Ristomatti Hakola dazzled with his top skiing – the expert still criticized the final move: “We would have fought for a place on the podium”

According to Ville Nousiainen, winning the distance cup is within reach of Kerttu Niskanen.

Finnish cross-country skiers had a real top day in the 10-kilometer traditional intermediate start race in Falun. Kerttu Niskanen took his second win of the season by a clear margin. In a body Perttu Hyvärinen was handsomely Fifth and Cross mat Hakola sixth.

For Hyvärinen, the ranking was the best of his career in the World Cup, and for Hakola in a normal distance. The last time two Finnish men had reached the top six in the World Cup was three years ago in Nove Mesto, Czech Republic.

At that time, in the 15 kilometer free time trial Iivo Niskanen was third and Hyvärinen sixth.

On Friday, only the Finnish duo managed to break the Norwegian front at the top. Sweden was called the Norwegians’ toughest challenger Calle Halfvarssonia. Norway celebrated a quadruple victory.

On Friday, Finland’s maintenance was in a big position, which Hyvärinen and Hakola, among others, praised.

– I could see from the pictures that the grip was clearly good for the Finns. In the spring, it is also like this, that some collapse and some rise up, Urheilu’s expert Ville Nousiainen states.

Hakola’s potential

Hyvärinen told Urheilu after the race that he did not know during the race that he was in the fight for the podium. The time differences in the men’s ten race are small.

– It’s weird that the information hasn’t gotten through, because for example at 4.3 kilometers he was in third place. It wouldn’t have been necessary to ski more than ten seconds slower, to have thrown a dozen of the skis into the yard. Surely everyone has known enough that every second counts for ten in the race.

Hakola’s last two seasons have had enough challenges and bad luck. Nousiainen believes that the top success will increase the motivation of Hakola, who will soon turn 32, to continue his career.

The performance left me hungry for the next games. Hakola couldn’t make his typical final move.

– The way he pulled his final bet was a really lazy-looking attempt. The arms didn’t move frequently enough, which is why the legs didn’t move frequently enough for the last climbs either. Perttu came from behind much faster.

– On his best day, Rise would have been able to shoot the final lap better. It means that the battle for the podium place would have been quite bloody.

Niskanen close to winning the distance cup

If Hyvärinen’s and Hakola’s rankings were surprises, Niskanen’s victory was not. After all, he had won the trip from the beginning of the season in Beitostölen.

In addition, the Swedish duo were missing from the race Ebba Andersson and Frida Karlsson.

Germany’s Katharina Hennig was another and Norway’s Anne Kjersti Kalvå third. Niskanen’s margin of victory was 16 seconds.

– I expected that trio to be on the podium. I bet Hennig or Kalvå would have been the toughest of them, but Kerttu stayed to turn the race nicely in his favor. Such an overwhelming victory by ten means that Andersson and Karlsson would have been tough.

The fight to win the distance race is still going on tight. Niskanen leads, but leave the USA to Jessie Diggins has only 22 points.

Diggins was fourth in ten, which is an excellent result for him in a traditional. The winner of the overall cup of normal distances will be decided in a week in Salpauselä in a 20 kilometer traditional joint start race.

– If Kerttu stays healthy, he will probably take it. Even if a few skiers get in there, it will all fall into Kertu’s lair. Kerttu can handle it without getting sick. Even if he’s a little sore, he’ll probably ski it.