This weekend, the all-round WC will be decided in Hamar, Norway.
There, the riders cover over four distances - 500, 5,000, 1,500 and 10,000 meters, in that order.
The eight best placed after three distances will compete in the decisive 10,000-meter race.
Swedish star Nils van der Poel - newly crowned Olympic gold medalist - is not sure he will get there.
He does not see himself as an "all-round skier" and has also had problems with his form after the games in Beijing.
- There have been slightly varying answers to the tests.
The bike sessions we did have been great, but since then it has not been as good on the training.
What it is due to has been difficult to say.
It may be the ice that has not had good enough quality.
But it can also be the case that the shape is not the same, he says at a press conference.
"Lost a second"
The 26-year-old has also been ill after the Olympics.
He has lost some momentum.
- I have lost one second per lap since the Olympics approximately.
The skating dominant says that he does not see himself as a favorite, but of course does not count himself out.
- There is a chance that I do not even qualify for 10,000 meters.
But it is clear that if it goes very well, there is still a chance for a medal.
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Nils van der Poel.
Photo: TT