Kerttu Niskanen, a leading figure in Finnish cross-country skiing, has officially withdrawn from the final World Cup events taking place in Lake Placid this weekend. This announcement comes from the Finnish Skiing Association, although the reasons for Niskanen's absence have not been disclosed. Her previous performance saw her finishing 32nd in last weekend's Holmenkollen 50-kilometer race, over seven minutes behind the winner, Frida Karlsson. This raises concerns about her current form and potential challenges she may be facing ahead of the winter competition season.

Additionally, the Finnish Skiing Association noted that another skier, Arsi Ruuskas, has also altered his competition plans due to illness. Ruuskas will miss at least the 10-kilometer event scheduled for today, Friday, with his participation in the remaining competitions over the weekend still uncertain. This series of withdrawals raises questions about the Finnish team’s overall strategy and performance, especially leading up to significant competitions.

The schedule for the Lake Placid events includes multiple races across the weekend, starting with the women's 10 km and men's 10 km today, followed by sprint qualifications and the 20 km races for both men and women. The absence of key athletes like Niskanen and Ruuskas may impact the team's performance and morale as they head into these final competitions of the season, making it a crucial moment for other teammates to step up.