The Finnish skier is gradually recovering.
Perttu Hyvärinen has had a difficult start to the 2024–25 season. Jussi Saarinen
Cross-country skier Perttu Hyvärinen33, “little runny nose” turned out to be significantly more persistent than the picture of the disease defined by the man himself makes it clear.
– Perttu was snotty and the heart rates were high. It was quite a long illness, barely a couple of weeks, says the personal trainer Mikko Virtanen.
The man who won the mc competition in Toblach at the Tour de Ski last season withdrew from this season’s tour just before the h-moment due to health problems.
– Perttu is on the mend. He underwent further studies at home. So far, nothing significant has come to light.
Hyvärinen fell ill after the Davos World Cup in mid-December.
– Now he trains normally, but of course his condition is bad, Virtanen says.
Leg injury
Mikko Virtanen is one of Finland’s best ski coaches. Jussi Saarinen
In November, Hyvärinen injured his leg. The mc races of the early season were missed.
– With unbridled work, he got to Davos early to ski. And it was a basic bet in Davos.
Hyvärinen ended up in 26th place in the traditional 20-kilometer split start in the country.
– On Thursday, the finishing practice before Sunday’s race in Davos was miserable. In that sled, he was wearing his butt boots for the first time since his injury. The previous traditional training sessions were done with the monos of the combined competition, says Virtanen.
– If someone had asked after the finishing run if you would take 26th place, I would have said the same. You have to remember that Iivo Niskanen and Martin Nyenget are such tough dudes that you can’t beat them by doing legwork. Rehabilitation training is never the same as normal training, the experienced coach adds.
The coach describes that at the moment Hyvärinen’s leg “is good”.
Return open
Perttu Hyvärinen is a hoe man. Jussi Saarinen
Next weekend, Imatra will be skiing the championships. Virtanen still can’t say whether his shield is with him.
The World Cup continues after the Tour on the 17th–19th. January in France.
– It will probably come too soon. First you have to make sure that the man is fine and everything is fine.
Virtanen says that if you ski at the World Cup in Trondheim in February-March, you must participate in the World Cup in Falun in mid-February at the latest.
– With the World Cup in mind, the younger guys have to show themselves week after week, but of course it’s clear that Pertu has to prove his fitness in one of the World Cup races.
Although the situation is difficult, it has happened before. In the 2017–18 season, Hyvärinen jumped on the ropes at the beginning of the competition season and jumped to the side.
– Then an individual competition plan was made and in the end Perttu skied four distances in the Olympic Games in South Korea.
Virtanen says that Hyvärinen’s competition plan will be drawn up “in the near future.”
Alakoski out
Anni Alakoski’s leg was operated on. PASI LEISMA
Virtanen’s other protégé also had a lot of fun.
Between the international group and the national team group Anni Alakoski the competition season is over.
– The leg has been cut. Let’s hope that Anni will be able to put on skis for the spring snow.
How high has kout’s V-curve been?
– Nothing can be done about them. It’s damn bad luck, and not that something was done wrong, Virtanen replies.
– I enjoy what I do on a daily basis. Of course, I hope that the athletes do well in the games, and work is done because of winning, but the most important thing for me is how I succeed in my coaching work every day. The journey is more important than the end point, Virtanen adds.