A huge disappointment for Ristomatti Hakola – “I thought I would never be able to”

– I once thought that I could never fall out of the continuation in a traditional sprint in Ruka. Such a day had to be experienced, Cross mat Hakola your mana after the sprint qualifying.

Hakola was fortieth in the traditional sprint qualifying of the Ruka World Cup, while the best 30 advanced to the next round. Farewell to the number one qualifier, Sweden To Marcus Grate accumulated 6.7 seconds.

It is the first time in Hakola’s career that he missed the Ruka sprint qualifying. The best result from Kuusamo’s opening race is fourth (2017).

– Maybe the expectations weren’t completely dead, but I thought we should get to the next round. The end was bad. The leg does not move as it should, Hakola analysed.

Two weeks ago, Hakola was the 15th in Olos’ traditional decade.

A gap of years

The Finnish skier said before the season that he was suffering from inflammation of the pubic bone in his hip. At that time, Hakola estimated that he might only compete in traditional skiing competitions in the season that has started now.

Health problems have bothered me for a long time. Hakola estimates that in the last three years, he has been in the grip of various ailments for a year and a half.

– I haven’t done any explosive leg movements in a couple of years. You can see it. Even the runs of a couple of years have been missed, he said on Friday.

Fortunately, Hakola’s ailments in Ruka did not leave a dent in her body during the skiing. On Saturday, it’s time for a 10-kilometer time trial.

– There is no pressure. The split start is a good race. Let’s go in pursuit of the fifteen.

Among the Finnish men, they took the next place in the sprint Emil Liekari, Joni Mäki, Niilo Moilanen, Lauri Vuorinen, Juuso Haarala, Wiljam Mattila and Eero Rantala.

The heat stage of the sprint starts at 13:30.