During the Tour de Ski, skiing legend Petter Northug was worried about Jessie Diggins’ hitting ability. Toni Roponen believes that the freestyle special woman will fight for the world championship in Planica.
of the United States Jessie Diggins entered the Tour de Ski women’s race as one of the biggest early favorites. A good all-around skier captured the overall victory of the tour 2020-2021.
Before Christmas, the 31-year-old athlete won the 20 km free intermediate start race held in Davos by far. Diggins and Sweden were also promoted from the Tour de Ski Frida Karlsson duel between.
When the tour started in Val Müstair with the free sprint race, however, we saw a big surprise: Diggins missed the qualification. A year ago, he won the opening race with the same race format.
The slow performances continued in the second and third stages as well. In the traditional pursuit, he was 30th and lost to the fastest in the splits Kerttu Niskanen one minute and 40 seconds.
The tour moved to Oberstdorf and the journey was a ten-kilometer split start in traditional skiing. Diggins collapsed. He lost 2.10 to the winner and was 40th.
After the third race, the Norwegian experts let it burn (you switch to another service). A skiing legend working as a commentator on Norwegian TV2 Petter Northug wished that Diggins would have left the Tour with the rest of the season in mind.
– When you look at body language, it’s very clear that things aren’t working. I hope that was the last time we saw him on tour.
The channel’s second commentator was on the same lines Petter Skinstad.
– The coaches of the US team have to get down to business and get him off the tour. This is painful to watch. One of the best skiers in the world is like a shadow of himself.
Diggins himself stated that you shouldn’t give up just because it’s hard.
– It’s an important message for young skiers, Diggins acknowledged.
Clicking in the pursuit race
The next day, however, a completely different performance was seen from the Olympic champion in the 20 km free pursuit race in Obersdorf. He rose to eighth place during the race.
The essential message about the woman’s striking ability was that she was the fastest of all in the time trials. Diggins was no less than 22 seconds faster than Frida Karlsson, the runner-up in the split times and the first to cross the finish line.
Experienced Diggins was fifth on the last stage in the ascent of Alpe Cermis and rose to 11th place in the overall results.
Freestyle skiing has always been Diggins’ clear passion. For example, last winter at the Beijing Olympics, he won silver in the 30 km free race. The first personal race medal came from the 10 km free time trial.
At his best, Diggins has also seen good traditional races.
Sports expert Toni Roposen it is delusional to think that Diggins is in bad shape.
– Diggins is basically a free skier. He is usually bad at traditional. The free sprint went to the peak of lubrication. In the second free race, he was the fastest.
Roponen believes that Diggins will be strong in the next free games of the World Cup.
– At the World Championships in Planica, there are ten free riders on the way. I think he will be very strong and fight for the win.
“You can’t be the fastest in bad shape”
After the opening race that went wrong, Diggins’ starting point for the Tour was challenging.
– The challenge of the Tour is that if you go in the wrong direction, you have to ski with worse skiers. In the pursuit race, he was very far behind. The traditional top 10 as an intermediate start is, compared to expectations, his worst trip.
– However, you cannot be the fastest in a 20 kilometer race if you are in bad shape, Roponen reminds.
Diggins also had equipment problems at the Tour. After the pursuit race in Obersdorf, Diggins your receipt (you switch to another service) To Petter Northug:
– As an expert, you should know when there is a fault with the skis.
Roponen says that Northug is not very familiar with a similar situation.
– The Norwegians have very rarely failed with the equipment. When such total bombs come and the following trips are so bad, they have a total effect, Roponen refers to Diggins.
The World Championships of Nordic skiing will be held in Planica from February 22 to March 5. The races are shown on channels.