Iver Andersen won in Lillehammer – Jussi Piirainen was amazed

– I wouldn’t have been able to place a betting slip as the winner or even in the top three!

Finnish national team coach Jussi Piirainen the reaction thrown in with humor tells how big a surprise was seen in the men’s 10 km freestyle skiing intermediate start on Friday.

A 22-year-old skied to victory in Lillehammer Iver Andersen. The young Norwegian left behind several world champions.

– Brave performance. Hats off to him, Piirainen commented.

The men’s race was dominated by the Norwegians, as no fewer than ten skiers from the host country were among the top twelve. Even more would have fit in the top end, if a superstar Johannes Kläbo wouldn’t have been sidelined because of a sore throat.

Piirainen reminds that the Norwegians were able to ski on familiar slopes.

– The Norwegians have done really well in Lillehammer before. That was really overwhelming. We have to work a lot to be able to hit a wedge. To get to the top, you have to do very well.

– I believe that when Iivo Niskanen returns, the pace can change, at least in the traditional games.

The best of the Finnish men had skied to 21st place Lauri Lepistö.

– Our entire six was within 12 seconds. Rarely do we have six skiers in the top 40. Of course, there were no top performances in the women’s and men’s competitions.

“Nothing to hand”

– There wasn’t really anything left in the hand. Phone currently, Krista Pärmäkoski summed up Lillehammer’s opening race of the World Cup in the announcement of the Ski Federation.

Pärmäkoski was 27th in the women’s 10 km free time trial race on Friday. Leave the winner to Jessie Diggins came one minute and 11 seconds.

The Finn’s ski was not the best, but the wind didn’t help matters either.

– They tried to offer me Diggins’ fart, but I couldn’t answer it. It probably wasn’t the best leg.

– Every season has at least one bad race. If it had been skied now.

Ranked highest among Finnish women Kerttu Niskanenwho skied to 18th place. The difference of almost 52 seconds to the top did not please the Olympic medalist.

In Lillehammer, you can ski on the slopes of the biathlon stadium.

– Easy and fast track. I felt that the performance should be at its peak in order to be able to ski from good positions. Currently the performance is not so good. It shows in the results.

The skier of the first world cup of the season performed encouragingly for Finns Eveliina Piippo. Piippo, who has been out of the national team in recent years, set off quickly and was 21st at the finish line.

– There is still a long way to go before being able to keep yourself tight from the start. On the best days I can do it. Now I was only able to lift to a big acid at the end of the race. The main thing is that I didn’t break before the finish line.

Piiroinen admits that the total contribution of Finnish women was lower than expected.

The Lillehammer World Cup continues on Saturday with the freestyle sprints.