Astrid Øyre Slind, Martin Johnsrud Sundby, and most of Team Koteng Eidissen have been quarantined in Switzerland and will not start at La Venosta Time Trial on Saturday.

After this weekend’s Pustertaler Ski Marathon and Prato Piazza Mountain Challenge, Team Koteng Eidissen traveled to Samedan in the Engadin Valley, Switzerland, to prepare for next weekend’s La Venosta Time Trial in Melago, Italy. But a message came from Norway that someone in the staff team had tested positive for Covid-19. Thus, the entire team must be kept in quarantine for at least seven days.

“After arriving in Switzerland, the whole team has been quarantined. Switzerland’s rules apply, and then you can test yourself on day seven. This means that there will be no long-distance skiing for us next weekend,” says manager Tore Bjørseth Berdal to Langrenn.com.

“It is a huge downturn for the whole team, and especially Astrid, who loses important points in the battle for the overall winner in Visma Ski Classics in a race that would have suited her well.”

In Team Koteng Eidissen original plan, there were two long-distance skiing races in the program. Both the Reschenseerennen (that became La Venosta Time Trial) and the Challengers Reschenseerennen Open (now La Venosta Open) the next day. Now there will be nothing left.

“We must adhere to the current guidelines, and then it is just take it easy and try not to spend too much energy on being frustrated, but rather look ahead to La Diagonela,” says Berdal.

Even though all the skiers who started last weekend are in quarantine, the team will still have an athlete at the start this weekend. Mikael Gunnulfsen has traveled to Switzerland and is in Pontresina.

“He will have to drive alone (about 2 hours one way) to La Venosta and prepare everything on his own,” says Berdal, who crosses his fingers that all Pro Tour skiers test negative during the quarantine period and can start in La Diagonela, on January 22.

Next up in the Visma Ski Classics is La Venosta Time Trial. The 10-kilometer classic race takes place in Italy, on January 15, 2022.

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