Erik Valnes won the penultimate stage of the Tour de Ski, a 15 kilometer joint start which for a long time faded away as a transport stage under very demanding conditions. But when it got to the sprint, there was still drama. In the last downhill, three runners went down. It was Italian Dietmar Nöckler who went down first. German Lucas Bögl saved himself with a cry of distress. Swedish Jens Burman, who also fell, was unable to do so. – Someone fell in front of me, so I went down with them. It was not good at all. Many seconds went by, so it was very unnecessary, says Burmann to news. HERE’S WHAT GOES WRONG: Jens Burman can’t stay on his feet. Dietmar Nöckler can be seen on the ground at the back right. Photo: Newspower.it / NTB – Don’t understand what the problem is Jan Thomas Jenssen and the Norwegian overall hope Henrik Dønnestad lost time getting right behind the fall. – I was on the back skis of Jan Thomas, who was probably the first to stay on his feet back there, roughly. There was plowing and some slalom, and some unnecessary loss of positions and seconds, he says. The same applied to Calle Halfvarsson. The Swede is not gracious after what happened. – I think it’s absolutely incredible, I don’t think it’s a difficult turn. That people can’t stay on their feet…, says Halfvarsson to news, while shaking his head. CRITICAL: Calle Halfvarsson believes it should be possible to stay on the skis. Photo: MATHIAS BERGELD / BILDBYRÅN – I don’t understand what the problem is. I get annoyed that people are unable to keep a greater distance between each other. This hill is wide, you don’t have to lie crosswise on top of each other, he continues. Overall leader Harald Østberg Amundsen was clear of the fall, but broke the pole in another situation on the way to sixth place on the stage. Sting from Amundsen He still does not share Halfvarsson’s irritation. – It is not very easy on this route. It is snowing in the new snow. I fully understand that people can fall, says Amundsen. Instead, he comes up with a jab: – Calle has a lot of opinions during the day. Both about the tour and overall. It seems that he thinks a lot, says Amundsen to news. ONE STEP AWAY: Harald Østberg Amundsen has a solid lead and is set to win the Tour de Ski 2023/24 before Sunday’s final stage. Photo: Terje Pedersen / NTB – More on other things than skiing? – It seems that way right now. Amundsen points to Halfvarsson’s strong criticism of how the International Ski Federation (FIS) develops the Tour de Ski on Friday. – Must make it more and more boring. Then you have no future in it, he told SVT. Makes Poromaa smile William Poromaa, who was second in Saturday’s stage, will not criticize those who fell either. – I saw on the TV pictures that there were people falling. It’s boring, but it can happen to anyone. You have been there yourself, he says. – Østberg Amundsen thinks Calle is a bit too busy with things other than skiing. What do you say to that? – Yes, no … I like Calle. That’s all I have to say, smiles Poromaa. There is now one stage left in the Tour de Ski. Before the climb up Alpe Cermis, Amundsen leads with a solid 1.34 on Erik Valnes. Then Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget, Hugo Lapalu, Friedrich Moch, Beda Klee and Henrik Dønnestad follow like pearls on a string. – I had feared attacks from many strong classical performers today, so for me it was a gift package that it was so impossible to walk in front, he says. CALM AROUND THE BEND: It wasn’t very fast because of the slow ride, but it still became difficult to stay upright. Photo: BILDBYRÅN
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