The Finnish medalist puts his skis in the bag: “I hit the wall”

Two-time pair relay medalist Joni Mäki28, is retiring from the Tour de Ski after Wednesday’s Davos freestyle sprint.

– There is a very high probability that it will happen, says Mäki.

He wanted to go to the Tour because he has never competed in the Central European Tour before. He thought about skiing all seven stages, but the tame results on normal trips no longer support this option.

On Sunday, the Vaasa-based skier was only 63rd in the intermediate start of the 10-kilometer traditional ten-mile race in Toblach. Break up with the winner Perttu Hyvärinen accumulated as much as 2:17.5, even though there were skis of the same brand underneath, which the Finnish maintenance had tuned for a top hit.

– Nothing happened on Sunday. The first two kilometers were fine, but then I hit a wall. I had a good ski myself. Didn’t get caught, the driver was at fault.

Mäki started in 56th place for Monday’s 20-kilometer free pursuit in Toblach.

– I tried to go skiing for a kilometer and see how it feels and how it goes. I quickly noticed that there is nothing else to lose, the Pyhäjärvi Pohti Ski Team athlete describes.

– Then I watched a good tube with a like-minded group. Quite a few in that group had their eyes on Davos, including the man who finished in 63rd place.

Once on the ball

The Finn has competed in the sprint three times in Kelloland at a ski resort located approximately 1,550 meters above sea level.

In 2018, he was tenth, a year later he was 33rd and last season he was 25th. I have always had skating skis on my feet.

– Excited to see what happens. I hope I will recover well and it will go well in Davos.

In the Toblach free sprint that opened this season’s Tour, Mäki was 25th. The best bet in these snows is Ruka’s mc’s ninth place in the traditional sprint.

In last season’s World Cup sprints, Mäki was fifth at best and second in the 2021–22 season.