Therese Johaug's Bus Trip from Ruka to Rovaniemi Airport Extended to 11 Hours Due to Slippery Conditions

Therese Johaug's Bus Trip from Ruka to Rovaniemi Airport Extended to 11 Hours Due to Slippery Conditions

Norway's cross-country skiing team faced an unexpectedly long return journey from Ruka to Rovaniemi Airport on Sunday evening due to dangerously slippery road conditions. The bus trip was intended to last around three hours but turned into an eleven-hour ordeal as ice covered the roads. Norwegian broadcaster NRK reported that the team spent the night on the bus, as it became stuck for several hours on the roadside.

Johaug's Experience

Therese Johaug expressed frustration over the long journey, stating, "I have never encountered anything like this before. There were several centimeters of ice everywhere."
Johaug was relieved to have reached her destination safely, stating, "I’m really happy to be here, rather than lying in a ditch in a Finnish forest."

Despite the uncomfortable circumstances, Johaug and her teammates managed to keep a positive atmosphere on the bus. The bus driver was praised for his calm demeanor during the trip, which allowed the team to sleep despite the long wait.

Road Conditions

The slippery conditions also led to over ten accidents on the roads during the same timeframe, prompting warnings about hazardous driving across the region. Coach Sjur Ole Svarstad mentioned that the situation was manageable as long as the bus remained stationary, but it was too risky to drive under such conditions.

The cross-country skiing World Cup continues later in the week in Lillehammer, Norway, where the team flew from Rovaniemi to Oslo upon finally departing the airport.