– I love the Tour de Ski. It’s a good concept, and then it can change from year to year. It’s great, that, says Arild Monsen to the Norwegian press. The national sprint team’s head coach stops on the course. Almost uninvited, he goes down the throat of the criticism that has been hurled at the Tour de Ski. He is very satisfied with the organization and the way it has turned out so far. In particular, he deals with the one who has come from TV 2’s experts: Petter Northug and Petter Skinstad. He believes the criticism is too easy. Responding to “scandalous” statements Northug thought the opening sprint in the Tour de Ski was completely hopeless. He called the prologue implementation a scandal. Several of the Norwegian athletes objected. That is the one thing Monsen reacts to. – When you use the word scandal about it… It’s not the first time it’s been like that, it’s been like that for many, many years. Even when several of those who say this now were active before…, says Monsen. On the same day, Petter Skinstad went out of his way in a comment and renamed “Tour de Ski” to “Tour de Kjip”. When Monsen saw that Federico Pellegrino spoke out in VG, he was glad that someone spoke up. Skinstad has been presented with the criticism from sprint coach Monsen. He is happy that the national team management is getting involved, but still strongly disagrees that the Tour de Ski is actually a good product. – In recent years, the program has been more or less the same. It has become more and more boring and more and more lacking in content. The Tour de Ski has become better in the program itself, the number of profiles, prize money and attention. When news presents the arguments to Monsen and relays that the sprint coach believes the program changes from year to year, the TV 2 expert answers bluntly: – I only hear many bad arguments for why it shouldn’t get better and very few good reasons why it should continue like now. Clear speech: – I support the Tour de Ski The Italian veteran Federico Pellegrino expressed on Sunday that there is always someone who complains in Norway. Monsen could hardly agree more. When asked if people are too critical in Norway, Monsen answers quickly: – It starts with a TV 2 expert back home in Norway. It’s all right. He just has to do it, but I commend this and think it’s good. It’s always easy to have hindsight, myself included. I have many times been skeptical and have done much better than I had thought. I support the Tour de Ski, says Monsen – before adding: – You can’t blame us for the climate becoming the way it is around us. – Does it make you feel that you are tired? – I spoke to the FIS chief today, and he knows where the Norwegian criticism is coming from. He knows that the criticism does not come from the Norwegian camp here, but other media in Norway. It’s perfectly fine. You just have to hammer away, but we are not completely on board with everything that is said, says Monsen to news. Defends the criticism: – The opportunity wasted After the “Tour de Kjip” criticism, only Monsen and Pellegrino have commented negatively on the criticism, says Skinstad to news. – It is too traditional, too similar and too unpredictable. Therefore, everything becomes too boring and boring. The Tour de Ski entered the world of cross-country skiing as a whirlwind with joint start, sprint and longer distances mixed into one. Now that opportunity is wasted. TV 2 EXPERT: Petter Skinstad. Photo: Olof Andersson/TV 2 / TV 2 Petter Northug does not comment directly on Monsen’s actions, he doesn’t think much about it, but he follows the same path as Skinstad. – We pointed out that we are mainly talking about the Tour de Ski programme. In the past it was very exclusive with stages like Cortina-Toblach, a prologue of 3.75 kilometres, says Northug to news. – Things you didn’t usually do in the World Cup. Together with Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, Trønder has won the most stages in the Tour de Ski. 13 in number. He won overall in 2015. Now he is calling for the innovation that made it a success. – We want that influence back and believe it will contribute to raising interest.
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– Always easy to use hindsight – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcasting schedule
