Iivo Niskanen is not the only top name returning to the skiing World Cup. The World Cup continues this weekend in Oberhof, Germany.
Oberhof World Cup competitions live on channels. See shipping information here.
Iivo Niskanen returns to real action this weekend at the Oberhof World Cup. The Finnish skiing star had to miss the turn of the year Tour de Ski after falling ill.
After the second place in the opening race in Ruka, Niskanen’s season has been quite modest for him, as the results have been in the worst part of the top ten.
Niskanen was by no means the only top name that had to leave the traditional tour without competing. Norwegians too Johannes Hösflot Kläbo and Simen Hegstad Krüger got sick at the end of December.
Now the trio is back in shape and ready to show off their superiority in Saturday’s 20-kilometer traditional cross-country start race. Niskanen and Kläbo will also ski Friday’s sprint.
– As usual, there was a fierce competition for the eight men’s representative places. Simen Hegstad Krüger, who fell ill just before the Tour de Ski, is ready to start Didrik Tönseth and Johannes Hösflot with Kläbo, Norwegian team manager Per Elias Kalfoss assured On the website of the Norwegian Ski Association.
Friday 19.1. at 13:50 sprint (p), qualifying
at 16:20 sprint (p), heat stage
Saturday 20.1. at 11:25 a.m. 20 km (p), joint start, men
at 14:30 20 km (p), joint start, women
Sunday 21.1.
at 11:50 relay 4×7.5 km, women
at 14:10 relay 4×7.5 km, men
Broadcasts live on TV2, Areena and the app.
Tiril Udnes Weng opens his World Cup season
On the women’s side, tough names will also return to the World Cup, as Norway, who won the overall World Cup competition last season Tiril Udnes Weng will only open its World Cup season in Oberhof. Weng got sick with corona in November and had to get sick again before Christmas.
Also left Sweden in the Tour de Ski Ebba Andersson is in racing condition again. Andersson got sick with corona before the Tour, and was not at his best on the tour.
– We have a really strong and charged team. After the free week after the Tour de Ski, racing is already much needed. Oberhof is a new place for many, and it gives additional motivation when you get to compete on new tracks, Swedish team leader Anders Byström comment On the website of the Swedish Ski Association.
Instead, the Norwegians who stopped the Tour de Ski Lotta Udnes Weng, Anne Kjersti Kalvå and Astrid Öyre Slind are still recovering. Weng has already been able to practice, but Kalvå and Slind have not. Stopped the tour Silje Theodorsen was named to Oberhof’s team, but he had to withdraw from the race weekend after falling ill again.
– Hopefully we can get rid of illnesses this season and avoid them next winter, when the World Championships will be held in Trondheim, coach of the Norwegian national team Stig Rune Kveen said for NRK.
Achieved the first prize places in the World Cup this season Moa Ilar also has to miss the Oberhof race. Ilar, who anchored the Swedish relay team to victory, has a cough and a sore throat.
Snow chaos punished Norway and Sweden, not Finland
The snow chaos that is punishing Europe has caused problems for the Norwegian and Swedish teams. The Norwegian sprint team was supposed to fly to Central Europe already on Wednesday, but the flight was moved during the day. On Thursday, the morning flight to Frankfurt was canceled and the sprinters led by Kläbo had to fly later with the team’s regular distance skiers.
The transfer of the flight meant that the sprinters could not train in the official training sessions. The International Ski Federation has given the skiers the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the track before qualifying.
The Swedish team was able to leave on Wednesday, but late and on a different route than planned.
– This is an experienced team, so this does not affect us that much. It doesn’t help but take it easy, team coach Johan Granath said For Expressen.
Head coach of the Finnish national team Teemu Pasanen messaged STT on Wednesday evening that the Finnish skiers had no travel problems, but that the team arrived at Oberhof on Wednesday during the day.