Kerttu Niskanen's Super Performance Ignites American Star – Jessie Diggins Saw a "Huge Unfair" Situation

Jessie Diggins had a surprisingly subdued performance during the unique New Year's Eve race at the Tour de Ski. This event featured a 20-kilometer freestyle interval start competition in Toblach, Italy, amidst the stunning Dolomite landscape.

Before the New Year, Diggins led the overall Tour standings, but her lead over Kerttu Niskanen shrank to just 22 seconds. Moreover, Norwegian skiers Astrid Öyre Slind and Therese Johaug were closing in on her.

In the latter half of the race, Slind and Johaug capitalized on the advantage of skiing in a pack, while Niskanen had to navigate the course alone. Finnish head coach Teemu Pasanen lamented Niskanen’s unfortunate situation post-race, stating that she had to tackle the entire distance and a long downhill stretch by herself while others in the lead group were benefiting from drafting.

Diggins also noticed the tough circumstances for some competitors and praised her teammate Julia Kern’s support during the race.

Diggins remarked, "Without her, it would have been really difficult, because it’s either lucky to be skiing with someone or it’s not. That’s how skiing is. It’s not fair. Today, the course was incredibly unfair with big differences resulting from how competitors grouped in the final section. Some skied alone." She commended athletes like Kerttu Niskanen for their exceptional performances amidst such conditions, noting, "They achieved impressive results under harsh circumstances."

The women’s 20 km race results from Toblach were as follows: 1. Astrid Öyre Slind (NOR) - 48:54.9 2. Therese Johaug (NOR) - +3.3 3. Kerttu Niskanen (FIN) - +20.3 4. Katherine Stewart-Jones (CAN) - +27.8 5. Victoria Carl (GER) - +27.8 6. Jessie Diggins (USA) - +36.3