The Swedish national cross-country skiing team's hopes for success at the Tour de Ski suffered a heavy blow during the opening day, marked by unexpected falls, broken equipment, and early exits from the competition. Linn Svahn, who entered the event with high expectations, was eliminated much sooner than anticipated, sparking disappointment among fans and team members alike.
Svahn's performance stood out as particularly surprising; the skier had never before lost the sprint at the Tour de Ski. "It was certainly worse than expected," Svahn commented on her early departure from the competition, which occurred during the quarterfinals. Her race began optimistically, but things took a turn for the worse when her pacing faltered on the final curve heading to the finish line, leading to her finishing third and failing to advance.
Teodor Peterson, racing commentator, remarked, "It seemed like Linn was holding back slightly and had control of the field, but she lost positions at the last turn and fell far behind." The disappointment continued for the Swedish contingent as several skiers faced similar fates.
Johanna Hagström also struggled, facing misfortune early on. A fall during her quarterfinal heat confined her to the sidelines, thwarting her advance to the semifinals. "When one falls, the mind races to just get back up and keep going. But after one lap, I was spent," she said, reflecting on her struggle to regain sufficient speed after the mishap. With Hagström initially securing second place after the qualifying round, expectations were high. "It's truly unfortunate the heat ran so fast. Had it gone at a slower pace, maybe I could have caught up. But I was left in no man's land," she lamented.
Maja Dahlqvist emerged as the sole female skier still standing for Sweden after the early exits. But her performance didn’t fully lift the team’s spirits. Although she made it to the final, Dahlqvist faced her own struggles. During the race, she broke her pole, finishing last—a distinct non-appearance for the expected contender. "I would never have guessed Dahlqvist would be the only one left standing after the prologue," expressed Moa Lundgren, exhibiting disbelief at the day's events.
Emphasizing the unexpected nature of the competition, Lundgren said, "I think many felt it was tougher than usual today; warming up was different and more exhausting. It's as if we just couldn't keep up." With Dahlqvist alone left to represent Sweden, the team’s morale was faltering. Lundgren added, "Wow, just wow. We thought we'd have more skiing going our way today after the prologue. It's all changed now. It really is frustrating.”
Even more concerning, only six women, excluding Ebba Andersson, had made it through the prologue round, all aiming for the finals in freestyle. But as the quarterfinals progressed, the day turned from potentially celebratory to utterly dispiriting.
Andersson, alongside her teammates, faced the challenge headily, though doubts began to loom after Svahn's unexpected exit. "I was surprised to see Svahn go out like she did," recalled her teammate Moa Lundgren, reflecting the overall sentiment of confusion and disappointment among the Skiers.
After the quarterfinals, Svahn was seen heading directly to her team tent, presumably to process her disappointment. Interviews were scarce immediately following the race, as the athletes needed to recover mentally from their unexpected performances.
Looking forward, Svahn, who had only participated once this season due to health issues, noted, "The good thing about the tour is there are plenty of races left, and I just need to find my pace again." A visibly shaken Svahn already prepared for the next day by fetching her classic ski boots, showing her determination to bounce back.
Supportive teammate Moa Ilar committed to rallying her spirits, as both had encountered the same struggles. "We share the room, so I’ll try to lift her spirits," Ilar stated. Following the tough day for the whole team, Anders Byström, the team’s head coach, expressed hope for the future. “It was certainly not our day, but we will need to work even harder going forward. This can’t happen so often. There's still time to turn things around.”
With tomorrow bringing new opportunities and challenges, the Swedish team left the course with a resolve to improve and succeed, ensuring fans clung to hope for the rest of the Tour de Ski.
