Norway's Simen Hegstad Krüger earned a home FIS Cross-Country World Cup victory in the men's 50km mass start freestyle in Oslo ©Getty Images

Norway's Simen Hegstad Krüger clinched a home International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) Cross-Country World Cup win in the men's 50 kilometres mass start freestyle event in Oslo.

The Olympic bronze medallist in this race edged out compatriot Hans Christer Holund by 5.7sec to triumph at the Holmenkollen National Arena.

The starting list for the race was heavily depleted, and the decision to stage a 50km freestyle race six days after the 50km classical event at the World Championships faced some criticism.

Freestyle specialist Krüger won golds in the 30km skiathlon, 15km freestyle and 4x10km relay at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in the Slovenian resort of Planica, but was not selected for the 50km classic.

The front group stayed together for the first four of the six laps, but Krüger, Holund and fellow Norwegian Iver Tildheim Andersen's decision to change skis after the third lap rather than the fourth paid dividends.

They took control of the race in the final two laps, with Krüger and Holund pulling clear of Anderson after 44km.

The race was ultimately decided in the final 150 metres, and Holund could not respond to a push from Krüger which allowed him to triumph in 1 hour 55min 1.5sec.

"It was a tough one," Krüger admitted.

"Together with Holund and Iver Tildheim Andersen we made a good pace there and changed one lap before the others and I think that was a winning move.

"I wanted to make this a tough race and I had some power left after the World Champs.

"It is a huge achievement for me to win this race here in Holmenkollen.

"I'm on home soil now so it means a little extra."

Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget and Didrik Tønseth, both of Norway, led the chasing group.

Federico Pellegrino of Italy criticised the scheduling of the 50km mass start freestyle World Cup race after the World Championships, and was among the athletes who skipped the event in Oslo ©Getty Images
Federico Pellegrino of Italy criticised the scheduling of the 50km mass start freestyle World Cup race after the World Championships, and was among the athletes who skipped the event in Oslo ©Getty Images

Nyenget was able to pass Andersen going into the final kilometre to clinch third in 1:55:14.1.

He finished 8.6sec clear of Andersen and 12.8sec clear of Tønseth.

King Harald V of Norway was present to watch the host nation's athletes occupy the top 10 places.

World Cup leader Johannes Høsflot Klæbo placed seventh in 1:56:46.6, extending his overall lead over Pål Golberg, who ranked ninth in 1:56:53.0.

Klæbo has 2,043 points for the season, giving him a lead of 181 over Golberg.

Italy's Federico Pellegrino, third for the season on 1,321, was among the leading athletes who opted not to compete in Oslo, and he questioned the scheduling.

A women's 50km mass start freestyle World Cup race is scheduled for tomorrow in Oslo.