Generals and rehearsal: what to expect from Korostelev and Nepryaeva at the Tour de Ski

Registration of participants of the main pre—Olympic tournament, the Tour de Ski, has ended. The upcoming multi-day race in Italy from December 28 to January 4 will bring together almost the entire color of world ski racing. On the one hand, it complicates the task of our team to show a high result. On the other hand, Russian athletes will have the opportunity, in a relatively calm environment, to correlate their ambitions with the real state of affairs in the elite, including on the Olympic sprint track in Val di Fiemme. It is necessary to gain a foothold in the top ten. For more information, see the Izvestia article.

Klebo goes on record

So far, the only notable women's skiing star is the absence of Olympic sprint champion Jonna Sundling. And in the men's entries, the fans missed the Austrian Mika Fermoylen (last time he finished second in the overall standings) and the world champion from Norway Martin Nynget. Compared to previous seasons, when crowds of favorites and entire national teams were removed from the stage race, the list of absentees seems minimal. The Russian losses include Sergey Volkov, who never got a neutral status and left Italy, claiming the Cup of Russia in Kirovo-Chepetsk (December 27-28) and the Christmas race in Ryazan (January 3).

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Tour de Ski, and the project has reached a round date with controversial results. On the one hand, the multi-day race remains a notable start on the calendar (only the Olympics and the World Cup are more prestigious). This year, 232 athletes from 38 countries have confirmed their participation, which is a lot for cross—country skiing. On the other hand, the races will be held only in one country and only in two locations, and the program again has a short format bias.

Two of the six races are sprints, the other two are short—distance races (5 km and 10 km). The historical narratives of skiing are finally fading into the background. Despite the fact that marathon and even ultramarathon races are booming now, and there are no problems with snow in northern Italy.

In addition to the much-loved Alpe-Cermis final uphill race, the highlight of this season will be the classic sprint on the new Olympic track in Val di Fiemme on January 3. Considering that the sprint race will be held in the same style at the 2026 Games on February 10, the fifth stage of the tour can be considered a dress rehearsal for the Olympics. Of course, five weeks before the main start of the season, not all skiers will decide to reach their peak form, but the test of strength will be significant in many ways, including from a mental point of view.

Five-time Olympic champion Johannes Klebo is expected to play a major role in this tour. The star Norwegian unexpectedly failed in the sprint at the World Cup in Davos, but intends to take revenge in Italy. And in the overall standings of the tour, Klebo can set a record by becoming the first five-time champion of the stage race.

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Skiers prepare for the "Tour de Ski", luge skiers skip KM in Latvia

A dream is coming true

Klebo's main rivals will be his compatriots. In distance racing — Harald Amundsen and Einar Hedegaart. In the sprints — Eric Valnes and Oscar Vike. Also dangerous are veterans Simon Krueger and Emil Iversen, who have not yet guaranteed themselves a place in the Olympic bid and must prove their competitiveness at the Tour de Ski. Swedes Edwin Enger, Alvar Mühlbeck and William Poromaa, Finn Iivo Niskanen will try to impose the fight on the Norwegians, and in the sprint races we are waiting for exploits from Frenchman Luca Chanava and Italian veteran Federico Pellegrino.

As for Savely Korostelev, his main bets may be the 10 km classic (December 29) and the 20 km classic pursuit race (January 1). This can be counted on if the winner of the Cup of the country comes to a worthy place in the overall standings by the pursuit in Toblakh.

A lot has been written about the reasons for Savely's not—so-bright results in Davos: acclimatization to the highlands, specific alpine snow, peculiar track profiles, and an unusually high level of competition. All this is logical and understandable. However, if our skier finishes outside the top 10 again at the Tour de Ski, it will be a serious psychological blow. Both for him and for our ski community, which consoled itself for four years of isolation with the thought that it was Russian athletes who were lacking in the international arena to stop the dominance of the Norwegians.

Daria Nepryaeva had a hard time entering the season before receiving neutral status. So her main hope, apparently, is short races (sprints and the five—man skate contact). In general, women's skiing is now dominated by Swedish women — there is someone in this team who can win even without Sundling.

Frida Karlsson, Ebba Andersson and Moa Ilar are among the overall favorites. Maya Dahlqvist and Lynn Swann are able to light up in the sprint. Two-time tour champion Jessica Diggins and Norwegian Kristina Schistad are seen as their competitors from other teams. Norwegian Karolina Simpson-Larsen is also highly motivated, and she has been asked to qualify for the Olympic team through the Tour de Ski. It won't be easy for Nepryaeva to compete with such rivals. But for many years, the Tour de Ski was only a dream for Daria. And when it has been realized, it is wrong to limit oneself to the role of an extra.

Tour de Ski schedule

Toblakh

Sunday, December 28th

Sprint (C)

16:15 Finals

Monday, December 29th

Split start (K), 10 km

13:45 Men

16:45 Women

Wednesday, December 31

Mass start (S), 5 km

13:30 Men

16:30 Women

Thursday, January 1st

Pursuit race (K), 20 km

12:30 p.m. Men

14:30 Women

Val di Fiemme

Saturday, January 3rd

Sprint (K)

16:45 Finals

Sunday, January 4th

Uphill mass start (C), 10 km

13:30 Men

17:30 Women