Arguably the two best skate skiers on the World Cup circuit, Hoffman and overall World Cup winner Rene Sommerfeldt finished one and two in today’s free technique 30-km race in Pragelato, Italy. A strong Italian team had three skiers in top 6, while Norway surprised by finishing 4, 7 and 8th – their best World Cup results in a skate race this year.
The best North American finish came again from Carl Swenson in 31st place, followed by Kris Freeman in 33rd. Best Canadian was Drew Goldsack in 45th.
Pragelato, a small village about 1.5 hours from Torino will host the Cross-Country competitions during the 2006 Olympic Winter Games. The Olympic competition courses will be constructed this summer, but this weekend’s World Cup gave the athletes and teams a good feel for the terrain that will be used for the Olympic courses. The 2006 Olympic ski jumps are located adjacent to the Cross-Country courses, so the little mountain village of Pragelato will be greatly transformed during the next two years to be ready for the Olympic family and spectators.
30-km World Cup Free Technique
Results:
1 Hoffmann Christian AUT 1:07:32.8 0.0
2 Sommerfeldt Rene GER 1:07:51.9 +19.1
3 Moriggl Thomas ITA 1:08:02.0 +29.2
4 Hofstad Tore Ruud NOR 1:08:03.3 +30.5
5 Piller Cottrer Pietro ITA 1:08:04.8 +32.0
6 Kostner Florian ITA 1:08:12.1 +39.3
7 Estil Frode NOR 1:08:43.0 +1:10.2
8 Skjeldal Kristen NOR 1:08:45.8 +1:13.0
9 Burgermeister Reto SUI 1:08:55.2 +1:22.4
10 Vittoz Vincent FRA 1:08:57.6 +1:24.8
11 Bajcicak Martin SVK 1:09:11.4 +1:38.6
12 Teichmann Axel GER 1:09:16.0 +1:43.2
13 Di Centa Giorgio ITA 1:09:35.2 +2:02.4
14 Pankratov Nikolai RUS 1:09:35.4 +2:02.6
15 Filbrich Jens GER 1:09:36.6 +2:03.8
16 Ohtonen Olli FIN 1:09:41.6 +2:08.8
17 Valbusa Fulvio ITA 1:09:45.8 +2:13.0
18 Tauber Martin AUT 1:09:54.8 +2:22.0
19 Norin Artem RUS 1:09:55.4 +2:22.6
20 Angerer Tobias GER 1:10:04.4 +2:31.6
21 Schnider Christoph SUI 1:10:12.4 +2:39.6
22 Ivanov Mikhail RUS 1:10:17.1 +2:44.3
23 Leybyuk Roman UKR 1:10:19.3 +2:46.5
24 Mae Jaak EST 1:10:21.6 +2:48.8
25 Andresen Jan Egil NOR 1:10:34.0 +3:01.2
26 Lallukka Juha FIN 1:10:42.6 +3:09.8
27 Michl Petr CZE 1:10:45.3 +3:12.5
28 Bauer Lukas CZE 1:10:47.7 +3:14.9
29 Jonnier Emmanuel FRA 1:10:48.2 +3:15.4
30 Bundi Gion Andrea SUI 1:10:49.9 +3:17.1
31 Swenson Carl USA 1:10:51.5 +3:18.7
32 Santus Fabio ITA 1:10:56.9 +3:24.1
33 Freeman Kris USA 1:10:58.3 +3:25.5
34 Sinnes Svein Tore NOR 1:11:03.3 +3:30.5
35 Soedergren Anders SWE 1:11:08.5 +3:35.7
36 Dementiev Evgenji RUS 1:11:23.1 +3:50.3
37 Hofmann Egon ITA 1:11:38.8 +4:06.0
38 Schluetter Andreas GER 1:11:57.5 +4:24.7
39 Legkov Alexander RUS 1:11:57.9 +4:25.1
40 Vilarrubla Vicente SPA 1:12:01.1 +4:28.3
41 Checchi Valerio ITA 1:12:02.8 +4:30.0
42 Chauvet Benoit FRA 1:12:05.2 +4:32.4
43 Di Santo Biagio ITA 1:12:21.3 +4:48.5
44 Bjerke Espen Harald NOR 1:12:23.2 +4:50.4
45 Goldsack Drew CAN 1:12:56.6 +5:23.8
46 Novikov Serguei RUS 1:13:09.8 +5:37.0
47 Fredriksson Mathias SWE 1:13:10.1 +5:37.3
48 Debertolis Bruno ITA 1:13:14.9 +5:42.1
49 Jefferies Chris CAN 1:13:20.1 +5:47.3
50 Dolidowitsch Sergei BLR 1:13:22.6 +5:49.8
51 Grey George CAN 1:13:25.2 +5:52.4
52 Kozu Masaaki JPN 1:13:26.9 +5:54.1
53 Passeron Stephane FRA 1:13:32.9 +6:00.1
54 Alypov Ivan RUS 1:13:34.4 +6:01.6
55 Rehemaa Aivar EST 1:13:41.8 +6:09.0
56 Heikkinen Matti FIN 1:13:42.8 +6:10.0
57 Ruiz Diego SPA 1:13:45.4 +6:12.6
58 Hoegberg Anders SWE 1:14:02.8 +6:30.0
59 Yloenen Petri FIN 1:14:13.7 +6:40.9
60 Svartedal Jens Arne NOR 1:14:23.9 +6:51.1
61 Johnson Andrew USA 1:14:32.2 +6:59.4
62 Fredriksson Thobias SWE 1:14:41.2 +7:08.4
63 Magal Jiri CZE 1:14:42.7 +7:09.9
64 Urain Gerhard AUT 1:14:53.5 +7:20.7
65 Kanamaru Tomio JPN 1:14:57.6 +7:24.8
66 Oglago Sebahattin TUR 1:14:58.1 +7:25.3
67 Malak Michal SVK 1:15:03.3 +7:30.5
68 Frasnelli Loris ITA 1:15:10.1 +7:37.3
69 Veerpalu Andrus EST 1:15:14.2 +7:41.4
70 Chamberlain David USA 1:15:16.4 +7:43.6
71 Brink Joergen SWE 1:15:25.4 +7:52.6
72 Kershaw Devon CAN 1:15:57.1 +8:24.3
73 Flora Lars USA 1:15:59.3 +8:26.5
74 Ebisawa Katsuhito JPN 1:16:23.3 +8:50.5
75 Eder Johannes AUT 1:17:16.6 +9:43.8
76 Freeman Justin USA 1:19:12.0 +11:39.2
