The Finnish skiers’ day became perfect when Perttu Hyvärinen stormed to victory in the men’s 10 km traditional split start race in Toblach. Kerttu Niskanen already skied first on Sunday in the women’s corresponding race.
Whereas Niskane’s win was not a huge surprise, Hyvärinen’s first place came completely out of the blue. We are talking about the biggest sensation in Finnish elite sports in ages.
The 32-year-old Hyvärinen had never reached the top three in the World Cup before today. The previous best finish was Fifth from last spring’s Falun intermediate start race.
– Perttu himself said that he didn’t even set out to win. This was a huge surprise for all of us. Perttu himself could not have guessed that he is in such good shape, Urheilu’s expert Aino-Kaisa Saarinen says.
Triple win day
The importance of Finnish maintenance was great on Sunday, which was also signed by Hyvärinen herself after the race. Even after the women’s race, the Finns thanked a bunch of their skis. For example Krista Pärmäkoski stated that “the ski was victorious, the woman was not”.
On the other hand, other countries, including Sweden, had a weaker day with their equipment on Sunday.
In the women’s race, in addition to Niskanen’s victory, Krista Pärmäkoski was seventh. In the men’s race, the total effort was even better than after Hyvärinen Lauri Vuorinen was the 11th Arsi Ruuskanen 12th and Markus Vuorela 16:s.
– This was not a double win day, but a triple win day! The success of the maintenance made it a double podium, Saarinen reminded.
Finland’s maintenance team has received a lot of criticism since the beginning of the season. It had not been able to match the cupolas of Norway, Sweden, the USA and Germany.
– The athletes have not wanted to bark maintenance, but we have all seen that it has not been successful. I thought at Christmas that maintenance needed successes, because they are people too. Many a man is a drop in the lens on a truck.
Quartermaster Heikki at Tonter there was reason to smile after the games.
– I guess the year can’t end any better. After all, this is a really great job, Tonteri mused.
– This is a big relief. We’ve known that we’re doing the basics, and we haven’t worried that way, even though we’ve been maybe in the chase. The work was rewarded today, fortunately.
The guardians did not lose their nerve even before the men’s race, even though the schedule was busy and the conditions were challenging. The maintenance group is not going to celebrate its successes for long, because it will compete in the Tour de Ski on Monday in the 20 kilometer pursuit races.
– We celebrate a little bit, but we don’t start taking the pass any easier. Now maybe half an hour, an hour here is taken more lightly. After that, the shekel starts to swing and we focus on tomorrow again. That’s how it goes, Tonteri stated.
Hyvärinen was able to use his strength
Also, looking at the beginning of the season, Hyvärinen’s win is a huge surprise. In November, at the Suomen Cup in Ruka, Hyvärinen’s lackluster performance caused astonishment, when he finished only ninth.
Hyvärinen came to the finish line in a lift.
– What is he doing? Sports expert Ville Nousiainen surprised in the newsroom.
Before Christmas, in the combined race in Trondheim, he already showed promising progress. Hyvärinen was 15th and beat, among others Iivo Niskanen.
Saarinen says that he spoke with Hyvärinen after the race in Trondheim. Saarinen asked Hyvärise if the skis were slipping.
– He said they didn’t slip. It said that the mono began to be eaten in Trondheim, but the lubrication did not work there yet.
On Sunday, Saarinen made a clear point about the skiing of Niskanen and Hyvärinen. Finns are usually good at sliding in shift skiing.
– When a ski slips, it also slips well in the slide of one ski. There is a skiable slope in Toblach, where you go with a long shift ski kick. When the ski slides, skiing becomes easier and you can make long slides.
– First Kerttu got to use his weapon against others and now Perttu. He was in an incredibly good position and could ski comfortably, Saarinen analyzed.
The Tour de Ski continues on Monday with the 20 kilometer (v) pursuit race. The men’s race starts at 11 a.m., the women’s at 1:30 p.m. follows Tour in this article.
Tour de Ski, men, 10 km (p)
1. Perttu Hyvärinen FIN 23.08.6
2. Erik Valnes NOR +16.2
3. Harald Ö. Amundsen’s NOR +17.2
4. Jens Burman’s SWE +27.4
5. William Poromaa SWE +40.4
6. Beda Klee SUI +42.9
7. Friedrich Moch GER +44.6
8. Martin L. Nyenget NOR +45.8
9. Ben Ogden USA +46.2
10. Hugo Lapalus FRA +51.6
11. Lauri Vuorinen FIN +52.0
12. Arsi Ruuskanen FIN +52.9
16. Markus Vuorela FIN +1.05,1
31. Remi Lindholm FIN +1.25,0
63. Joni Mäki FIN +2.17,5
Men’s Tour de Ski standings (2/7 races)
1. Erik Valnes NOR 25.14
2. Harald Ö. Amundsen NOR + 0.04
3. Ben Ogden USA + 0.28
4. Perttu Hyvärinen F IN + 0.38
5. Lauri Vuorinen FIN + 0.53
6. Jens Burman’s SWE +1.09
7. William Poromaa SWE +1.18
8. Martin L. Nyenget NOR +1.24
9. Federico Pellegrino ITA +1.24
10. Beda Klee SUI +1.25
17. Arsi Ruuskanen FIN +1.39
24. Markus Vuorela FIN +1.48
35. Remi Lindholm FIN +2.06
57. Joni Mäki FIN +2.45
Tour de Ski, women, 10 km (p)
1. Kerttu Niskanen FIN 25.48.0
2. Victoria Carl GER +6.7
3. Jessie Diggins USA +10.7
4. Rosie Brennan USA +15.2
5. Katharina Hennig GER +29.0
6. Heidi Weng NOR +40.8
7. Krista Pärmäkoski FIN +43.4
8. Astrid Öyre Slind NOR +45.5
9. Linn Svahn SWE +52.3
10. Teresa Stadlober AUT +53.2
23. Jasmi Joensuu FIN +1.29.7
31. Anne Kyllönen FIN +1.53.1
49. Vilma Ryytty FIN +2.31.9
Women’s Tour de Skin Overall standings (2/7 races)
1. Jessie Diggins USA 28.24
2. Victoria Carl GER +0.07
3. Linn Svahn SWE +0.11
4. Jonna Sundling SWE +0.19
5. Kerttu Niskanen FIN + 0.28
6. Rosie Brennan USA +0.35
7. Emma Ribom SWE +0.38
8. Katharina Hennig GER +0.58
9. Heidi Weng NOR +1.07
10. Krista Pärmäkoski FIN +1.11
21. Jasmi Joensuu FIN +1.44
37. Anne Kyllönen FIN +2.22
50. Vilma Ryytty FIN +3.07