Kerttu Niskanen led Finland’s women to a stellar day – expert amazed by Remi Lindholm's explanation

In an exciting World Cup event held in Italy, Finland’s Kerttu Niskanen clocked a superb performance in the 10km freestyle race, finishing in third place – her second career podium in this discipline. She finished 15.4 seconds behind the winning USA’s Jessie Diggins and was closely trailed by Norway’s Astrid Öyre Slind, who came in second.

Niskanen also climbed the ranks in both the normal distance cup, where she is third, and the overall cup, where she is positioned fourth. Expert Aino-Kaisa Saarinen commended her for maintaining a steady pace throughout the race and for her ability to surge in the final stages against competitors like Tchech skier Katerina Janatova.

On the men’s side, Iivo Niskanen displayed excellent form by finishing sixth in the 10km freestyle, underscoring his impressive condition. In contrast, Arsi Ruuskanen and Remi Lindholm had lackluster performances, with Ruuskanen finishing 37th and Lindholm 56th. Lindholm, who has been struggling with ski equipment issues this season, expressed surprise in a post-race interview at Viaplay, hinting that better equipment – similar to what top competitors like Jessie Diggins and Vilma Ryytty are using – might have helped improve his performance.

Additionally, Finland’s cross-country scene was boosted by other strong performances; Krista Pärmäkoski, who secured a top-ten finish several times this season, finished fifth in a demanding uphill race. Vilma Ryytty, having achieved her career-best result by finishing 12th in this race, continues to secure her spot for the upcoming World Championships in Trondheim.

This international level competition reflects the depth and talent in Nordic skiing, with Finnish athletes demonstrating both resilience and excellence against a high-caliber field.