Originally, the 30-year-old Norwegian had planned on being ready for the Olympics by the end of the World Cup in Davos last weekend. 

That would allow Emil Iversen to focus on a solid training block until the national team precamp prior to the 2022 Olympics in Beijing in February. However, Iversen is far from ready for the Olympics. “I have decided that I want to compete in Tour de Ski. While this was my Plan B, it is a good Plan B,” Iversen says to NRK on Monday. 

Rough start to the season 
So far, the first part of this race season hasn’t gone according to plan or expectations for Iversen. 

The national FIS season opener at Beitostølen was the exception: Iversen was on the podium in both the distance races. He finished second in the 15km skate race and third in the 15km classic. 

From there, things have gone downhill. At the World Cup opener in Ruka (FIN) on November 26 to 28, Iversen was 49th in the sprint qualifier and didn’t make it to the heats. In the 15-kilometer classic race the next day, he was seventh, which was below what he had expected. Finally, Iversen chose to sit out the last race in Finland, the 15-kilometer pursuit, due to extremely cold temperatures. 

At the World Cup on home turf in Lillehammer on December 3 to 5, Iversen delivered another disappointing sprint performance: 40th place in the qualifier and no heats. Placing 23rd in the 15-kilometer skate race the next day was another downer. 

After those races along with the Ruka races the previous weekend, helping Norway to first place in the relay on the last day of the Lillehammer weekend wasn’t enough to earn him a spot on the World Cup team to Davos last weekend. 

At the same time, Iversen’s teammate Simen Hegstad Krüger won the 15-kilometer skate race in Davos on Saturday, his second consecutive World Cup victory in that event, and put in a solid bid for a ticket to the Beijing Olympics on Saturday. 

Additionally, Norway takes the following three places: Harald Østberg Amundsen was fourth, Hans Christer Holund was fifth and Sjur Røthe was sixth. Holund has already earned a spot on the Olympic team. Østberg Amundsen has strengthened his bid for a ticket to China, and Røthe is looking stronger than ever this season.  

However, there are eight spots on that Olympic team, and some of them are still open. The last opportunity to qualify is the Tour de Ski. And that’s why Iversen is reconsidering his early season race schedule.  

Tour de Ski starts on December 28 and finishes on January 4.