Jens Luras Oftebro claims Nordic Combined season opener in Ruka, edging out compatriot Jarl Magnus Riiber

Consistency was key for Jens Luras Oftebro, as he headlined a Norway 1-2-3 in the first men’s Nordic Combined competition of the season.

Oftebro sat fifth after the ski jump before producing the eighth fastest time in the 5km cross-country, but did enough to claim the win as the best jumpers dropped down the leaderboard.

He beat compatriot Jarl Magnus Riiber by just 0.4 seconds, with Joergen Graabak completing the all-Norwegian podium as he finished 1.1 seconds behind Oftebro.

Defending overall champion Johannes Lamparter of Austria topped the table after the ski jumping with his score of 156.3, five clear of second-placed Riiber.

The provisional podium was competed by home hope Eero Hirvonen of Finland, but both he and Lamparter faded away in the cross-country element.

Hirvonen produced the 20th-fastest time to end in fifth as Lamparter was only 28th-best to finish one place behind him in sixth.

Defending Ruka Tour champion Julian Schmid finished down in 11th, but has two more chances to defend his title with the two 10km events to come over the weekend.

The women’s World Cup season begins next week in Lillehammer, with the men’s tour also travelling to Norway once action concludes in Ruka.