Their compatriots Espen Andersen and Espen Bjørnstad - who both featured in Norway's team success at Beijing 2022 - led after the ski jumping round on the Salpausselkä large hill with their score of 283.5 points.

Oftebro and Graabak were fourth best in the ski jumping element with 261.8, meaning they set off 43 seconds behind the leaders on the 2x7.5 kilometres cross-country skiing round.

In an exciting race, it was Graabak who came out on top in a finishing sprint, crossing the line in a combined 29min 41.4sec with Oftebro.

They finished 1.1 seconds clear of Austria's individual Olympic bronze medallist Lukas Greiderer, competing with Franz-Josef Rehrl, and 4.8 in front of Bjørnstad and Andersen.

German pair Manuel Faißt and Terence Weber were third after the ski jumping competition, and at one point moved to within three seconds of Andersen and Bjørnstad.

However, their hopes were hampered when Weber fell and broke his pole, and they eventually finished fifth 25.6sec short of the race winners.

Their compatriots Johannes Rydzek and Vinzenz Geiger were fourth, 19.2sec behind Oftebro and Graabak.

Competition continues tomorrow in the Finnish venue with an individual World Cup.