Monday's training ended with a bloody nose for Kristine Stavås Skistad. The Norwegian, a leading threat to a Swedish gold in the individual Olympic sprint, crashed in the last corner before the finish after her national team colleague Ingrid Bergane Aabrekk fell just ahead.
It is just the latest of a number of crashes on the tracks in Val di Fiemme during the first days of the Games.
Sweden's Edvin Anger, for example, was one of several skiers who fell during this weekend's skiathlon race in a particularly difficult right turn at the end of a downhill.
“Think a few steps ahead”
The Swedish riders are keeping an extra eye on it ahead of Tuesday's sprint, which will be held in a classic style.
"I try to think a few steps ahead, to plan my race well," says reigning Olympic champion Jonna Sundling.
It's especially important to be on your toes in the tightest turns, she says.
"In the curves it can be quite critical. If you don't keep your line, there is a risk of a crash. Or if you have to change lanes."
Jonna Sundling went for a medal in Saturday's skiathlon, but was crushed by the high pace set by gold and silver medalists Frida Karlsson and Ebba Andersson. In the end, it was eleventh place for Sundling, who is, after all, the big favorite for gold in the sprint - with three straight World Cup gold medals under her belt.
The other three Swedes - Johanna Hagström, Linn Svahn and Maja Dahlqvist - are also candidates for gold. And even Dahlqvist, silver medalist in Beijing four years ago, believes there could be new crashes in Tuesday's Olympic sprint.
"It's fine as long as you stay in a line, but if you get outside of it, it becomes very unpredictable and a ski can just pull away," she says.
Better to plow
So what do you do if you're coming at high speed and can overtake the one in front? Then you'll probably have to brake, unfortunately, says Maja Dahlqvist.
"It's almost better to stand up straight and start plowing just to stay in line. And try to get out of the curve well instead. Of course it's not optimal, but it's probably better than going off the track."
Johanna Hagström has one victory and a third place in the classic sprint this winter. The 27-year-old also has a handle on the infamous right-hand curve on the Olympic course.
"It's tricky. But you just have to take it easy. I don't hope it will be decided there," says Hagström.
Lasse Mannheimer/TT
Facts: Latest championship sprints
TT
This is how the latest individual championship sprints on the women's side have gone:
WC in Trondheim 2025 (freestyle): 1) Jonna Sundling, Sweden, 2) Kristine Stavås Skistad, Norway, 3) Nadine Fähndrich, Switzerland.
World Championships in Planica 2023 (classical style): 1) Jonna Sundling, Sweden, 2) Emma Ribom, Sweden, 3) Maja Dahlqvist, Sweden.
Beijing Olympics 2022 (f): 1) Jonna Sundling, Sweden, 2) Maja Dahlqvist, Sweden, 3) Jessie Diggins, USA.
World Championships in Oberstdorf 2021 (w): 1) Jonna Sundling, Sweden, 2) Maiken Caspersen Falla, Norway, 3) Anamarija Lampic, Slovenia.
WC in Seefeld 2019 (f): 1) Maiken Caspersen Falla, Norway, 2) Stina Nilsson, Sweden, 3) Mari Eide, Norway.
Pyeongchang 2018 Olympics (w): 1) Stina Nilsson, Sweden, 2) Maiken Caspersen Falla, Norway, 3) Julia Belorukova, Russia.
