Swedish Skiers Criticize New Tour de Ski Format as Unfair

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Swedish Skiers Criticize New Tour de Ski Format as Unfair
Photo: Christine Olsson/TT

There will be news in the cross-country skiing World Cup this winter. But one of the changes – a completely new Tour de Ski format – makes the skiers wrinkle their noses. It sounds very strange. It does not sound fair, says Oskar Svensson.

”There are still some details to work on”, wrote the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (Fis) when the new concept was presented at the end of June.

That not even Fis knows exactly how it will be is one of the reasons why the Swedish national team skiers feel confused.

In short: Instead of a regular race, the third stage of the winter's Tour de Ski will be a kind of divided mass start. For both women and men, the stage will consist of four heats, with 20-25 skiers in each, who will compete in a mass start over 5 kilometers. The fastest time overall in all heats wins.

Andersson: Curious

One should not dismiss anything before one has seen it, but …, says Oskar Svensson.

This five-kilometer concept sounds very strange. It does not sound fair. It is certainly very exciting to watch because it can go either way, if the best go in a slow heat or vice versa. But it will be more chaos than performance. So I think it's a bad idea.

Ebba Andersson says diplomatically that she is "very curious" about the setup.

It feels like they are trying to invent something new every season. Well, things are maybe traditional for a reason. So why not just stick to what has once been the core of cross-country skiing, says Andersson.

”No idea”

Edvin Anger also has his doubts about the new mass start.

These five-kilometer heats … I have no idea. It will be interesting and it feels a bit messy. But we'll see.

Of course, you should try to get in new and interesting things, but then it should be good things.

One such "good thing" can be another of the season's news. In Holmenkollen's classic 50-kilometer race, both women and men will now be driving on Saturday - and also at the same time. The men's mass start starts first, 45 minutes later the women start in the same track.

”Can be a success”

Frida Karlsson, who took World Championship gold on the five miles earlier this year, is positive.

I think the double five miles can be a success. Much audience and a big party instead of two small ones, says Karlsson.

Edvin Anger agrees.

The new five miles in Holmenkollen I just think is something positive. Because it has always been an advantage for those who have competed on Saturdays, there is always much more audience then, says Anger.

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By TTEnglish edition by Sweden Herald, adapted for our readers

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