Iivo Niskanen Surprised With His Strategy Against Norwegians

Iivo Niskanen made a remarkable return to the World Cup events, surprising many with a different approach in his race against the Norwegians. Typically seen as a front-runner in mass-start races, Niskanen opted for a more strategic role during the 20-kilometer mass start held in Les Rousses, France. Throughout the race, he carefully observed the movements of leading Norwegian athletes, waiting to capitalize on their mistakes while conserving his energy.

The mass start turned into a competitive skiing match, especially with Austria's Mika Vermeulen and France's Hugo Lapalus setting a fast pace right from the start. This rapid pace split the leading group early, benefiting Niskanen as he was able to stick with the pack without overexerting himself.

In a thrilling finale, Niskanen launched an attack during the last three laps. He, along with Norse skiers Simen Hegstad Krüger and William Poromaa, broke free from the rest of the competitors. The final stretch saw a nail-biting contest where Poromaa edged out Niskanen for victory.

Despite finishing second, it was an exhilarating race for Niskanen, marking his third podium for the season with a total of 24 World Cup podiums in his career. "It was decent; there was solid competition. The Swedes were strong today, reminiscent of great performances by Frida Karlsson and Ebba Andersson in the women's race," Niskanen reflected after the race.

Niskanen's unique strategy was exceptional, focusing on remaining calm while others scrambled for bonus seconds. He stressed the importance of conserving energy, especially on steeper sections, aiming to maximize speed on moderate terrain instead, avoiding the temptation of immediate rewards. In the end, he simply enjoyed being in the race, knowing he was in good form.