Did you notice Kerttu Niskanen’s decisive game movement in the medal battle

Kerttu Niskasen Sunday’s performance in the 30-kilometer race in China was by far the best bet of his career in the free pass.

– The most important factor is that Kerttu is in such good shape. And the other is that the circumstance and the place allowed for success – it wasn’t too slippery, nor too easy the terrain. And the third factor is self-confidence: he has stated that he is the best in the world in any race, says Iltalehti’s ski expert Reijo Jylhä.

Niskanen has skied 30 kilometers in the World Cup in Oslo in the free Fourth. The rankings are: 28, 11, 17 and 14. The most recent bet, fourteenth place, is from 2019.

In the World Cup, Davos’ 15th place came fifth in 2013.

He was fourth at the Sochi Olympics eight years ago.

Before Sunday, it was the best career break in performance.

Why did Niskanen do so much skating on Sunday?

– Kertu’s biggest challenge in the free time is the fast weather. As we move forward with fast techniques, especially Wassberg, the ski angle wants to stay too wide. The weight escapes from the top of the ski, Jylhä answers.

– There was a slow weather in China, so the ski angle had to be wide to have time to do the work on the ski, the expert continues.

Niskanen passed on Sunday Ebba Anderssonin in the stadium area, but in the curve before the finish line it seemed that the Russian Tatjana Sorina comes over from behind. Then Niskanen made a decisive move.

– He was able to push much better. Sorina had a much shorter thrust. It feels like free Kertu thrust is better than traditional. When on one ski, you can’t fold your hips so much. With a traditional one, Kerttu folds his hips so much that he is too deep.

Historical medal

Vieronä Koito’s skier’s bronze is the first in the history of the Finnish Women’s Olympic race in the 30-kilometer free race. From the World Cup level is Marjo Matikainen bronze from 1989.

– Since the beginning of the history of skating, we have had few skiers who can compete for such rankings in the competition. Shorter free trips are still gone ok, but thirty hasn’t even come close.

In the World Cup, Finns have had great challenges on normal free trips when skiing on performance-intensive tracks.

For example, in these snow-free 10-kilometer breaks in Lillehammer and Davos, the balance of Niskanen is 12th and 15th.

– The average age of the Finnish team is reasonably high. Zhangjiakou’s tracks have returned to the direction of endurance sports, and it supports Finns. There are coaches, including signatories, who have favored endurance-based coaching. It is now visible in the results, Jylhä estimates.

How does age appear?

Niskanen turns 34 in June. He said in China, he hasn’t even thought about quitting – and especially at the moment of success, putting skis in a bag seems even more distant.

– There are quite a few skiers who are at the top of the world when they are over 35 years old. Hilde G. Pedersen is one of the exceptions. Inevitably, the maximum speed slows down with age. Sustainability does not disappear anywhere, but there will be challenges to performance, Jylhä comments.

– But at next season’s World Championships in Planica, there are really ski trails that are suitable for Kertu. And four years from now, the traditional thirties of the Milan-Cortina Games will fit Kertu very well, the expert continues.