Aino-Kaisa Saarinen Comments on Iivo Niskanen's Absence at Tour de Ski

Yle Urheilun hiihtoasiantuntija Aino-Kaisa Saarinen paketoi Urheilustudion jatkoilla Tour de Skin kovimmat puheenaiheet.

Iivo Niskanen, who celebrated his victory at Ruka, had to sit out the Tour due to illness. Aino-Kaisa Saarinen labeled the Finnish men as the biggest flop of the Tour.

### What sparked the discussion?

This year's Tour de Ski carried special significance, as the finals in Val di Fiemme also served as test events for the upcoming Olympics. The modified tracks drew mixed reactions from athletes.

Almost everyone condemned Friday's sprint course except for Jasmi Joensuu. Opinions were divided regarding the 20 kilometer combination races, with some classifying the course as tough, while others found it light.

"It appeared that the tracks suited female skiers more than the male counterparts. They probably need to make some adjustments," commented Aino-Kaisa Saarinen during the post-show discussion.

She expressed uncertainty over whether the courses were good or bad. An unusual episode occurred in the test races where only one lap of the normal distance could be utilized due to landowner restrictions, meaning the traditional side of the track could not be used.

### Surprise Moment in Tour de Ski

Saarinen highlighted the pleasant surprise of the Tour, Jasmi Joensuu, who secured her first podium finish in a World Cup event during the opening sprint competition in Toblach. Joensuu also showcased her best performances in the normal distance races. She finished 15th at the Tour's conclusion.

"Jasmi surprised everyone, it was refreshing to see her on the podium and performing well in the normal distances as well. I wanted to see her competing in the longer distances earlier; now she finally got the opportunity," Saarinen praised.

### Disappointment Among Finnish Men

The biggest disappointment in the Tour, according to Saarinen, was the Finnish men's team. Only two Finnish skiers managed to finish the Tour: Arsi Ruuskanen and Lauri Vuorinen. Ruuskanen was the best, placing 19th overall and lagging over five minutes behind the winner Johannes Hösflot Kläbo.

Ruuskanen and Vuorinen's top placements were eighth in the sprint in Toblach and ninth in the traditional sprint in Val di Fiemme, respectively. Niko Anttola performed well early on but had to withdraw due to respiratory symptoms.

The men's expectations took a hit right before the Tour when top skier Iivo Niskanen fell ill. Last year's Tour stage winner Perttu Hyvärinen also had to withdraw due to illness.

"Early in the season, Finnish men showed promising results. It seemed like they were moving in the right direction. Now, the longer the Tour went on, the worse the performance became. Are we once again dependent on Iivo Niskanen? That's my fear," Saarinen assessed.

### Controversies Ahead

This year's Tour de Ski introduced new point competitions, adding to the already complex structure of the races. Critics express that the additional complexity is challenging to follow.

"It's been hard to track the point competitions within the Tour. Why introduce yet another point competition?" Saarinen questioned.

### Looking Forward

With only seven weeks left until the significant competitions, the World Championships, Norway’s Therese Johaug and Johannes Hösflot Kläbo emerged as the dominant forces during the Tour.

Johaug, initially intended to skip the Tour, decided to compete for additional race experience, calling her victory a pleasant surprise.

Saarinen noted that Johaug's performance notably improved throughout the Tour. Now, she wonders if Johaug's momentum will sustain.

Before the Tour, Klæbo was projected to face strong competition from Harald Østberg Amundsen, who secured an impressive victory at the Toblach race, but subsequently fell ill.