Andorran Skier Esteve Withdraws from Tour de Ski Amid Struggles

Andorran cross-country skier Irineu Esteve has withdrawn from the Tour de Ski after finishing 74th in Tuesday's 20km classic pursuit in Toblach-Dobbiaco, Italy, citing severe physical and mental struggles that made it the toughest race of his career.

Esteve clocked 49:22.4, finishing 3:42.9 behind Sweden's Edvin Anger, who won in 45:39.5. In the stage cumulative standings, he placed 73rd with 52:34.4, 6:32.7 off Norway's Johannes Hoesflot Klæbo. Overall, Esteve trailed Klæbo's 1:19:31 total by 6:33. He described staying in zone 2 throughout, unable to push, and said his body had not responded despite efforts to adjust training volume, intensity, and recovery. "The body isn't pulling, and we don't know what it needs," he said, adding that the team had tried everything without success. After discussions with his Aker Dæhlie team, Esteve opted to skip the upcoming stages in Val di Fiemme starting Saturday and return to Andorra.

The pursuit capped a challenging Tour for Esteve. In Wednesday's preceding 5km freestyle heat—his second stage—he ended 85th overall in 10:16.0, 40.6 seconds behind heat winner Gus Schumacher of the United States in 9:35.4. Starting in heat 2 on the flat course, he kept pace with the group until midway, when team orders forced him to give his pole to general classification contender Andrew Musgrave. The stop cost him rhythm and key seconds, leaving him 29 seconds off 30th-place Gustaf Berglund of Sweden in 9:46.8. Esteve noted the pre-race team meeting had agreed any rider would assist Musgrave, the team's best shot at an overall win that season. "He can fight for the general, and unfortunately we can't this year," he said.

Teammate Gina del Rio fared better in the women's 5km freestyle heat, placing 34th overall in 11:18.1, 26.9 seconds behind Jessie Diggins of the United States in 10:51.2. She posted the seventh-best intermediate time at 1.7km but faded against faster rivals and broke a pole in the final sprint, finishing one-handed. Del Rio called it a middling performance shaped by heat draw and group pace, feeling strong early but lacking a finishing kick after recovering on the downhill. Now 40th overall, she has returned for World Cup races in Oberhof, Germany, on 17-18 January, leaving no Andorran representation in the Tour.

Both skiers opened strongly in the 10km classic individual start, with Esteve 39th in 23:38.1—1:27.1 behind Norway's Mattis Stenshagen—and del Rio 37th in 27:24.0, 1:50.3 off Astrid Øyre Slind of Norway. Technical director Xabier del Val had praised those efforts amid wider difficulties, with the pair crediting their gear.

Meanwhile, Grandvalira's Soldeu sector hosted Copa Creand FIS slaloms organised by Esquí Club Arinsal Pal. Xavier Cornella took Monday's men's gold in 1:41.30, ahead of Bartumeu Gabriel (+0.28) and Àlex Rius (+0.62) at 23.00 FIS points. Íria Medina won the women's event in 1:50.21, beating Etna Pou by 1.32 and Spain's Noa Dones by 11.35 for 33.08 FIS points.

Tuesday's slalom saw Gabriel prevail in 1:37.15 over Cornella (+0.29) and Spain's Aingeru Garay (+0.39) at 23 FIS points. Carla Mijares, recently 18th in a World Cup downhill, claimed women's victory in 1:41.43 ahead of June Garitano and Spain's Nur Torres, also at 23 FIS points. Several Andorrans, including Medina, failed to finish the first run. The Copa Creand resumes on 23 January at El Tarter with two descents by Esquí Club d'Andorra, including national championships.