Iivo Niskanen was allowed to stand on the podium a couple of times when the World Cup ended in men’s personal competitions in Falun today.
Kimmo Porttila,
Anu Karttunen,
Mika Halonen
12.3. 14:57 • Updated March 12th. 14:59
Iivo Niskanen ended his World Cup season for individual competitions on the podium, although there was little success in the last race in Falun. Niskanen placed 10th in the 15 km freestyle competition together with the British Andrew Musgraven but kicked third place in the World Cup normal distance crystal ball and overall race after the race.
– It was nice to be able to ski in the interim race even free. It didn’t quite work out in Lillehammer and in Davos I couldn’t participate, Niskanen told Sport after the race.
At the beginning of the season in December, Niskanen did indeed leave Lillehammer in the middle of the race and he did not take part in the Davos race as a precaution. Niskanen considered his performance on Saturday to be moderate, especially since he has never been very successful in Falun.
– Those technical downs are not a matter for us. The descent of the blue side is difficult every time, because as a whole, the whole bet is intact, Niskanen stated.
The season could not have gone better
The World Cup season was broken due to the corona pandemic and the rest of the season has been strongly affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. After the overall competition winner in Norway Johannes Hösflot Kläbo missed out on the last World Cup weekend due to a corona infection and second in the Cup Alexander Bolshunov could not participate because Russia has been excluded from the competition due to the war, Niskanen was allowed to stand alone on the podium on three special occasions. First because of the third place in the overall cup, then when the crystal ball of the Normal Trips Cup is kicked in, and then as the winner of the bonus points cup.
However, this did not freeze the smile of Kuopio residents.
Niska in particular was warmed up by the victory in the Cup for normal trips, whose red vest he was also allowed to carry in the last race of the season. In the Normal Travel Cup, Bolshunov was second and Kläbo third.
– When I left the red vest on the truck in Ruka and after the warm-up I left the frost race, I knew that I would give the others a long lead. But the season as a whole has been pretty good, Niskanen reflected.
– It could be said that the third place in the Tour de Skin and three Olympic medals, of which it is now gold at the top, and then that victory in the distance cup, then it really could not have gone better.
During the season, Niskanen won three World Cup races, each of which was a 15-kilometer traditional interim start. In addition to this, Niskanen was also number one in the World Cup points race, where he snapped points, especially in Holmenkollen’s 50-kilometer race last weekend.
– The fact that I place three in the overall cup is such a measure of wholeness. Things have been done well and I have succeeded on every front this year in these ski races.
Can you say this was the best winter of your life?
– It was for sure, so far, Niskanen said and grinned.
– Let’s see in the future, but of course this is all the result of hard work. I can be proud again of what I have done. I haven’t really compromised on training or discipline. When the bar is high, those requirements must be met and committed to this job. For myself, that crystal ball is a big prize.
Lindholm fought back pain, Hyvärinen’s career continues
15 kilometers from Falun too Remi Lindholm and Perttu Hyvärinen reached World Cup points. For Lindholm, 14th place was the best in his career at the World Cup. He started the race quite briskly, but in the last five kilometers he had a hard time.
– It must have been a good start. Halfway through, it started to hurt my back pretty much. It had to endure, Lindholm told Sport after the race.
Lindholm dropped out of the Holmenkollen 50-kilometer race last weekend due to back pain. He couldn’t say what’s on his back, nor whether he would be able to ski on Sunday at the message competitions if the invitation went.
– You have to look, it’s painful now, he said, spiced up with a swear word.
Lindholm, 24, has made her breakthrough at the international level this season. He also made it to the Beijing Olympics, where he was at his best in the 25th combined race.
– Yes, it’s been a fairy tale. Weekend at a time, and never knew where the next weekend was.
Hyvärinen finished 18th in the race. He described the race pretty much as cross-country skiing, and the best bangs for the day could no longer be found.
– These are fun events, but this no longer seems like a treat, Hyvärinen admitted.
The start of a good World Cup was quite difficult, but he succeeded perfectly in his main goal, the Beijing Olympics, especially the personal games. That’s why Hyvärinen now has pretty empty sleeves and legs. Hyvärinen, 30, said that the work on top skiing will continue again in May.
– Not all cards have been viewed yet, and when it feels like it, the career continues. If it felt like nothing could be found there anymore, the career would end today, Hyvärinen said.