Here is the Finnish Tour de Ski team – super promise Niko Anttola starts the World Cup season | Sports in a nutshell

The top names of the Finnish team, Iivo Niskanen, Kerttu Niskanen and Krista Pärmäkoski, are going to the Tour de Ski.

The Ski Federation has named the Finnish Tour de Ski team.

In the women’s team are Jasmine Joensuu, Jasmin Kinky, Johanna Matintalo, Kerttu Neck and Krista Pärmäkoski

In the men’s team are Niko Anttola, Perttu Nice one, Nile Moilanen, Ivo Neck, Arsi Ruuskanen and Lauri Mountainous.

On Sunday, with ninth place in the Davos World Cup in the 20 km traditional skiing competition, Cross mat Hakola is not in the team, and did not appear in the early season John Hill.

Super promise Niko Anttola is in the team, but has not yet skied a single World Cup race this season. He got sick before the World Cup opening in Ruka and had to stay on the sidelines. Anttola competed last weekend in Lillehammer on the second-level skiing tour in the Scandinavia Cup. Anttola was at his best in the traditional skiing 20-kilometer joint start race, where the 21-year-old talent reached 12th place.

The Tour de Ski is contested in Italy’s Toblach and Val di Fiemme. The tour starts on December 28 with the Toblach freestyle sprints. As usual, the Tour de Ski culminates in the final ascent of Val di Fiemme on January 5.

Sports expert Aino–Kaisa Saarinen estimates after the Davos weekend that the biggest expectations for success among Finns are directed at Kerttu Niskase and Krista Pärmäkoske. On Sunday, Niskanen was second and Pärmäkoski fourth in the traditional 20 km race. Iivo Niskanen was second in the men’s race.

Saarinen believed that the top Finnish women’s successes at a high level in Davos will move fitness forward and the level will rise on other trips as well.

Aino-Kaisa Saarinen was more skeptical of Iivo Niskasen.

– Iivo is hard on traditional normal tours, but the Tour requires more skills and hard work. That’s just not enough, Saarinen said.