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Jasmi Joensuu finished second in the opening of the Tour de Ski, the number one event of the Cross Country World Cup, in Toblach. He was second in the freestyle sprint.
The last time a Finnish woman was on the podium in a freestyle sprint at the World Cup was in December 2009 in Davos. Then it was answered Aino-Kaisa Saarinen. The last time a Finn reached the podium in the freestyle skiing sprint at the World Cup was in December 2013. Then he reached the top three Martti Rugged.
Joensuu even struggled to win the race, but the American Jessie Diggins stretched past him on the finish line.
– During the last two weeks there have been troughs, now we are on top of the wave as far as skiing is concerned. It’s been a really hard two weeks, Joensuu told after the competition.
Joensuu shared on social media before Christmas about the end of the relationship.
-(On a day like this) you think about everything you shouldn’t think about. The thoughts are quite dark, When I got to the competition venue and I get my thoughts on the race. There will be rage and sadness and probably this kind of result, Joensuu described.
Value like a World Cup medal
For Joensuu, the place on the podium was of great importance for the World Championships at the turn of February-March, when in Trondheim the freestyle sprint, the race distance of the day, is also contested.
– This gave me the confidence that I can fight for World Championship medals this year, says Joensuu.
The place in the final was tight though, because he just got a direct place in the top six. He finished second in the semi-final, just 0.06 seconds ahead of Norway Julie Myrrh. If Joensuu had been third, there would not have been a place in the final.
Many bench athletes had also paid attention to the fact that Joensuu had changed the color of his hair. Joensuu acknowledged the question by saying that he has had hair of this color before.
Good success does not change Joensuu’s thoughts about the Tour’s overall competition.
– I go one day at a time. I’ll see what it’s good for. I don’t take pressure from the overall race, but move forward one race at a time, Joensuu said.
Kaiken said that Joensuu didn’t even know if the Tour would continue on Sunday with a traditional or free skiing competition.
– Let’s go and enjoy, Joensuu said.
Kerttu Niskasen’s start was much better than expected
Otherwise, the Finnish contribution was excellent. No less than five Finnish skiers reached the top 12 for the semi-finals. Joensuu, Jasmin Kinky, Kerttu Niskanen, Nile Moilanen and Lauri Mountainous.
Kerttu Niskanen was ninth for him on a weak trip. It brings valuable bonus seconds to the Tour’s overall competition, although of course the American winner Diggins is on the run.
– I am really satisfied with my skiing. A good start to the Tour. Can’t say anything else. The Finns had good equipment. My skis were really slippery, it was a pleasure to ski. Much sharper skiing than in Lillehammer, Niskanen referred to his previous sprint race during the Independence Day week at the beginning of December.
There was talk in Davos that Niskanen would be on the rise. At that time, he was second in the traditional twenty kilometer race.
– Hard to say. It was (now) such a different trip than in Davos. You can see that when the Tour starts to progress and I get to ski the best normal trips for myself, says Niskanen.
Ninth place is of great importance, because Niskanen now gets a good starting place for Sunday’s 15 km traditional cross-country race based on today’s results.
– I was hoping that I would be able to continue at all. I knew going into the first round that every scalp is five places better, Niskanen underlined the contribution of the day.
Johaug satisfied
One of the favorites to win the Tour Therese Johaug today was the 41st of the sprint. He misses out on valuable bonus seconds in the overall battle of the Tour compared to, for example, Jessie Diggins of the United States and Kerttu Niskase of Finland, when he did not make it to the heats of the top 30 skiers.
– I am really satisfied. I’m no better than this. Eight seconds from the top is good for me, Johaug stated to .
The last time he had competed in a sprint was 1492 days ago.
According to Johaug, he is most looking forward to the Toblach 20 km freestyle race from the Tour. It takes place in beautiful mountain scenery. After that, Johaug is also looking forward to the following day’s 15-kilometer pursuit race on a traditional one.
– There are many competitions ahead. We will go a total of 80 kilometers. Not at the finish line yet, Johaug described his situation.
Sweden, which dominated the women’s sprint in recent years, also had a sticky day, as only one Swedish woman reached the semi-finals. For example, Johanna Hagström crashed in the heat of the day’s competition.
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