Iivo Niskanen Breaks Over 30-Year Curse with Dominant Falun Victory

Iivo Niskanen produced a sensational performance in Falun on Saturday, dominating the traditional 10 km classical cross‐country race in the World Cup circuit. With a clear and impressive effort, he ended a long-standing curse for Finnish men at this storied venue—a curse that had only been broken in the past by legends such as Veikko Hakulinen in 1954 and Harri Kirvesniemi in 1994. Notably, other Finnish skiing greats like Jari Isometsä and Mika Myllylä had never managed to secure a win in Falun despite their successes.

Niskanen finished a full 12.9 seconds ahead of Norway’s Johannes Hösflot Kläbo, who had previously triumphed at Falun. This win extends the Finnish winning streak at Falun, with Kerttu Niskanen having claimed victories in the two previous years. After the race, Niskanen humorously admitted to Viaplay that he has his own issues with the Falun track, remarking, "I too hate Falun. It is not the best course." He described the event as extremely challenging, especially due to the need for extra effort off the prepared track section. Niskanen only realized Kläbo’s pace during the final kilometer, which allowed him to propel ahead.

Expressing confidence in his preparation for the upcoming World Championships in Trondheim, Niskanen noted that his race pace was well controlled. He even playfully taunted his personal ski technician, Niko Nättinen, about ensuring a good night’s sleep ahead of the next big challenge. The dominant win not only marks a historic moment for Finnish cross-country skiing but has also stirred concern in Norway, who now face a renewed rivalry on the international stage.