The Sasseville Report – Norwegian Attitude + More on Ski Tour Canada

Petter Northug (NOR) © Nordic Focus

March 09, 2016 (Canmore, Alta.) – Norwegian attitude: I woke up this morning pissed. Last night I read that the Norwegian men decided not to try their best in the final of the sprint on Tuesday (Mar. 9) in Canmore because they didn’t want to go to the awards ceremony that night – read more here.

Men's Sprint CL podium ©

Are you kidding me? What a bunch of sucks! This was disrespectful to all of the organizers, sponsors and spectators who had to watch Petter Northug et al snail it in during the final.

These guys should be disqualified from the Tour and sent home. One of the basic tenants in sport is that everyone tries as hard as they can to be their best. Quitting like this is shameful. At the very least they should be fined and have their prize money taken away. Would they have done this at a World Cup in Norway? Not likely in my books… so why is Canada or any other country different?

This follows Martin Johnsrud Sundby’s rhetoric after his fall in Montreal. Instead of taking responsibility for crashing he blamed the organizers, the course and the snow. Of course the snow conditions weren’t perfect – it was blowing and snowing. I hear that Sundby does a lot of training on a treadmill inside. Perhaps guess he wants these kind of conditions when he races. Suck it up… this is cross-country skiing!

Stina Nilsson © Angus Cockney

Sick Swedes – What is it with the Swedes and sickness? They seem to be the team and nation who are sick all the time. Their men have had a horrible year with sickness and injury – Calle Halvorsen has not raced, Marcus Hellner has barely raced and Johann Olsson had to give up on his dream of winning the Vasaloppet because of persistent colds and a rib injury.

Now it is the womens’ turn. Stina Nilsson, Ida Ingemarsdotter and Maria Rydqvist all pulled out of the Tour after the first four races citing colds, too much travel and too many hard races. Welcome to the world of the North American skier. Canadian and US skiers spend all winter on the road in Europe. For them, the travel to Canada for the Tour is a walk in the park.

Jessie Diggins © Angus Cockney

Harvey and Diggins – Alex Harvey and Jessie Diggins continue to shine in the Tour. They have given North Americans something to cheer about here at home. Going into the last three races they both have a chance at the podium. I can hardly wait to see what they can do on the weekend. Both are very tough competitors and I know that they will give everything they have to succeed.

Alex Harvey © Reese Brown

I am going to be travelling to Canmore for the last two races on Friday (Mar. 11) and Saturday (Mar. 12). I am looking forward to cheering for all of our Canadian skiers who are giving it all they can and heckling Northug et al for quitting. I hope that you can join me.

“Perform at your best when your best is required. Your best is required every day”. – John Wooden

8 Comments For This Post

1. jakescheck, Minnesota, USA says:
   March 9th, 2016 at 2:27 pm

   I disagree with your assessment about the Norwegians choice to contest for the podium in the final of the sprint yesterday. Do you argue poor sportsmanship when an athlete chooses not to contest a bonus sprint in a distance race so that they have the gas to win at the finish? To me, this is no different. 8 races in 12 days including travel across nearly an entire continent is crazy. By all accounts, the logistics are challenging and exhausting, and the athletes which were mentioned in the article you linked to are all contesting the overall podium, if not the win. As you say, “One of the basic tenants in sport is that everyone tries as hard as they can to be their best.” Trying their best does not involve putting on a show for the spectators. If they feel that there is nothing to be gained in burying themselves during the sprint final yesterday, with 60km of racing ahead of them over the next 3 days – and a few hours of recovery to be gained by backing off, then more power to them.

2. jakescheck, Minnesota, USA says:
   March 9th, 2016 at 2:28 pm

   choice *not* to contest for the podium

3. xcskier22, Montana, says:
   March 9th, 2016 at 6:58 pm

   They just didn’t want to be tested after the race. That’s all.

4. Gill, Vgr, Sverige says:
   March 10th, 2016 at 1:22 pm

   Am a swede and I apologize om behalf of the swedish team, it’s triste that our skiers are sick all the time. Not your fantastic countrys fault. Bad to complain about the travels.

   About the norwegians; that’s nothing new. The disrespectfulness has gone tog far. Sometimes your’e to smart for your och good.

   Following the races with pleasure and am in love with your country. So much and am even looking The different places up onsdag Google Earth.

   Thankyou for a holding these events.

5. Marty Hall, NH, USA says:
   March 10th, 2016 at 2:53 pm

   Jake—the big thing here—-is everyone has their problems thru out the year with different programs—-do your best and don’t embarrass your own country—the Minister of Culture in Norway is not a happy camper right now with these 3 athletes actions.
   They had Northug dead to rights with the car accident a couple of years ago and let him off the hook—he served his jail time, paid his fine with his drunkenness (8 xs over the limit) and leaving the scene of an accident which in Norway is very heavily penalized. You would have thought he learned something here
   He lives the 1st rule to the limit—“take care of yourself first”—and he showed that the other day in the sprint. He is a bona fide jerk as his dalliance on the course short changed Pellegrino a chance in doing his victory loop as per all podium athletes this year on the circuit.
   All your rhetoric about the how tough this tour is—is true—-but this is a tough sport–maybe the toughest—-not for whiners but for winners to show themselves. Lots of money to be won here—these next 2 races will show who can really dig deep
   Jack—classic accounting by your written word—well done and well said—and straight to the point—keep it up.
   PS—Petter you can go home now—we’ve seen enough of what you don’t have to offer—your are still the loser you’ve always been.

6. xcskier22, Montana, says:
   March 10th, 2016 at 5:32 pm

   “The Minister of Culture in Norway is not a happy camper right now with these 3 athletes actions.”

   I’d love to read that. Do you have the link to where he said this?

7. Marty Hall, NH, USA says:
   March 10th, 2016 at 11:50 pm

   http://www.adressa.no/100Sport/langrenn/article706191.snd near the bottom of article

8. Halvard, WA, USA says:
   March 12th, 2016 at 1:48 pm

   Sorry I have to laugh. Canada skipped Lathi to prepare for Ski Tour of Canada. No one complained. But now Norway is the bad country??

   What about all the sprinters sandbagging the distance races during the tour? Or what about the distance racers with no sprinting abilities that just cost the TT and can relax.

   Maybe the other countries should start training more so they could compete instead of just being sour.

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