World Cup racing picked up again today after a 21-day break; the first World Cup race of 2005 was the women's 10k classic in Otepaa, Estonia.
Overall leader Marit Bjorgen didn't lose any ground over the holidays, winning by over ten seconds ahead of her 40-year-old Norwegian teammate Hilde Pedersen. Katerina Neumannova of the Czech Republic finished 29 seconds behind Bjorgen, which was good enough for third place in a rather spread-out field of 45 skiers.
![](http://images.fasterskier.com/oldsitearchive/upload/050108classicnovordec2004norwayrace.jpg width=400 height=433 border=1><br />
<BR><font size=1 face=verdana>Marit Bjorgen</font></center><BR></p>
<p>The “hometown favorite” Kristina Smigun, second in the overall World Cup standings coming into the race, ended up in sixth, nearly a minute behind Bjorgen. Smigun holds onto second in the overall standings, while Bjorgen's lead increases to 230 points.</p>
<p>No North American skiers participated. World Cup action continues tomorrow with Men's and Women's classic sprints.</p>
<p>Results — Otepaa World Cup Women's 10k Classic</p>
<p> 1 1303777 BJOERGEN Marit 1980 NOR 27:20.2 0.00<br />
2 1260903 PEDERSEN Hilde G. 1964 NOR 27:30.7 5.12<br />
3 1054778 NEUMANNOVA Katerina 1973 CZE 27:49.2 14.14<br />
4 1255665 SAARINEN Aino Kaisa 1979 FIN 27:59.2 19.02<br />
5 1220648 KUENZEL Claudia 1978 GER 28:01.0 19.90<br />
6 1094063 SMIGUN Kristina 1977 EST 28:15.2 26.83<br />
7 1166037 KUITUNEN Virpi 1976 FIN 28:15.3 26.87<br />
8 1129371 BARANOVA- MASOLKINA Natalia 1975 RUS 28:17.1 27.75<br />
9 1002786 PARUZZI Gabriella 1969 ITA 28:18.2 28.29<br />
10 1092996 TCHEPALOVA Julija 1976 RUS 28:18.8 28.58<br />
11 3435001 KOWALCZYK Justyna 1983 POL 28:29.9 34.00<br />
12 1005017 VALBUSA Sabina 1972 ITA 28:31.7 34.87<br />
13 1133445 BAUER Viola 1976 GER 28:32.8 35.41<br />
14 1312701 MISCHOL Seraina 1981 SUI 28:37.4 37.65<br />
15 1218611 VAELIMAA Kirsi 1978 FIN 28:44.6 41.17<br />
16 3425003 STEIRA STOERMER Kristin 1981 NOR 28:49.9 43.75<br />
17 1081744 VILJANMAA Annmari 1973 FIN 28:54.4 45.95<br />
18 1107837 EK Elin 1973 SWE 29:04.2 50.73<br />
19 1303874 BJOERNAAS Kine Beate 1980 NOR 29:07.4 52.29<br />
20 3485014 VORONTSOVA Ekaterina 1983 RUS 29:08.0 52.58<br />
21 1142563 SHEVCHENKO Valentina 1975 UKR 29:09.6 53.36<br />
22 1304165 GJOEMLE Ella 1979 NOR 29:13.6 55.31<br />
23 1283116 ANDERSSON Lina 1981 SWE 29:14.9 55.94<br />
24 1256732 SACHENBACHER Evi 1980 GER 29:15.8 56.38<br />
25 1098622 SUIJA Silja 1974 EST 29:22.4 59.60<br />
26 1355769 MUERER STEMLAND Kristin 1981 NOR 29:32.7 64.63<br />
27 1081162 SALONEN Satu 1973 FIN 29:33.6 65.07<br />
28 1088922 SAVIALOVA Olga 1972 RUS 29:37.0 66.72<br />
29 1237817 DAHLBERG Anna 1976 SWE 29:38.2 67.31<br />
30 1101920 CONFORTOLA Antonella 1975 ITA 29:40.0 68.19<br />
31 1222200 LONGA Marianna 1979 ITA 29:44.5 70.38<br />
32 1099204 PHILIPPOT Karine 1974 FRA 29:48.0 72.09<br />
33 1285929 STORTI Aurelie 1980 FRA 29:51.8 73.94<br />
34 1113754 HENKEL Manuela 1974 GER 29:58.6 77.26<br />
35 1296599 SANTER Stephanie 1981 ITA 30:00.4 78.14<br />
36 1276714 MAJDIC Petra 1979 SLO 30:06.8 81.26<br />
37 1191354 ROCHAT Laurence 1979 SUI 30:07.6 81.65<br />
38 1350628 FUKUDA Nobuko 1980 JPN 30:31.1 93.11<br />
39 1126461 VENAELAEINEN-SUNDQVIST Kati 1975 FIN 30:34.8 94.92<br />
40 3485193 ARTEMOVA Irina 1984 RUS 30:35.8 95.40<br />
41 1175834 SMIGUN Katrin 1979 EST 31:02.4 108.38<br />
42 1217738 KURG Onne 1973 EST 31:13.0 113.55<br />
43 3395010 PORMEISTER Piret 1985 EST 31:17.3 115.64<br />
44 1139071 MORODER Karin 1974 ITA 31:43.7 128.52<br />
45 3395038 UDRAS Kaija 1986 EST 31:44.9 129.11 </p>
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