March 05, 2010   (Lahti, FIN) – It’s only been a week since the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games, and the FIS World Cup is already back in full swing. But few athletes have the energy left to start the end-of-the-season Scandinavian swing. Petter Northug (NOR), one of the big question marks, decided last minute to stay home and nurse a slight cold. That leaves Lukas Bauer an opening. The Czech is about 300 points behind the Norwegian, and a win would put him 100 points behind Northug in the World Cup overall.

Other significant skiers not racing include Vincent Vittoz  and Jean-Marc Gaillard (FRA), Dario Cologne (ITA), Axel Teichmann (GER), Alexander Legkov (RUS), Marcus Hellner (SWE), Giorgio Di Centa, and Pietro Piller-Cottrer (ITA), Matti Heikkinen (FIN), and Canadians Devon Kershaw, Ivan Babikov and Alex Harvey. Many are taking a rest at home before returning to competition next week.

The remaining contenders include Tobias Angerer (GER), and Russians Maxim Vyleghzanin and  Artem Zhmurko. Experienced Anders Soedergren (SWE) will use it as a test before the 50km of Oslo a week later.  Finn Sami Jauhojaervi, Estonian Andrus Veerpalu, Italy’s Valerio Checchi, Norwegian Tor Asle Gjerdalen, and Sweden’s Simen Oestensen could cause an upset. The US Men are sending in distance-man-in-training, Andrew Newell, and proven D-man, James Southam.

On the women’s side, Marit Bjoergen (NOR) and Justyna Kowalczyk (POL) return to to fight another 15km Pursuit. Kowalczyk is certain to win the crystal the World Cup crystal globe, as Petra Majdic (SLO), her nearest rival, cannot finish the season, having fallen at the Games and raced the sprints with broken ribs and a punctured lung. Bjoergen is too far to challenge Kowalczyk for the overall, so the weekend’s events will be battles for the win. Only Sweden’s Charlotte Kalla, Anna Haag and Germany’s Claudia Nystad are likely to make the race interesting. Despite being on Finnish snow, Aino-Kaisa Saarinen will be no match for Bjoergen and Kowalczyk. Only Norway’s Kristin Steira-Stoermer, has a deserved chance to earn a podium.

The US women are putting Kikkan Randall, Morgan Arritola and Elizabeth Stephen to the test. They have enough World Cup experience to focus all their energy into gaining every second.

Women’s Start List, 15km Pursuit here.

Men’s Start List, 30km Pursuit here.