Finnish Skiers Shine in Tour de Ski; Shock and Struggles for Swedish Team

Jasmi Joensuu reaches the podium – see how a 15-year drought was broken.

The Tour de Ski event is being held from December 28 to January 5 in Italy. Yle is following the events in this article.

Highlights from Tour de Ski on Saturday:

• Jasmi Joensuu broke a 15-year podium drought for Finnish women in the World Cup sprint at Toblach, finishing second, narrowly losing to Jessie Diggins on the final stretch.
• A remarkable five Finnish skiers reached the semifinals, including Joensuu, Jasmin Kähärä, Kerttu Niskanen, Lauri Vuorinen, and Niilo Moilanen, marking a significant improvement given the struggles of Finnish sprinters in recent years.
• The overall competition saw a surprise when Therese Johaug was eliminated from contention, although she remained positive.
• Ahead of the Tour, Iivo Niskanen withdrew due to an illness, disappointing fans as he was in great form. His sister, Kerttu Niskanen, lamented the loss of her brother's competitive presence.

Finnish Highlights:

• The sprint saw Finnish athletes rise to the occasion, with significant improvements noted from previous events.
• Joensuu’s exceptional performance underscored her talent and potential, showcasing the changing dynamics in Finnish sprinting.

The Swedish Team’s Nightmare Day:

The Swedish women, noted for their sprinting strength, had a disappointing outing, with only Maja Dahlqvist making it to the finals, and her race ended dramatically when she broke her pole at the start.

Swedish media characterized the day as a nightmare and shock, particularly highlighting the surprising elimination of Linn Svahn, who lost her spot on the last few meters of the final stretch.

NRK expert Torbjørn criticized Svahn’s performance, prompting a response from Svahn, who acknowledged her disappointment but emphasized that such bad days happen to everyone and vowed to learn from the experience.

Looking Ahead:

The Tour continues with various events scheduled at Toblach and Val di Fiemme, featuring top athletes and tough competition. Yle holds the broadcasting rights to the Val di Fiemme events, with highlights available on their platforms. There remains hope for more impressive performances from the Finnish team as they build on their achievements at the start of the Tour.