Iivo Niskanen was one of the athletes selected when the Finnish national cross-country skiing team announced its athletes for Tour de Ski. But there is still a question mark over the name, as Niskanen will decide his participation in the Tour later.

Tour de Ski starts on New Year’s Eve, and the first athletes on the Finnish Team will travel to Switzerland right after Christmas on December 26. 

Niskanen told about his coronavirus infection just before the Ruka World Cup premiere at the end of November. In early December, the Olympic champion announced that he had become a father to a baby boy.

“He has started training again but wants to analyze the situation later and make the final decision. Basically, the decision will be made right after Christmas,” says Finnish Head Coach Teemu Pasanen.

Niskanen’s last competition was in Muonio, at the Olos FIS races in mid-November.

“Of course, he would like to start competing already; it (the start) has already been pushed for a long time,” says Pasanen. 

The “more certain” names for the Tour on the men’s Team are Ville Ahonen, Perttu Hyvärinen, Lauri Lepistö, Arsi Ruuskanen, and Markus Vuorela. The sprinters and Remi Lindholm, who was successful in Davos last weekend, will stay in Finland and focus on training. 

“Krista and Kerttu Have The Potential To Do Very Well”

The Finnish women’s Team includes Anni Alakoski, Jasmi Joensuu, Anne Kyllönen, Jasmin Kähärä, Katri Lylynperä, Kerttu Niskanen and Krista Pärmäkoski.

“The choices were clear. All the selected athletes have skied well in the World Cup so far, and we are going to the Tour with a positive mindset,” says women’s coach Jussi Piirainen.

For Alakoski and Kähärä, it is their first Tour de Ski. However, the more experienced Finns, Niskanen, and Pärmäkoski are expected to be among the top contenders on the Tour. 

Piirainen trusts Pärmäkoski, who is third in the overall World Cup standings at the moment, and Niskanen, who won the 10km classic individual start at the World Cup in Beitostølen: 

“Krista and Kerttu have a very good chance; they will fight for the top positions.” 

Tour de Ski will take place in Val Müstair, Switzerland, from December 31 to January 1; in Oberstdorf, Germany, on January 3 and 4; and in Val di Fiemme, Italy, from January 6 to 8.

More facts about the stage race are at the bottom of the page.

TOUR DE SKI 2022/2023

Day-by-day schedule

Stage 1

• When: Saturday, December 31, 2022
• Where: Val Müstair, Switzerland
• What: Sprint Freestyle Technique
• Times: All times are CET
• 11:30: Qualification, women and men
• 14:00: Heats and finals, women and men

More Information 

Stage 2

• When: Sunday, January 1, 2023
• Where: Val Müstair, Switzerland
• What: 10km Classic Technique, pursuit
• Times: All times are CET
• 12:00: 10km Classic Pursuit, women
• 13:15: 10km Classic Pursuit, men 

More Information

Stage 3

• When: Tuesday, January 3, 2023
• Where: Oberstdorf, Germany
• What: 10km Classic Technique, individual start
• Times: All times are CET
• 11:45: 10km classic individual start, women
• 14:45: 10km classic individual start, men

More Information

Stage 4

• When: Wednesday, January 4, 2023
• Where: Oberstdorf, Germany
• What: 20km Freestyle Technique, pursuit
• Times: All times are CET
• 11:15: 20km Freestyle Pursuit, women
• 14:30: 20km Freestyle Pursuit, men

More Information

Stage 5

• When: Friday, January 6, 2023
• Where: Val di Fiemme, Italy
• What: Sprint Classic Technique
• Times: All times are CET
• 10:00: Qualification, women and men
• 12:30: Heats and finals, women and men 

More Information

Stage 6

• When: Saturday, January 7, 2023
• Where: Val di Fiemme, Italy
• What: 15km Classic Technique, mass start
• Times: All times are CET
• 11:45: 15km Mass Start Classic, women
• 12:30: 15km Mass Start Classic, men 

More Information

Stage 7

• When: Sunday, January 8, 2022
• Where: Val di Fiemme, Italy
• What: Final Climb – Alpe Cermis (aka “Monster Climb”) – 10km Freestyle Technique, mass start
• Times: All times are CET
• 11:00: 10km Mass Start Freestyle, women
• 12:45: 10km Mass Start Freestyle, men

More Information

FACTS: Tour de Ski 2022/2023 

• Tour de Ski 2022/2023 starts in Val Müstair, Switzerland, on December 31 and concludes in Val di Fiemme, Italy, on January 8. 
• The race consists of seven stages in nine days.
• Tour de Ski 2022/2023 is the 17th edition of the brutal stage race. 

New this season is the same race distances for women and men in all World Cup events, as the International Ski & Snowboard Federation (FIS) decided in May. Several other changes have also been introduced to the World Cup.

Read More: Cross-Country Skiing Changes And World Cup Calendar For The 2022/2023 Season

Also Read: New Distances At The Cross-Country Skiing World Cup