Finland’s super talent sowed a confused Iivo Niska: “It wasn’t up to challenge today†| Sport

Finnish talents Niko Anttola and Arsi Ruuskanen played in Kuopio.

In the Kuopio Suomen Cup men’s 12 km free intermediate start race, the young super talents showed their place in the closet Iivo Niskanen and for other conkers.

Called the golden nugget of Finnish cross-country skiing Niko Anttola won an exciting cross-country race by four seconds before the runner-up Arsi Ruuska. Anttola shone last year at the under-20 World Championships and anchored Finland to the World Championship relay silver on the adult side.

Ruuskanen, who has a reputation as a young talented skier, won the under-23 world championship two years ago.

Niskanen, who had been skiing a free race for a long time, was completely outside the top three, finishing fourth. Anttola was separated by 14 seconds and Ruuskasen by ten seconds. Lauri Lepistö wedged between the youngsters and Niskanen in third place.

Niskanen tried to get a hard start. At the first kilometer, he was no less than 11 seconds from the front. At just over four kilometers, Niskanen was nine seconds behind the leader Ruuskanes.

– I thought that this would be some kind of break. I was 21 at first. Today was a special race. I expected better, but there was no challenge today.

Niskane’s competition season has been ragged. He has marked next week’s Salpauselä competition with a thick marker.

– Next week we will try to clear up the course of the early season and hopefully it will go well. Tomorrow I will participate in the relay, Niskanen referred to Sunday’s relay race.

The winner didn’t smile any worse

After his victory, 21-year-old Anttola was a face with basic readings. Not even a smile broke out.

– I thought I wouldn’t go too fast. Long working hours, so it’s good to make steady laps.

Anttola’s season has been difficult. The main event of the season, the under-23 World Championships in Planica, which was held a couple of weeks ago, went wrong.

A great victory came in an important place.

– Of course, it’s nice that the body works normally. Probably in Lahti (world cup) I will ski 20 kilometers next. It would be nice to ski it.

Ruuskanen, born in 1999, who skied in his home country, was able to prove that Anttola, who was four years younger, was better.

– The first round went well. The end didn’t turn out exactly as I had hoped. I would have liked to have won, but the young guy went on a robbery spree in his homeland.