Marit Bjorgen paired with rising star Ella Gjoemle for the second time this year, and for the second time, they managed to finish ahead of the rest of the world–this time in Asiago, Italy. One second back was the Finland I team of Virpi Kuitunen and Aino Kaisa Saarinen. These two teams utterly crushed the rest of the field. Sweden finished third, 28 seconds back.
In the men's relay, Norwegian teams took first and third, broken up by Russia in second. Yesterday's winner Jens Arne Svartedal and runnerup Tor Arne Hetland ended up a clear 3 seconds ahead of Russia I with Nikokai Pankratov and Vassili Rotchev. Poland had a notable relay result in sixth. Janusz Krezelok anchored his teammate Maciej Kreczmer's performance to put them less than 2 seconds behind Sweden's best team.
A few photos may be posted later today.
Full results — World Cup Classic Sprint Relay in Asiago, Italy Dec. 15th:
Men
Rank Bib FIS Code Name Year Nation Time FIS Points
1 100069 NORWAY I NOR 14:15.4
2 100071 RUSSIA I RUS 14:18.3
3 74612 NORWAY II NOR 14:21.4
4 101491 ESTONIA II EST 14:25.0
5 100075 SWEDEN I SWE 14:28.9
6 90966 POLAND POL 14:30.7
7 74584 RUSSIA II RUS 14:33.7
8 101490 ESTONIA I EST 14:38.2
9 74728 ITALY II ITA 14:50.9
10 74595 JAPAN JPN 15:12.6
11 89540 KAZAKHSTAN II KAZ Semifinale
12 100073 ITALY I ITA Semifinale
13 74591 FINLAND II FIN Semifinale
14 74593 SWITZERLAND SUI Semifinale
15 74729 SLOVAKIA SLO Semifinale
16 100070 GERMANY I GER Semifinale
17 102344 FRANCE I FRA Semifinale
18 100072 FINLAND I FIN Semifinale
19 100074 KAZAKHSTAN I KAZ Semifinale
20 74600 AUSTRIA AUT Semifinale
21 74616 SWEDEN II SWE Semifinale
22 76685 FRANCE II FRA Semifinale
23 74727 GERMANY II GER Semifinale
24 76681 ITALY III ITA Semifinale
Women
Rank Bib FIS Code Name Year Nation Time FIS Points
1 100069 NORWAY I NOR 16:04.1
2 100072 FINLAND I FIN 16:05.1
3 100075 SWEDEN I SWE 16:32.1
4 100071 RUSSIA I RUS 16:32.8
5 100070 GERMANY I GER 16:43.9
6 74593 SWITZERLAND SUI 16:46.0
7 74616 SWEDEN II SWE 16:47.0
8 74587 KAZAKHSTAN KAZ 17:06.3
9 74595 JAPAN JPN 17:06.7
10 74589 ITALY ITA 17:27.8
11 74584 RUSSIA II RUS Semifinale
12 74727 GERMANY II GER Semifinale
13 74592 BELARUS BLR Semifinale
14 74613 FRANCE FRA Semifinale
15 74591 FINLAND II FIN Semifinale
