The smell of cow dung ignited Perttu Hyvärinen’s “miraculous” drive in the sprint – today is a “sweet race”, Krista Pärmäkoski is confident

shows the Val Müstair and Val di Fiemme races on its channels. The broadcast of the 10 kilometer (p) pursuit races starts on Sunday, January 1. at 12:55 p.m.

At the Tour de Ski, the 10 km traditional pursuit races are being skied today, although just a few days ago the International Ski Federation (FIS) tried to change the competition format to a joint start with the race organizers of Val Müstair.

– Fortunately, with a joint rebellion, we were able to change it back to a chase, Krista Pärmäkoski stated after Saturday’s sprint race.

– When we start with small differences, it will be a sweet race.

Perttu Hyvärinen thought it was good that Finland, along with other teams, put pressure on FIS. He stated that the chase is safer as a form of competition, because at that time there are fewer men in a pile. The Val Müstair track had to be shortened from 3.3 kilometers to 2.5 kilometers, and according to Hyvärinen, there will be “moderate curves”.

– It will be a much better race this way and those who were not so good in the sprint will have a chance to get into better places when there is more space to ski, Hyvärinen said and recalled what happened in the 20 km traditional ski start race in Lillehammer.

In the race held at the beginning of December, 35 men fit within 15 seconds, and the race ended with a large group of people fighting.

– It was a pretty fun race, but it wasn’t safe, Hyvärinen stated.

The smell of cow manure ignited Hyvärinen

Perttu Hyvärinen surprised even himself in the opening race of the Tour de Ski, in the freestyle sprint, when he skied from qualifying to the next. Free sprint is not one of Hyvärinen’s strengths, and the last time he had qualified for the competition was six years ago, also at Val Müstair.

What Hyvärinen found on top of the blow now remained a mystery to him as well. He assured that the free sprint does not suit him at all.

– Maybe there’s a bit of a cow dung smell here, so it kind of ignites here, he laughed.

– Wonderful. The best freestyle skiing for this season. Just happened to sprint, it’s a bit special.

The next place was not a big cause for celebration for Hyvärinen, rather the opposite. He stated that it would have been easier if he had qualified.

– I started skiing so that I would be fifth in my heat or that I would have at least gained something. But if you’re last in the heat, it’s of no use. I burned more energy, Hyvärinen lamented after the sprint.

However, the man from the Puijo Ski Club also found positives on the opening day, as his early season has been quite fluctuating. The traditional one has gone well at times, but the free results have remained modest.

– The beginning of the season has been really difficult for Vapari. If only we could fight in Ober (20 km v chase) and Fiemme (10 km v joint start) “on skateboards”.

Sunday is also an important day for Hyvärinen, because he gets to the track in 28th, 1.05 behind the leader. Within just over 10 seconds, there are 15 skiers ahead of him. Also Iivo in Niskase is probably on the blinker in the race, because he starts 1.14 from the top and there are 26 men in front of him within four seconds.

On the women’s side Kerttu Niskanen gets to start in 12th place, 44 seconds from the top. Krista Pärmäkoski starts the chase 14 seconds later.

– I will go skiing uphill and try to grab as many places as possible, Niskanen promised.