Krista Pärmäkoski, who has recovered from the coronavirus, will participate in the traditional Tour de Ski tour. There is plenty of competition for the top fight.
Krista Pärmäkoski missed the World Cup games held last weekend in Trondheim, Norway, in order to recover from the coronavirus infection he contracted at the beginning of December. Athlete’s personal trainer Matti Haavisto tells Urheilu that the 33-year-old skier has a high probability of seeing the turn of the year on the Tour de Ski tour.
– He would have been going to Trondheim as well, but the preparation fell so short of the recovery. It was ensured that there would be no back pack. The plans are to go on the Tour, says Haavisto.
Pärmäkoski returns to the Tour after a one-month break. He hasn’t been in his best form since the beginning of the season. He has been at best 12th in this season’s World Cup.
Recently, the athlete has been able to do basic training.
– This week we plan to do competition-specific exercises. There has been no disease that would have prevented training.
My tip is numb
The Tour de Ski organized at Pärmäkoski since 2007 has often been a great fit. He has been second and once third at the Tour.
Last year, he even competed for the overall race win, until he had to drop out from third place before the last two races due to a stomach ailment.
Based on the early season, an exciting race at the top can be expected from this Tour de Ski. The preliminary favorites for the race are Sweden Ebba Andersson and the USA Jessie Digginsbut based on the beginning of the season, there is a chance to get to the top.
Potential top names are the USA Rosie Brennanwho reached their first World Cup victory over Germany on Sunday Victoria CarlSweden’s versatile Linn Svahn and Emma Ribom and Norway Heidi Weng.
Skied well in Germany last Tour Katharina Henning is also recovering from the corona virus. Kerttu Niskanen belongs to the challenger group.
Haavisto tells you what you can realistically expect from Pärmäkoski.
– I believe that such an experienced athlete wants to succeed on the Tour. Realistically, I believe that you have to be able to be in the top six. There will probably be individual good and bad races, but they will happen to everyone. Consistency is decisive, which has usually been a recipe for success in the overall race.
This year Tour de Skin won Sweden for the first time in his career Frida Karlsson.