Kerttu Niskanen knew where the gap to overwhelming winner Ebba Andersson was in the 20 km race of Les Rousses. Krista Pärmäkoski showed a rising spirit, even though bad luck was involved again.
Anu Karttunen,
Kimmo Porttila
Kerttu Niskanen play an exciting game of cat and mouse in Sweden Ebba Andersson with Les Rousses World Cup in the 20 km traditional skiing joint start race, but had to admit Andersson was better – this time. Niskanen knew exactly where the 22-second difference was on the way.
– At that point, the race was no longer exciting when we went to those branches, Niskanen told Urheilu and pointed to the steepest climb on the course.
– I noticed the difference with the right eye. Ebba was so much stronger in that and for me that was the hardest part. It seemed that Ebba always got to that fork much easier than I did.
Andersson fell ill with the corona virus in December, and he had to take a break from competition for more than a month. When he returned to real action in January at the Scandinavian Cup in Falun, he was superior in both the 10-kilometer freestyle and the 30-kilometer traditional combined start race.
Niskanen wasn’t surprised by the speed of the Swede, because he was already the clear number one in Friday’s 10 km free race.
– Ebba is in really good shape. I already knew that before this race. He was really hard today, because I skied really hard myself, Niskanen stated.
At the World Championships in Planica, the joint start competition of the traditional skiing method is even longer than in Les Rousses, because at that time the women ski 30 kilometers. Andersson is one of the early favorites for this race, but Niskas has one relief in mind for this fight in the World Championships.
– Planica doesn’t have that branching, that’s positive. Let’s hope the fight will be tougher then!
Pärmäkoski made “Iivonikaset”
Krista Pärmäkoski’s Les Rousses weekend did not go according to plan. On Friday his going was very sticky and on Saturday he missed the sprint stage because he didn’t feel well. On Sunday, his race, which started well, went downhill already in the second round.
– I fell in the same bend where Even Iivo (Neck) visited the track surface (on Friday), Pärmäkoski said.
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In Pärmäkoski’s opinion, the landing was basically safe, because he stayed upright on all other laps. On the second lap, however, ice had come out and caused Pärmäkoski to fall.
– I knew that I had slippery skis and I gave myself a bit of a lead on the branching climb in the second round. I thought we were going to catch up and I came to the corners well. Then I was surprised that here we are on our stomachs, we are having fun, he laughed.
After reaching the top of Pärmäkoski, he had to wait for the other skiers to pass him, as the speed difference between the skiers would have been too great.
– If I had missed it, someone would have fallen in the neck. I fell out of that group because of that, but then I started skiing to catch up.
Pärmäkoski crossed the finish line in tenth, and the difference to Andersson was 2:20.8. However, he was satisfied with his skiing, even if the fall ruined the top result. He did not believe that he had been able to fight for the prize places, because the Norwegian duo who finished after Andersson and Niskanen Astrid Öyre Slind – Ingvild Flugstad Östberg was that rugged of the pursuers.
– This was better as skiing. The best I’ve been able to serve this weekend.
Before the World Cup in Planica, the World Cup will be contested next weekend in Toblach. Pärmäkoski was in great shape at the Tour de Ski, but had to stop due to illness. He believes he knows how he will be able to get back to his Tour form again.
– Probably light training now. I believe that next weekend will be better, he assured.