Updated 13.45 | Published 13.12
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full screen nextIt’s going hard for Ebba Andersson in the Tour de Ski.
1 / 2Photo: Terje Pedersen/NTB/TT
New Year’s Eve and 10 kilometers of classic Tour de Ski.
That’s when Finland’s Kerttu Niskanen stood on top of the podium.
The Swedes? They were far away from the close combat.
The best was Linn Svahn with a ninth place.
In the premiere sprint in Toblach, it was twice Swedish at the top.
During Sunday’s 10 km classic, however, there were no Swedish podium places.
It wasn’t even close.
The best Swede was somewhat surprisingly Saturday’s sprint winner Linn Svahn, who finished ninth. It was the only blue-yellow top 10 entry. Svahn is now third in the tour standings.
– I actually think it feels perfectly fine. Maybe a little surprised that you are so far behind. It wasn’t a bad race, but as a team effort it’s in the red, she says in Viaplay.
Frida Karlsson was the second best Swede with an eleventh place.
– It was a worse result than I had hoped for. I still had a pretty good feeling in my body so I had aimed higher, she says in Viaplay.
Heavy for Andersson
Finnish Kerttu Niskanen won ahead of Victoria Carl (Germany) and Jessie Diggins (USA).
For Ebba Andersson, the heavy Tour de Ski start continues. After failing to advance from the sprint qualifier, she was no better than 13th fastest rider.
– It’s been a long time since I’ve experienced such a tough ten kilometer race. I really had zero recovery up there and reached my maximum ceiling very early so it was tiring, says Andersson in Viaplay.
Jonna Sundling was twelfth, Emma Ribom (14) and Moa Ilar (15).
If it was the material that messed up for the Swedes?
– It’s too early to say, but we’ll have to analyze and see what we come up with, says dam manager Anders Svanebo in Viaplay.
Women’s coach Stefan Thomson seems more sure of his cause.
– The feeling is that the material is not as it should be. We lose the same parts, parts that the girls should be good at, so that strengthens the feeling, he says in Viaplay.
“Not our day”
Both favorite Andersson and reigning Tour de Ski champion Karlsson have had messy starts to the season that have been disrupted by illness.
– I have to hope that it is these tough runs that my body needs to wake up to life, because at this level I am not very keen to ride around, says Ebba Andersson.
– It wasn’t really our day today, so it’s just a matter of recharging, says Frida Karlsson.
On New Year’s Day, a 20 km hunting start awaits.
2023-12-31 12:25:51
#Swedish #nightmare #Tour #Ski #podium
