Just one hour before the planned start time of 07.00, Swedish time, the news came that the classic five-mile was postponed by one hour.
And becomes a three mile.
This is due to strong gusts of wind amounting to seven meters per second, and 16 degrees below zero on the thermometer, which corresponds to a cooling effect of 27 degrees below zero.
Aftonbladet writes that the competition management sat in a jury meeting two hours before the start to discuss whether they should postpone the race.
- I have not been with anything like this.
Not so late.
The riders are out warming up when we get the message.
It is very strange that it comes so late, says national team manager Anders Byström to Expressen.
Briton Andrew Musgrave is also critical and writes in a Twitter post:
“Fis has just shortened 50 km to 28 km due to wind and cold.
I do not see that it should make it warmer or less windy.
What a fucking joke ”.
For the Swedish part, William Poromaa, Calle Halfvarsson, Jens Burman and Leo Johansson are competing today.
No message about the ladies' three miles tomorrow has come yet.