Crosscountry-Norway's Klaebo wins gold in men's skiathlon after explosive finish

(fixes spelling of Mathis in second paragraph)

By Liz Hampton and Tommy Lund

TESERO, Italy, Feb 8 : Norway's Johannes Klaebo tore away from the pack in a powerful finish to win the men's skiathlon at the Milano Cortina Games on Sunday and claim his sixth Olympic gold medal.

France's Mathis Desloges took the silver, pending a possible protest, while Norway's Martin Nyenget won bronze after 10km of classic and 10km of freestyle cross-country skiing.

Klaebo traded leads with a tight pack dominated by French skiers and fellow Norwegians through much of the race. He broke away near the end in a dramatic finish up the final hill, with time to wave at the cheering crowd before crossing the line.

The win kept 29-year-old Klaebo on course to pass compatriot Marit Bjoergen’s record of eight Olympic golds in the sport.

Desloges' silver medal could be subject to a protest after the Frenchman cut across a course marker rounding a curve in the stadium, gaining several metres around the 13-km mark.