Arianna Follis (ITA) was a winner in everything today, qualifying 1st in the Women’s Freestyle Sprint in Prague and going on to win the event and take over the overall Tour de Ski lead.
Follis beat out Aino-Kais Saarien (FIN) and Petra Majdic (SLO) to win the 1.3km sprint. She onw holds an 8 second lead over Saarinen in the overall standings. Marit Bjoergen (NOR) won the B-Final to finish 7th. She is in third overall, well within striking distance of Follis, 13.1 seconds back. Majdic notched her seconds podium finish of the Tour and sits in 5th overall, just behind Justyna Kowalczyk (POL).
Kowalczyk turned in a storng 11th – she generally prefers classic and must stay close in the skate sprints to maintain contact with the leaders.
Said Follis follwoing the race, “I knew that I would have a good chance here in Prague. In the qualification I tried to start quick to take the lead. Later in the finals I changed tactic, there it was good to be little in behind in the beginning of the race. My goal is still the podium, and there is still one more sprint and that is good for me.”