By Teemu Virtanen
Everyone knows that traveling is always the hardest part of the game in Visma Ski Classics. Many things can happen on the road and there is always the risk of getting sick and feeling under the weather.
Team Mäenpää, the best Finnish group in the field, was a bit unlucky on the way to Livigno. They lost their racing skis and now they are looking for kind people to lend a hand as they need gear for tomorrow. The team captain Kim Mäenpää is confident that they will receive their own skis by Sunday's individual race.
"Unfortunately, our skis are somewhere at the Helsinki airport, but I'm sure we'll find a way to manage tomorrow," Kim says sounding more annoyed than worried. "The Sunday's race is more important for us, and I believe that we are ready to raise the bar this season. Niko Koskela and Viktor Mäenpää will be strong on Sunday. Hans Mäenpää needs a longer race than the one on Sunday. Hannes Mäenpää is recovering from his knee surgery, but he will be back in action soon. Ida Mäenpää will only race tomorrow."
Team Mäenpää will face a hard competition from two other Finnish Pro Teams, Team Minken and Team Northern Fish Hätälä, and from their former teammate Ari Luusua who now represents Vltava Fund Ski Team from the Czech Republic.
