Norwegian star withdraws from Tour de Ski

Astrid Øyre Slind, 36, has withdrawn from the Tour de Ski. She had been second overall — about 50 seconds behind leader Jessie Diggins — but is now out of the event due to illness. In a press release Slind called the development a major setback and said she must shift focus to the Winter Olympics in February.

NRK expert Fredrik Aukland commented that Slind’s withdrawal is a big blow after earlier tendon problems, and that her Tour de Ski campaign had been an important step towards the Games.

Sprint specialist Oskar Opstad Vike will also miss the remainder of the Tour. The Norwegian team doctor Ove Feragen confirmed, via NRK, that back pain following yesterday’s race in Toblach means Opstad Vike has been withdrawn after consultation with the national health team. Opstad Vike had finished third in the first sprint stage of the Tour de Ski.

The article includes links to interviews and video pieces from Tour de Ski athletes and coverage of stage reactions, and points readers to SVT’s broader Tour de Ski pages and related stories.

(Translated and edited from the original Swedish SVT article.)