Karlsson disappointed by lack of help setting the pace: “Hard when no one else wants to push”

Frida Karlsson had a strong position in Sunday’s women’s mass start in Ruka but slipped to fourth place in the final sprint.

After the race, Karlsson told Radiosporten she was disappointed by the lack of cooperation in the lead group. “It’s hard when there aren’t more who want to push the pace,” she said, noting that spending long stretches pulling at the front made it tougher to finish off the sprint.

The competition took place in Ruka, Finland, as part of the Cross-Country World Cup round. Despite missing the podium, Karlsson’s form looked promising early in the season, while she emphasized that shared pacing would have increased the tempo and potentially changed the outcome.