Norwegian top skier Jan Thomas Jenssen would be a star in Finland, but in his home country he is a regular.
– If you would like international success from prestigious competitions, it would be worthwhile to change your citizenship to something other than Norway. It’s quite difficult, even if you succeed in individual competitions, to win a place in the prestigious competitions for the Norwegian team, stated Iltalehti’s skiing expert Reijo Jylhä In the Ruka World Cup.
– If Jan Thomas Jenssen was Finnish, we would talk about him as a medal favorite at the World Championships, the expert continued.
Jenssen laughed on Wednesday in Italy when he heard Jylhä’s comments.
– I’ve thought about it – like probably many others. Many Norwegians could change citizenship and compete in the World Cup, Jenssen commented and added that the consideration has been completely theoretical, and he is not changing citizenship.
Second place is not enough
Jan Thomas Jenssen would be a star skier without counting Norway in all other national teams. Jussi Saarinen
The 28-year-old skier, who has reached the podium four times in the World Cup in his career, is a regular in the fjords, but in Finland, for example, he would be a star.
Jenssen has to squeeze 100 percent in every mc start in order to get a race ticket for the next race.
– I have to go really hard in every race to get a place. It’s more mentally than physically. And physically it’s hard too. Mentally, you have to be motivated for every race to get the most out of it. That’s why it’s hard.
Jenssen is not part of the Norwegian A national team, so the threshold for mc selection is even higher than for national team men.
– I can’t afford to skip days.
Before the Tour de Ski, Jenssen was able to compete in three mc-starts. There were two second places and one thirteenth place.
– On the other hand, I get motivation when the competition is so fierce. When I get to the starting line, I know I can compete for the top positions.
A lot at stake
On Wednesday, at the Tour de Ski stage 4/7, the man from the fjord was seventh. In the 15-kilometer traditional pursuit, he moved up eight notches from Tuesday’s 20-kilometer free intermediate start.
– I am very satisfied.
The main men’s race is on Saturday in Val di Fiemme, when the men sweat a 20 kilometer combined race.
– My main goal is the WC combined competition in Trondheim. These are all screen races for that. I have to beat a lot of Norwegians on Saturday to get to the World Championships.
Norway has four places in the combined event of the World Cup and in addition At Simen Krüger has its own place as the defending champion.
THE FACTS
Men’s 15 km (p), pursuit
1. Harald Amundsen (NOR), 35.18,9
2. Edvin Anger (SWE), +2.5
3. Johannes Klæbo (NOR), +5.3
4. Hugo Lapalus (FRA), +9.2
5. Mika Vermeulen (AUT), +9.5
6. Simen Krüger (NOR), +12.8
7. Jan Thomas Jenssen (NOR), +20.2
8. Mathis Desloges (FRA), +21.2
9. Friedrich Moch (GER), +22.1
10. Andreas Ree (NOR), +22.4
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19. Niko Anttola, +1.06,4
20. Arsi Ruuskanen, +1.06,9
36. Lauri Vuorinen, +2.22.5
74. Niilo Moilanen, +6.53.1 (wave start)