"We want to compete with the best": what is known about the participation of the Russian national ski team in the "Tour de Ski"

"This threatens bankruptcy and cancellation of further stages"

The Russian national cross-country skiing team is not going to miss the Tour de Ski, which will be held from January 1 to 10, 2021 in Switzerland and Italy.

This was stated by the President of the FLGR Elena Vyalbe.

According to her, moving between the locations of the multi-day race in this situation does not carry great risks of contracting the coronavirus. 

"It does not imply flights and being at airports, and moving by car is safer than other types of transport," - quotes the words of Vyalbe Daily Skier. 

Earlier, the coach of the national team, Markus Kramer, commenting on the withdrawal of the national teams of Norway, Sweden and Finland from the December World Cup stages in Davos and Dresden, suggested that the Russians might not go to the Tour de Ski in the absence of rivals from Scandinavia and there.

“Of course, it will matter for us whether Sweden, Norway and other top teams go to the Tour de Ski.

We want to compete with the best, not just: Russia against the rest of the world.

All the strongest must participate, "VG quotes Kramer.

The specialist expressed the hope that for the time remaining before the multi-day race, the FIS will find a solution, since, in his opinion, at the moment the federation simply does not have a "backup plan".

“Now we don't know what to do with the Tour de Ski.

FIS needs to see how to proceed.

Isn't it worth it to spend a multi-day in one country?

What if all the starts take place, for example, in Val di Fiemme?

- added Kramer.

The coach was answered by FIS Race Director Pierre Miniere, who promised to hold a video meeting with representatives of all national teams at the end of the week. 

“I am not going to negotiate with Norway, Sweden or Finland.

I see no reason to organize any special meetings with these teams.

They should be conducted with all countries.

We need to identify problems and what can be improved, ”said Miniere. 

At the same time, FIS, despite the refusal to participate in the December stages of KM three teams at once, continues to work on the original plan for the "Tour de Ski", which provides for races in two countries.

“For the rest it is important to continue to compete.

This is the only chance for a TV show.

But we must do everything to ensure a secure format, ”added Minieri.

FIS marketing director Jörg Kapol spoke much harder about the decision of Norway, Sweden and Finland.

According to him, this verdict was adopted by "several people in the federations" who are not responsible for economic issues.

“For example, in Norway, the races were held in Beitostolen a week before the start of the World Cup without any tests.

In this situation, the organizers of the competition, who spent a lot of money, suffered the most.

Now they are losing money from marketing and media.

This threatens with bankruptcy and the cancellation of further stages, ”SVT quotes Kapol.

The functionary also drew attention to the fact that representatives of Norway in other sports continue to take part in international competitions.

“Norway sends its athletes to competitions in biathlon, Nordic combined, downhill skiing, snowboarding and freestyle.

I don't understand what the difference is.

I would understand if the country said that they are closing the entire winter sports season because the risk of infection is too great.

But when only one team does something like that, it is incomprehensible to me and it seems strange, ”added Capol.

At the same time, it became known on Wednesday that almost all members of the main Norwegian national ski team, with the exception of Emil Iversen, will take part in the Norwegian Cup races on December 5 and 6.

In particular, the three-time Olympic champion Johannes Klebo will run two individuals 15 km each.

The competition will take place just at the time in which the second stage of the WC in cross-country skiing, Nordic combined and ski jumping was to take place in Lillehammer.

However, in mid-November it was postponed indefinitely.

This change in the calendar of the current season risks not being the last.

So, according to the Norwegian media, the KM Final in Beijing, scheduled for March 19-21, may be canceled.  

"The rest of the national teams should not depend on three countries, which will dictate their terms"

Information that the Norwegian national team may miss the December stages of the World Cup, as well as probably the Tour de Ski, appeared on Monday.

The first team member to officially refuse to travel to Davos and Dresden was Klebo, who said he did not intend to leave his home country until the end of the year in order to minimize the risks of COVID-19 infection.

Later, Iversen made a similar statement.

Finally, on December 1, the entire Norwegian team withdrew from the next stages of the KM. 

The next day, a similar decision was made in Sweden and Finland.

In response, FIS stressed that despite the demarche of the three teams, the stages in Davos and Dresden will take place. 

In Russia, the actions of the main rivals were treated differently.

So, the leader of the men's national team, Alexander Bolshunov, who, after the races in the Finnish Hand, takes second place in the overall KM standings after Klebo, admitted that what happened to him was a complete surprise.

“This is a great loss not only for the fans, but also for the television viewers and the whole family of cross-country skiing.

We all want to compete with the best, and therefore Klebo will be missed.

I hope the situation with the coronavirus stabilizes and Johannes returns to the Tour de Ski.

Take care so that we can meet again as soon as possible! "

- quotes Bolshunov TV2.

In turn, Vyalbe reacted with understanding to the decision of the Scandinavians.

According to her, they cannot be judged in this case, since the whole world is seriously frightened by the situation with the coronavirus. 

“I have sent official calendar proposals to FIS as well.

Now freestyle also has big problems, American tours, but in America everything is complicated.

And there, moreover, vouchers for the Olympics are earned, in Europe it is impossible to earn them.

Everything is in limbo, "R-Sport quotes Vyalbe.

Yuri Borodavko, the coach of the Russian national ski team, spoke out harshly.

In his opinion, the rest of the teams should not depend on the three countries, which "will dictate conditions to the whole world."

“The message about the removal of these commands was unexpected.

Since the first stage of the World Cup has already passed, and not just one stage, but a mini-tour, three races took place.

And all these countries participated in it, and no problems arose.

Of course, the level of competition will drop significantly, but life goes on, ”the specialist noted. 

At the same time, Borodavko suggested that maximum security measures would be taken in both Davos and Dresden.

“Everyone will live in different hotels.

The national teams had the opportunity to create for themselves special conditions for living, contactless training and communication after the races.

And after all, the same Norwegians canceled the World Cup stage in Lillehammer, but they themselves went there and will compete according to the same schedule.

This, of course, is very surprising, ”added Borodavko.

But representatives of other countries expressed their indignation at the decision of the Norwegians, Finns and Swedes.

For example, the sporting director of the Italian national team, Marco Selle, compared the next stages of the KM with the World Cup without Brazil, Italy and Germany.

And the sports director of the US team, Chris Grover, called the offer of Norway, Sweden and Finland to hold all races in Scandinavia unfair.