Krista Pärmäkoski reached the sprint final for the second time in Val di Fiemme and was fifth. Pärmäkoski narrowed Frida Karlsson’s lead significantly.
Joel Sippola,
Laura Arffman
Krista Pärmäkoski continued his strong performances at the Tour de Ski when he finished fifth in the Val di Fiemme traditional sprint. At the same time, he was able to close the gap with Sweden, which is at the top of the overall race to Frida Karlssonwho finished fourth in the first heat won by Pärmäkoski, and there was not enough time for the semi-finals.
Pärmäkoski reached Karlsson by 36 seconds and the difference is now 1.05. Tiril Udnes Weng was second in the race that ended with the Norwegians celebrating their triple victory and is 41 seconds ahead of the Swede.
– On the first ascent, one of Weng’s sisters skied a bit on skis, where she lost speed. When I picked up the pace, yes Myhrvold (Mathilde) got through, Pärmäkoski said.
Pärmäkoski also had a program in the last ascent, when Lotta Udnes Weng chose to ski between the slopes instead of the track rut.
– Then there was trouble. I drifted inside. I couldn’t pick up the pace. In a way, the tactic worked. There were just too many women. It would have been better to go skiing alone. It would have been better if I had been able to ski alone, Pärmäkoski opened.
Although Pärmäkoski is no longer the speed virtuoso of previous years in sprints, the Finn’s convincing start gave indications of an even better final position. Pärmäkoski, who worked hard, also excelled in the semi-finals, but had to bow out in the final straight.
He eventually advanced to the finals as the second fastest in the time trial. In the final, Pärmäkoski was left in the bag on the last climb, and did not get decent positions on the final straight.
Pärmäkoski was satisfied with the ranking in terms of the overall race. On Saturday in Val di Fiemme, there is a 15-kilometer joint start on the traditional route.
– It was an important success. Tomorrow is just as important when bonus seconds are distributed on the way. I caught Karlsson, but Tiril got a few more seconds, Pärmäkoski reminded.
Sprint’s final place was Pärmäkoski’s second of the season. He was fifth in the free race in Davos before Christmas.
The Finns against Weng’s siblings
Made it to the semi-finals Kerttu Niskanen narrowly missed the finals.
– I saved on the climb and tried to keep the skiing relaxed on the climb. The tactic was that I didn’t go to the finish line. I changed my tactics from the start so that I don’t go to the finish line first. I think it was a mistake. I couldn’t get enough speed behind the leader, Niskanen reiterated his semi-final performance.
Tiril’s twin sister, who won her first race on Friday, is fourth after Pärmäkoski Lotta Udnes Weng. Niskanen is fifth, one minute and 32 seconds behind the Norwegians.
Ylen Sports expert Toni Roponen gave a delicious assessment of the Finnish duo’s situation.
– When you think about Pärmäkoski’s state of fitness and Kerttu gets to her own good level, there is still a chance that two Finnish women will be among the three in the final results. Weng’s siblings are unpredictable, Roponen stated in the TV broadcast.
Two Finns have only once been among the top three at the end of the Tour de Ski. In the season 2008–2009 Virpi Kuitunen won and Aino-Kaisa Saarinen was another.
Pärmäkoski was confident about Saturday.
– If we keep up the pace tomorrow, won’t the Norwegians be frozen there? There may be big differences.
Pellegrino’s fall is a big surprise
Big surprises were also seen on the men’s side, when known as a tough sprinter Federico Pellegrino and Norway Paul Golberg were frozen in the starters. The Italian Pellegrino was second in the overall race. Golberg, a good sprinter and one of the early favorites for the Tour, also lost important seconds.
He won as usual Johannes Höfslot Kläbo before Sweden Calle Halfvarssonia and Italy Simone Moccellini.
Kläbo increased his lead in the overall race.