Ebba Andersson was far from her top shot.
Swedish skier Ebba Andersson was moved to tears on Tuesday at the Tour de Ski.
Andersson was 33rd in the 20-kilometer free intermediate start race, which is the worst result of his career from the normal distance of the World Cup. A skiing legend Petter Northug urged the world champion to leave the Tour.
– Now it would make the most sense to stop and shift the focus to the World Cup. The body has not responded after several races, and the value races are coming. He would have time to recover, Northug said For Expressen.
Andersson has reached the podium twice in the Tour de Ski overall race in his career. Under normal circumstances, Tuesday’s race should have been a strong trip for him.
The 33rd place and two and a half minutes behind the winner depressed the mood.
– I want to leave the whole damn tour behind me, Andersson said with tears in his eyes.
– I think I worked on every meter of the track. I did my best. I don’t know about my skis because I couldn’t compare them to anyone else’s, he continued.
No way
Ebba Andersson was heavily disappointed. Jussi Saarinen
However, the Swedish national team does not intend to follow Northug’s advice about suspending the Tour.
Women’s coach by Stefan Thomson think Andersson is in too good shape to leave the game.
– He has shown in the past on the Tour that he is fit. I find it hard to believe that it would have disappeared in a couple of days. When there is enough fitness, it doesn’t make sense to stop, Thomson commented.
Andersson showed his strength on Sunday, when he finished seventh in the traditional ten-kilometer race. The Swede was in the top group and was the winner To Jessie Diggins seven seconds. Thomson suspects that Tuesday’s difficulties were caused by the skis.
Andersson is currently in 16th place in the overall standings of the Tour. The difference to the top is three minutes and 21 seconds. The Swede’s strengths include the race on the final day: 10 kilometers free and the final climb.