In the final women's race at the Oberstdorf World Championships, Norway's Marit Bjoergen proved that she has what it takes to win gold not only in the sprint and middle distance events, but now in a 30km classic mass-start as well.
![](http://images.fasterskier.com/oldsitearchive/upload/050226Bjorgenhead-onclassicItalydec2004CROPPED.jpg width=408 height=425 border=1><br />
<BR><font size=1 face=verdana>Marit Bjoergen. Photo From www.newspower.it</font></center><BR><br />
Russian Natalia Baranova-Masolkina overcame a fall early on to lead in the beginning of the race. Czech star Katerina Neumannova also led for a fair chunk of the middle kilometers, along with Estonia's Kristina Smigun and Justyna Kowalczyk of Poland. In the final 5km however, several skiers charged up and caught the lead group, including Bjoergen, Finland's Virpi Kuitunen, and Claudia Kuenzel of Germany. </p>
<p>Bjoergen then blasted over the final climb at a near-sprint, with nobody able to follow her. The Norwegian took her fifth gold medal in Oberstdorf by 8.9 seconds. In a final sprint in the stadium, Virpi Kuitunen won the silver, two seconds clear of the early Russian leader Natalia Baranova who took bronze. </p>
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In the final women's race at the Oberstdorf World Championships, Norway's Marit Bjoergen proved that she has what it takes to win gold not only in the sprint and middle distance events, but now in a 30km classic mass-start as well.