– It is not a dream situation, it is not. I think it was crazy to go on that blast here again, says Kalvå in her first interview after she had to break the Tour de Ski before the last three stages. It is as a regular guest in the news podcast “I det lange løp” that the 30-year-old from Lundamo talks about what happened in Oberstdorf on 4 January. After finishing third in the 10-kilometer interval start in classic style, he skated third in the 20-kilometer pursuit start. The ones she was going to hunt were Finnish Krista Pärmäkoski and Swedish Frida Karlsson. Just behind her was Tiril Udnes Weng, and together they managed to bring in the Swede and the Finn in front of them. But suddenly Kalvå had to let go. Gradually, Weng did the same. “Crisis race” The result was that the Norwegian women settled for third place. Weng took it, while a completely exhausted Kalvå crossed the finish line in fourth place. UTMATTA: Anne Kjersti Kalvå was far from alert at the start of the hunt in Oberstdorf, but when she got help from Tiril Udnes Weng in the goal area, she had no idea what a corona test would reveal a couple of hours later. Photo: Terje Pedersen / NTB “Kriserenn” wrote VG. “Norwegian failure day” wrote Adresseavisen. – Quite frankly, I slipped from the first pole that day, says Kalvå, who nevertheless did not think that the difficult experience was due to anything other than the fact that the Tour race started to wear on my strength. – I just tried to hang on as long as I could, and in the end the elastic broke, and then it got pretty ugly, she states in the podcast. It was still no worse than the fact that she was still number three overall in the Tour de Ski and was on her way to more than 430,000 kroner in prize money if she managed to gather herself for the last three stages in Val di Fiemme. The athletes were to go there the same afternoon, but first they were going to visit the hotel to pack and shower. Before jumping into the shower, Kalvå also took the mandatory corona test ordered by the national team doctor. – Shock When she had finished in the shower, the phone rang. – Then I just went over and took him, and then I actually just look over at the test and then I see that there are two red lines. Then I got a bit of a shock, actually, and a bit of a flashback to everything that happened, so it wasn’t a good blink of an eye, she tells Jann Post in conversation. On 26 January last year, the news came that both Kalvå and Heide Weng had tested positive for corona. It resulted in both missing the Olympics in Beijing. Kalvå struggled both physically and mentally for a long time after the fall. At the time, Kalvå would not have been a medal candidate on paper, but this season she has had her international breakthrough. On 10 December, she took her first podium in the world cup, and after a series of top results, she led the distance world cup overall until Christmas. Then Kalvå also admitted to news that she was traumatized by going on another corona blast before the WC in Planica, which for her part is scheduled to start with a 15 km skiathlon on 25 February. Had no symptoms Then came the corona virus. Instead of traveling on to Italy, there was a return to Trondheim. – It came on very quickly, actually. I took that test because I had to take the test, not because I felt bad. I had no symptoms that I had corona, other than that I had a really hard day in the track, so it came on surprisingly, she says. One of the first things she did was count the days until the start of the WC. – There is enough time. But I can’t make a lot of mistakes, and not go off on a tangent and have a relapse, because then things will quickly change. The next two weeks will be very decisive. As soon as I recover and as soon as I can start training, Kalvå points out. NOT ENOUGH: The national cross-country team has practiced strict infection rules, but that didn’t help Anne Kjersti Kalvå this time either. Photo: Terje Pedersen / NTB For the symptoms came. Not in the form of a fever, but with congestion and a sore throat. Kalvå laid down on the sofa – and at the same time put all training on hold for an indefinite period. – I hope that towards the weekend I can perhaps start to move a little, but I try to take it day by day. I don’t think I’ll get a clear signal until they hear that my voice is back to normal, says Kalvå – with an audible nasal voice. – Very tough. It gives some peace of mind that on paper she seems confident in the team for all three distance races in the WC if she recovers and gets in reasonable shape. At the same time, she acknowledges that results are fresh, and that others can knock her out of the WC team while she is not competing. The NM at Gjøvik will definitely be a hit. The world cup in Les Rousses probably does the same. Thus, the Lundamo woman will be the earliest to be seen in the last World Cup before the WC, in Toblach. She tries to keep the negative thoughts away, but cannot deny that the positive corona test was difficult to cope with. – I think it was tough. Very tough. But I somehow managed to think that I still have time to reach the WC, says Anne Kjersti Kalvå. Looking at the training plan National team coach Stig Rune Kveen is in complete agreement. – It is moving forward, and that it may look like it is not as strong as in the first round. It’s so bright in the tunnel that we’ve started thinking about a traffic plan, he says. – Has Kalvå finished qualifying for the WC? – She must be, as she is not allowed to run the last two qualifying weekends. But she was stable and very good from the start of the season until she tested positive, so the focus will be to get her in the same shape again, says Kveen.
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Kalvå was shocked when she got out of the shower and saw the two red lines – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcasting schedule
