Iivo Niskanen's Season Opening Challenges

Iivo Niskanen experienced a difficult start to his season at the Oloksen Tykkikisa opening race. He decisively faced challenges when his ski pole broke just half a kilometer into the competition, hindering his pace.

Niskanen finished fourth in the 12-kilometer classic style intermediate heat, trailing from winner Mattis Stenshagen of Norway by 52.3 seconds. Despite the pole mishap, Niskanen pushed through the race and remarked that he felt he had given a great effort. His strategy seemed to fall behind as he was nearly half a minute off pace at the 3.7-kilometer checkpoint after the equipment failure.

"It was tough. After the pole broke, I had to exert a lot during the first loop. I felt okay overall, but I lost about ten seconds per lap compared to the leaders. So in that way, it was decent," Niskanen told Yle Sports.

He also reflected on his equipment choices, noting that they impacted his performance significantly, with Stenshagen seemingly using a more effective wax. Stenshagen remarked that he didn't anticipate such a decisive victory and acknowledged Niskanen as always a favorite in classical skiing competitions.

Another Finnish skier, Juuso Haarala, surprisingly finished sixth and was the second-best Finn in the race. Haarala credited his preparation and ski choice for the successful outing, stating he had adjusted well to training in Norway over the summer.

Looking ahead to future races, including the upcoming competition in Ruka, Niskanen emphasized his intent to regularly place within the top 30, a goal he takes seriously in every distance race. Haarala, too, expressed aspirations for selection in the World Cup team based on his performance, which he hopes will also position him well for the upcoming World Championships.