It is above all illness that causes it for the Swedish national cross-country team, which is not even close to filling its places in the women's sprint in Davos.

Anders Byström explains the situation.

- It is of course not good, but it has its explanations.

Those who are not in the know may not understand how difficult it is for us to get teams together.

If you count all national team skaters plus Linn Svahn, Frida Karlsson and Maja Dahlqvist, 15 out of 17 are unavailable.

That says a lot, he says and continues:

- It's not good.

We always want to field a full team.

But this is an exceptional situation.

We have never experienced it before, that so many people are sick at the same time.

"Understand that there will be reactions"

The national team has chosen not to call up any juniors as substitutes.

- We have talked about it, but we want those who enter their first World Cup to have the right conditions.

This is at high altitude in Davos so there are no conditions to make a good race.

We also have the Scandinavian Cup in Östersund, which is an important competition for many of the younger players.

To Expressen, Even Northug, currently second in the sprint cup, says that it is "embarrassing" that Sweden does not have a full team.

The Swedish national team manager does not buy the criticism.

- If it had been a conscious choice not to line up with a full team, I would have bought it.

But I think they also understand that it is not possible when they see how many of us are gone.

I understand that there will be those reactions, but then you have to familiarize yourself with the situation.

It is Jenny Solin and Johanna Hagström who will defend the Swedish colors.

- It is clear that it is a special weekend when we only have two ladies at the start of the sprint.

Of course, it feels a little strange.

But it's still a World Cup and I'll drive everything I can, says Hagström.

MORE CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING: Sundling beat Svahn in the comeback (December 16, 2022)

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Jonna Sundling victorious in the comeback Photo: Bildbyrån