Germany was surprised by Finland’s defeat in the podium battle at Salpauselä: “We are a little sorry”

BAY.

– Come! Come! Come! Jasmi Joensuu tried to encourage Jasmin Kähärää At the end of the pair sprint of the Salpausselkä World Cup.

However, Jasmin Kähärä bowed to Germany For Coletta Rydzekwho picked up his pair of threes by Laura Gimmler with.

Rydzek rose past Joensuu with a fierce final scream. The fight for third place was interesting in the sense that the stakes for both duos were their first career podium finishes in the World Cup.

Rydzek admitted to Urheilu at Salpausselkä ski stadium that they were surprised by the final result.

– We didn’t expect this. We thought at the last count that the other teams are in the rough. We are quite surprised, but happy, Rydzek described.

The duo sought strength for the final straight from their experiences of the past few weeks. Rydzek already dazzled with his fourth place earlier this week in the Tallinn city sprint. Gimmler, on the other hand, was fourth in the Drammen sprint earlier in March.

Rydzek also tried to use his strength in a tight corner against Kähärä.

– I know that I am strong in the last meters. I knew I had to give it my all. I just wanted to be on the podium, Rydzek stated.

What is it like to beat Finland in their own home club?

– We are a little sorry. They’re pretty good. It’s good that there are many candidates for the podium. It’s pretty incredible for the sport, Rydzek replied nicely.

It was a big disappointment for Kähära to lose in the final fight. Finland was behind the first teams of Sweden and Norway.

– However, we skied great until then. When you were so close to the podium, it’s sad, Kähärä said.

– In advance speculations, many certainly did not expect a struggle near the top. We knew we were in good shape, Joensuu continued.

Kähärä thought that maybe the thought ran away on the final stretch.

– Germany managed to surprise a little at the end. I wasn’t able to hold the ski until the end, Kähärä stated.

Kähärä and Joensuu have also been in a double sled in the World Cup once before, finishing fourth.

– I believe that “Jaska” and I still have quite a few messages ahead of us. Haven’t we shown that we have the potential to finish on the podium in the future, Joensuu concluded.

The last time Finnish women were on the podium in the World Cup pair sprints was in January 2014. Mona-Liisa Malvalehto and Aino-Kaisa Saarinen.

– The women did everything they could and did everything right. They were in good shape. All that remained was an unfortunate small foot measurement, but excellent performances from Kähärä and Joensuu, Saarinen, currently working as an expert for Urheilu, beamed.

Aino-Kaisa Saarinel’s praises for Joni Mäe: “The best skiing of the season”

Norway won the men’s race Erik Valnes and Johannes Hösflot Kläbo. Italian Federico Pellegrino and Francesco De Fabiani was left second. Finland’s first team Lauri Vuorinen and Joni Mäki was ninth.

Vuori had a painful race.

– The second round was too much for me. Fitness is here. It’s not good right now. It has never been what I wanted. In the third round, my back was still cramping badly. We were then a track marker, Vuorinen described.

Mäki has also had a difficult season, but the skier who won the medal in the pair sprint in the previous two seasons flashed better on Friday.

– Surprisingly good progress considering how the last few weeks have gone. This raised expectations for Saturday’s sprint. I hope the traditional one will work, Mäki said.

Expert Aino-Kaisa Saarinen incensed Mäki’s skiing.

– Joni Mäki has been really cheerful all day. You could see relaxed and hard skiing from him. It knows sprints well, Saarinen said and believed that Mäe has a chance to reach the final place in Saturday’s sprint.

– Now Joni showed confident and best skiing of the season. I believe that the Home Audience also gives an additional boost.

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