The Finnish women took a hard-fought win – Aino-Kaisa Saarinen’s high praise for the star duo | Sport

Sports expert Aino-Kaisa Saarinen didn’t expect a Finnish victory in the women’s 20 kilometer (v) pursuit on Monday, which Kerttu Neck on Sunday took his parade route, i.e. 10 kilometers at the traditional intermediate start.

– After that, Kerttu was less than half a minute off the lead and now 52.6 seconds, so I consider the performance to be a really tough class fight win. A very strong bet from Kertu in a competition format that is not her most characteristic.

To Germany, which is second in the overall competition Victoria to Carl Niskanen, who finished 8th in the chase and also in the current overall competition, thought the difference was very small; it’s just 6.1 seconds in a flat crowd.

– Everything now depends on Davos. There, in the free sprint on Wednesday, it must become a matter of course that a continuation place from the time trial and even a place in the semifinals, says Saarinen.

The overall competition is strong with a lead of 46.5 seconds Jessica Diggins in the glove. Victoria Carl, on the other hand, is in a very special situation, as the Beijing Olympic champion competed in the Tour de Ski for the first time already at the turn of the year 2012–2013, but has never finished the tour until now.

– Now the prize place is close, if you do it for the first time.

Around the neck, the rounds are messed up

Niskanen focused on the Toblach pursuit race so efficiently that he couldn’t keep up with the lap counts. He had to ask the maintenance men by the side of the track what lap they were on.

– When you focus on the race, even counting to five like that seems to be difficult, Niskanen smiled.

Today’s race was 22 kilometers long, so all sorts of things happened. According to Niskanen, sometimes the pace was quite calm, sometimes it went too fast.

– The taste was just ok, Niskanen stated.

Niskanen tried to adjust his pace when entering the stadium, but finished third Linn Svahn watered this down.

– Svahn drove in front and I got into the bag. Vauhdit stopped it and the kiri was lost. When that streak ended, sprinters were sprinters. There were no divisions, Niskanen admitted.

Kudos to Pärmäkoski

Saarinen gives particularly hard points Krista Pärmäkoskiwho started the New Year’s Day teardown from 10th place, 1.11 off the lead, and continues into Wednesday’s sprint from the same position – and the gap to the lead increased by only seven seconds.

– I was sick below, but the recovery had gone well and apparently the disease was not particularly severe when Krista went along in the first place. He, if anyone, knows from his experience that a half-hearted attempt at the Tour can easily ruin the entire rest of the season.

– In any case, considering the backgrounds, it was a great bet, and it was very small today that the difference wouldn’t have been even that much. Krista hung on nicely in her group, but had to give up a little bit, which immediately makes skiing quite difficult mentally.

Finland’s men’s skiers and coaching pulled their own skating equipment completely under the keel after their stomach crash. Aino-Kaisa Saarinen does not buy the explanation as such.

– I know the Toblach track like the back of my hand. There are a lot of easy bits where you have to work hard all the time in the free time. In addition, the bills are such that, first of all, you have to get proper rates on the table.

According to Saarinen, even that is not enough, but you still have to be able to do a lot of work on your feet even when you are down.

– If you can’t do it, but lie down on your back with your legs shaking, then pretty soon you’ll probably have an effect like skis sticking to the snow today.

– For example, Jessie (Jessica Diggins) is probably the best pole skater among female cross-country skiers, and she always does well in Toblach. It’s not because he always has superior or even great skis.

The bill scared Pärmäkoski, which was on edge

Pärmäkoski knew he didn’t have to take responsibility for pulling when he skied Frida Karlsson with in the same group. Karlsson started to pull hard.

– I thought that if we skied at this pace all the time, it would be a long race for me. The pace leveled off for the second round, and it was quite nice to ski, Pärmäkoski said and praised his skis.

– On the last lap, the weather changed a bit and the trigger started to disappear. It wasn’t so great for my skis anymore. I had difficulties on the hills and I always went downhill after the others.

Pärmäkoski was disappointed that he broke on the last lap and the gap increased by a few seconds. Pärmäkoski’s difference to the leading one to Jessie Diggins it is now 1.18.

– It’s a big difference, but not a big one. It is the same as in the sprint, and Wednesday’s sprint really decides a lot, he stated.

– Big differences can also be seen in Val di Fiemme’s butt. I am worried about how I will adapt to the altitude when we move to Davos.

When Pärmäkoski reached the finish line, he quickly raised his legs. The Finnish skier admitted that his legs felt heavy.

– There were so many acids that it was scary to count that high-speed bill. I didn’t dare to take advantage of the fastest trigger, because it felt like my foot wouldn’t stay on it. I know that I should be able to count in it, but now my body wasn’t ready for it.

Tour de Ski continues on Wednesday 3 January. Sprinting in Davos. Above is the TV rights for all remaining Tour de Ski competitions. Urheilu follows the Tour in this article.