Second-placed Sven Kramer (L) of the Netherlands and his compatriot third-placed Bob de Jong (R) applaud winner Jorrit Bergsma of the Netherlands, during the flower ceremony for the men's 10,000 meters speed skating race at the Adler Arena, in the Sochi 2
Dutch Skate to Lead in Sochi Medal Count
The Netherlands bolted into the lead in total medals at the Sochi Winter Olympics Tuesday, with a sweep in the men's 10-kilometer speedskating.
Jorrit Bergsma crossed the finish line in an Olympic record time of 12:44.45 minutes to win gold. He finished ahead of teammates Sven Kramer and Bob de Jong.
It was the fourth podium sweep for the Dutch at the Sochi Games.
The Netherlands now has 20 medals, followed by Russia and the United States with 19 each. Norway has 18, Canada 16 and Germany 15.
In other competition Tuesday, Slovenian skier Tina Maze won her second gold medal in Sochi, taking first place in the women's giant slalom. The win followed her gold medal run last week in the downhill.
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Winter Olympics, February 18, 2014
France's Pierre Vaultier won gold in the men's snowboardcross, which had been postponed Monday because of heavy fog. He was ecstatic after his victory, calling it a "miracle."
"This time I was by far the outsider. I am into miracle right now," said Vaultier. "My knee is broken, I am racing with a brace... it's just unbelievable to be here at the Olympics and second, to be in first place. That's great."
Three other Tuesday medal events are complete. Norway's Emil Hegle Svendsen narrowly beat Frenchman Martin Fourcade to win gold in the men's 15-kilometer biathlon mass start. Norway's Joergen Graabak took gold in the men's large hill Nordic Combined and his teammate, Magnus Moan, earned silver. South Korean speed skaters finished first in the women's 3,000-meter relay, with Canada taking silver and Italy earning bronze.
American freestyle skier David Wise, the world champion, is favored to win gold in the inaugural halfpipe, the last medal event Tuesday.
In gold medals, Germany has the most with eight, followed by Norway with seven and the Netherlands with six.
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