Helene Marie Fossesholm decided to bag the final stage of Tour de Ski, the infamous Alpe Cermis hill climb in Val di Fiemme.

“Helene’s fitness isn’t quite where it should be,” says Norwegian national team head coach Ole Morten Iversen in a press release Monday evening. 

Fossesholm finished 33rd in the 10-kilometer classic mass start in Val di Fiemme on Monday, and has decided to abandon Tour de Ski after five of the six stages. 

“After completing nearly the entire Tour de Ski, she feels tired. Racing another event tomorrow could mean it will take longer for her to recover from the stage race. It’s better for her to return to Norway and make sure she gets sufficient rest and recovery before embarking on the final peaking plan for the Olympics,” Iversen explains, and continues: 

“There is still plenty of time for that, but at the same time not more than she needs, and that’s why its better for her to skip the race tomorrow.”

One stage to go
Tour de Ski concludes tomorrow. Stage 6 features a 10km mass start skate race for men and women. 

Check out the Tour de Ski 2021/22 day-by-day schedule and ProXCskiing.com’s predictions for the overall stage race: Who Will Win Tour de Ski? 

Curious about where to watch Tour de Ski in your area? We got you covered! 

FACTS: Tour de Ski 2021/22 

• Tour de Ski 2021/22 starts in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, on December 28 and concludes in Val di Fiemme, Italy, on January 4. 
• The race consists of six stages in eight days. Here are all the Tour de Ski details and the day-by-day schedule
• Tour de Ski 2021/22 is the 16th edition of the brutal stage race. These are the winners from the previous 15 Tour de Ski events. 
• The overall winners get 400 World Cup points for the Tour de Ski, which consists of six stages in eight days. Stage winners get 50 World Cup points. Accordingly, there are potentially 700 World Cup points for winning every stage of the Tour de Ski, which would determine the overall World Cup for the season.