Kerttu Niskanen has a good chance of finishing second at the Tour de Ski with a successful effort in the climb up Alpe Cermis. Johannes Høsflot Klæbo has won all six stages on this year’s tour – shouldn’t the Norwegian succeed in the impossible and win today too?
At 11.55 Ladies’ final climb, mass start, Val di Fiemme
Finland: 3 Kerttu Niskanen, 16 Anne Kyllönen
Commentator: Mikael Oivo
Second place within reach of Kerttu Niskanen
Kerttu Niskanen has never finished better than fifth in the final results at the Tour de Ski. Now most things say that Niskanen will be the fifth Finn to succeed in finishing among the top three on the tour. The four former are Virpi Kuitunen, Aino-Kaisa Saarinen, Krista Pärmäkoski and Kerttu’s brother Iivo.
Before the final climb up Alpe Cermis, Niskanen is in third place. She is only 25 seconds up to the runner-up Tiril Udnes Weng, and last year, for example, Niskanen was 50 seconds faster of the two in the final climb.
Tiril Udnes Weng will be forced to pour on to be held in front of Kerttu Niskanen.
Image: IMAGO/Nordphoto/All Over Press
Tour de Ski
World Cup leader Weng has certainly never before been as good as she was this winter. The fight for second place can be extremely even.
If Kerttu is not having a good day, she is threatened from behind by yesterday’s winner, Katharina Hennig. The German, who in advance is relatively equal to Niskanen on today’s stage, has 23 seconds to the Finn.
Frida Karlsson for the first time up Alpe Cermis
Only a total lack of herding or an illness can prevent Frida Karlsson from winning the Tour de Ski – that’s how it feels. Before the final stage, she has a lead of one minute and 12 seconds.
The 23-year-old Swede has admittedly never climbed Alpe Cermis, at least not in competition. Although she lacks the brutal experience, most things say that she will complete the task with her honor intact. Her characteristics should be well suited for climbing the slalom hill.
At 13.40 Men’s final climb, mass start, Val di Fiemme
Finland: 23 Perttu Hyvärinen, 31 Markus Vuorela
Commentator: Mikael Oivo
The final clip of a heavy tour for the men in blue and white
The Finnish men have been anonymous at this year’s Tour de Ski. For one thing, neither Perttu Hyvärinen nor Markus Vuorela – or any of the three Finnish men who have already stopped the tour – have scored any hits during the six previous stages. For one thing, a large part of the Finns chose to skip the tour entirely this time.
The climb up Alpe Cermis is neither Hyvärinen’s nor Vuorela’s strongest stages, seen in advance. If they manage to maintain their positions on the tour (Hyvärinen 20th and Vuorela 29th), they can be reasonably satisfied with their performances – although Hyvärinen in particular had expected slightly better results on the tour overall.
Will Klæbo manage to surprise us and win even the last stage?
Very little of what Johannes Høsflot Klæbo does on the competition tracks surprises nowadays. He practically has no weaknesses anymore and is the best at most things.
What he has definitely not been the best at in the past has been the inhuman climb up the slalom hill in Val di Fiemme. But he has developed his weaknesses on that point as well, and last year he was already fifth fastest on the final stage of the Tour de Ski. This winter, he has shown that he has become even more complete as a distance skier, and it can also be seen on today’s stage.
Johannes Høsflot Klæbo has been unthreatened in the Tour de Ski.
Image: EPA-EFE
Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, cross-country skiing
No one has ever managed to win all the stages during a Tour de Ski. It’s unlikely to happen this year either, but if someone is ever going to manage that feat, it must be the best cross-country skier of all time in his best years as a skier.
Admittedly, the 26-year-old Norwegian can also choose to take it relatively easy up the monster hill. His lead over the nearest competitors – who are, in advance, worse than himself even on the last stage – is over a minute.
As for the Alpe Cemis specialists Simen Hegstad Krüger and Sjur Röthe, they can go and make sure to finish second and third in the final results of the tour. But they will hardly reach Klæbo. Before today’s tough finish, Krüger is sixth, one minute and 46 seconds behind Klæbo – Röthe is 43 seconds behind Krüger in tenth place.
