Jarl Magnus Riiber put out by parasite – has barely eaten for two weeks – NRK Sport – Sports news, results and broadcast schedule

– The latest news is that we have informed basically everyone that I will not be going for the weekend because of the challenges I have had in the last two weeks, says Jarl Magnus Riiber to NRK.

Norway’s combined star, who has the WC in Planica as his big goal, contracted a cold virus in December, but now he has been sidelined for completely different reasons.

– I have a parasite, which has set me back a lot. I’m not taking any food, and it’s been like that for two weeks, says Riiber.

Parasites are organisms that live on or in another living organism. It can cause different types of infections – in Riiber’s case a stomach infection.

Suffered from nutritional deficiencies

Recently, he has not been able to train, and Riiber himself is unsure how long it will take to be ready again.

– We lived with the hope that I could make it to Otepää. I’ve lost weight and that’s not good for the energy you need to ski fast. So that means that I have no chance of getting my body back to normal function now. I see that Klingenthal will be difficult, explains Riiber.

In recent weeks, Riiber has been suffering from low appetite and exhaustion.

– The business ends immediately, so that means that with each passing day you become a little bit weaker. For a period I was able to train a little, then in the end I could not train at all, says Riiber.

Now it’s all about taking it day by day.

– I am left with quite big questions about where I stand. I try to move a little and see how I respond to it, he says and confirms that he is not one hundred percent yet.

Riiber is unsure where he caught the parasite, but explains that he has probably been exposed to the disease after catching a cold earlier in the season.

– A lot of things point towards Austria, where we were at the World Cup last time, but that’s just speculation. It might as well have come from here. We simply do not know, says Riiber.

– I have struggled for the last two weeks, and it has developed in the wrong direction, he adds.

– Miracles must happen

Riiber is considered the favorite to win the World Cup overall this year after winning the World Cup four years in a row.

He does not believe that will happen this year.

– I’ll probably have to let the World Cup go altogether, and rather start focusing on the WC. I was in the same situation last year, but then I had several race weekends with good results, so I had a better buffer, says Riiber.

– Some miracles will have to happen if I am to have a chance in the summary, but it is all the better that Jens is the next man on the list, he smiles.

The big highlight of the year is the WC in Planica at the end of February. Riiber does not fear the championship yet.

– Hif another two weeks go by and the body is not in balance by then, then I will probably have to make hard priorities in relation to the WC. Health comes first, and I have to be healthy to do what we do, says Riiber.

The boss not worried

Ivar Stuan, the combined runners’ sports director, believes his student is talking himself down.

– You should never write off Riiber. I don’t think any of the others at the top of the world dare to do that either. If he returns to Seefeld, he will manage a few races before the WC, but he will have to wreak havoc in every race if he is to make it. Riiber often hits back hard, says the coach with a smile.

Nor does Stuan properly fear the WC for Riiber yet, but he adds that several things must be in place first:

– He has to be completely healthy and have trained well in advance. If he is to make it, he must recover quickly.

Coming straight from the delivery room

Espen Andersen will take Riiber’s place next weekend in Otepää. He has not had a normal run-up to the World Cup.

– Andersen was actually supposed to stay over this weekend because his roommate was due, but when the kid arrived a little earlier he was still ready, says Stuan with permission from the new father.

– He comes almost straight from the delivery room, but he is ready to defend Riiber’s place, he adds.