Ristomatti Hakola Facing Major Challenges in Finnish Cup

Ristomatti Hakola is having a tough time at the Finnish Cup in Ruka. The experienced skier finished 23rd in the 20-kilometer classic mass start, two minutes behind the winner, Joni Mäki.

Hakola has been facing issues with his back, but his painful expression during the race was not due to that. He mentioned that he had been dealing with a high fever earlier in the week, which made him question whether it was wise to compete, but he chose to go ahead.

Despite having a strong four-week training block, an illness interrupted that period. He doesn’t have high expectations for the upcoming World Cup events in Ruka, stating he will aim to regain his fitness gradually.

Mäki, a renowned sprinter, is confident and feels ready for races, noting that he enjoys competitions like mass starts where he can leverage his finishing speed. Lauri Lepistö finished second and Juuso Haarala came in third, marking a good start to the season for them.

Hakola’s challenges continue, but he is determined to improve as the season progresses. He humorously alluded to potentially having enough time to prepare for the spring championships.

Overall, the men's 20 km race in Ruka saw Joni Mäki take the top spot with a time of 47:18.1, followed closely by Lauri Lepistö and Juuso Haarala.