Cross-country skiing star Lisa Vittozzi missed the premiere competitions in Kontiolax, Finland, due to back problems.
The message was that the Italian, who last season won the total World Cup, was aiming to make her season debut during the second competition weekend in Austrian Hochfilzen next weekend.
But now it is clear that Vittozzi will miss the rest of the year's competitions. Instead, her first World Cup competition for the season will be after New Year's, in German Oberhof on January 9-12.
After the premiere competitions in Kontiolax, Swedish cross-country skiing star Elvira Öberg leads the total World Cup.
