Nyenget pointed to the sky when he crossed the finish line in 2hr 3min 27.3sec to head a Norwegian one-two-three in Oslo as he claimed the first World Cup win of his career.

"I lost my dad just over two weeks ago," Nyenget told NRK.

"We were best friends, and he was the best dad in the world.

"This means an enormous amount.

"He and mum have backed me all the way and without him I would not have stood here.

"He introduced me to this and he is missed.

"This is our victory."

Sjur Røthe pushed Nyenget all the way but fell just 0.6 short, finishing in 2:03:27.9 with second spot.

Didrik Tønseth ensured a Norwegian clean sweep as he clinched third spot in 2:03:30.8, edging out Finland’s Iivo Niskanen.

The victory for Nyenget completes a memorable couple of days for Norway as four-time Olympic gold medallist Therese Johaug ended her glittering career in style with success in the women’s 30 kilometres classic mass start yesterday.

There just two races to go, which are scheduled to be held in Falun in Sweden on March 11 and 12, after the FIS cancelled the events planned to take place in the Russian city of Tyumen due to the invasion of Ukraine.