back in the top.

Good for the head

She does not hide that it felt good, clean mentally, to get to a race like this.

"Ex-father" plan to help Heidi Weng back

- It's good for the head to get a like race. But all may not be on the podium. But today, it worked very well, " says Weng.

She says that the last time she felt so good, was during the test-world CHAMPIONSHIPS in Seefeld is about a year ago.

- I don't feel I'm as good as I am at my best now helller, but right now it is one of the best I can. Everyone will train hard and be in the top, so you must be able to be a little off the podium, " said the 27-year-old.

Coach Geir Change Roe argues, however, that he saw it coming.

It is gratifying. We have looked at training more and more often the last time, but I think she needed the peace of mind to get it to the races. We think it is going to happen more and more often in the spring also. But it is probably a little bit unstable, " says Roe to the Newspaper.

Think Weng can win

It was Ingvild Flugstad Østberg who was closest to the victory of the Norwegian on today's intervallstart in Toblach. She got revenge after she broke early in the sprint on Saturday.

Still, she had to see themselves beaten by three tenths of Russian Natalija Neprjajeva.

Østberg started half a minute behind Weng on the current flows and so lagvenninnen in front of him in the trail in large sections of the trail. What she saw was enough to Østberg still pointing at fjorårsvinneren as one of the candidates to win also this year.

Heidi went very well today, so I expect that she is very happy. I have actually said that I think Heidi will come more and more and that she is still fast can win this here. Even though she has gotten it on sprint, is she very good at the last stage, " says Østberg.

- When she runs as good as she does today, she is even better when it gets fellesstarter forward, so Heidi should you really watch out for, alerts Østberg.

Weng has now climbed to a niendeplass in summary, 1:13 minutes behind the leading Neprjajeva.

tomorrow is the rest day for the Tour-runners. Tour de Ski continues new year's day with the sprint.

Østberg in second place after sekunddrama