OBERSTDORF, Germany — Therese Johaug jetted to another distance victory on Wednesday in the 10-kilometer classic mass start, but not without a tenacious teammate keeping her on her toes, as Ingvild Flugstad Østberg placed second to stay in the Tour de Ski leader’s bib. Then in the men’s 15 k, Kazakhstan’s Alexey Poltoranin outlasted Dario Cologna of Switzerland by 0.1 seconds for the win, and Italy’s Francesco de Fabiani came on strong for third.
Much thanks to Marcel Hilger, who shared the following photos from Stage 5 of the Tour.
Start of the women’s 10 k classic mass start at Stage 5 of the Tour de Ski in Oberstdorf, Germany. (Photo: Marcel Hilger)
Therese Johaug sets the pace early in the 10 k classic mass start at Stage 5 of the Tour de Ski in Oberstdorf, Germany. (Photo: Marcel Hilger)
Therese Johaug (l) leads Norwegian teammates Ingvild Flugstad Østberg (c) and Heidi Weng (r) during the 10 k classic mass start at Stage 5 of the Tour de Ski in Oberstdorf, Germany. (Photo: Marcel Hilger)
Therese Johaug (front) leads Norwegian teammates Ingvild Flugstad Østberg and Heidi Weng during the 10 k classic mass start at Stage 5 of the Tour de Ski in Oberstdorf, Germany. (Photo: Marcel Hilger)
Norway’s Therese Johaug racing to the win in the 10 k classic mass start at Stage 5 of the Tour de Ski in Oberstdorf, Germany. (Photo: Marcel Hilger)
Norway’s Therese Johaug after winning the 10 k classic mass start at Stage 5 of the Tour de Ski in Oberstdorf, Germany, in January. (Photo: Marcel Hilger)
The all-Norwegian women’s podium at Stage 5 of the Tour de Ski: (from left to right) runner-up Ingvild Flugstad Østberg, winner Therese Johaug and Heidi Weng in third in the 10 k classic mass start in Oberstdorf, Germany. (Photo: Marcel Hilger)
Norway’s Therese Johaug after winning the 10 k classic mass start at Stage 5 of the Tour de Ski in Oberstdorf, Germany. (Photo: Marcel Hilger)
Norway’s Ingvild Flugstad Østberg after finishing second in the 10 k classic mass start at Stage 5 of the Tour de Ski in Oberstdorf, Germany. She remains first in the Tour standings, 12 seconds ahead of teammate Therese Johaug (not shown) with three stages to go. (Photo: Marcel Hilger)
Fellow U.S. Ski Team members Sadie Bjornsen (l) and Jessie Diggins (r) started near each other in Wednesday’s 10 k classic mass start at Stage 5 of the Tour de Ski in Oberstdorf, Germany. Diggins went on to place 23rd and Bjornsen 26th for 12th and 14th overall, respectively, in the Tour standings. (Photo: Marcel Hilger)
American Jessie Diggins (10) skiing in the pack with Finland’s Laura Mononen (9) and Germany’s Sandra Ringwald (15) during the 10 k classic mass start at Stage 5 of the Tour de Ski in Oberstdorf, Germany. (Photo: Marcel Hilger)
Sadie Bjornsen racing to 26th in the 10 k classic mass start at Stage 5 of the Tour de Ski in Oberstdorf, Germany. (Photo: Marcel Hilger)
Liz Stephen racing to 33rd in the 10 k classic mass start at Stage 5 of the Tour de Ski in Oberstdorf, Germany. (Photo: Marcel Hilger)
Liz Stephen racing to 33rd in the 10 k classic mass start at Stage 5 of the Tour de Ski in Oberstdorf, Germany. (Photo: Marcel Hilger)
Rosie Brennan on her way to 35th in the 10 k classic in Oberstdorf, Germany, as part of the 2016 Tour de Ski. Brennan is an athlete representative to U.S. Ski & Snowboard, and recently participated in a call between the leadership of the International Olympic Committee and the World Anti-Doping Agency, with 50 other athlete representatives. That athletes had the chance to ask questions about current doping investigations and anti-doping policy. (Photo: Marcel Hilger)
Rosie Brennan on her way to 35th in the 10 k classic mass start at Stage 5 of the Tour de Ski in Oberstdorf, Germany. (Photo: Marcel Hilger)
American Rosie Brennan (r) leads Slovenia’s Alenka Cebasek (c) and U.S. teammate Sophie Caldwell during the 10 k classic mass start at Stage 5 of the Tour de Ski in Oberstdorf, Germany. (Photo: Marcel Hilger)
Caitlin Gregg racing to 49th in the 10 k classic mass start at Stage 5 of the Tour de Ski in Oberstdorf, Germany. (Photo: Marcel Hilger)
Caitlin Gregg racing to 49th in the 10 k classic mass start at Stage 5 of the Tour de Ski in Oberstdorf, Germany. (Photo: Marcel Hilger)
Ida Sargent on her way to 55th in the 10 k classic mass start at Stage 5 of the Tour de Ski in Oberstdorf, Germany. (Photo: Marcel Hilger)
Ida Sargent on her way to 55th in the 10 k classic mass start at Stage 5 of the Tour de Ski in Oberstdorf, Germany. (Photo: Marcel Hilger)
Ida Sargent on her way to 55th in the 10 k classic mass start at Stage 5 of the Tour de Ski in Oberstdorf, Germany. (Photo: Marcel Hilger)
The men’s 15 k classic mass start podium at Stage 5 of the Tour de Ski in Oberstdorf, Germany: (from left to right) Swiss runner-up Dario Cologna, winner Alexey Poltoranin (Kazakhstan), and Francesco de Fabiani (Italy) in third. (Photo: Marcel Hilger)
Norway’s Martin Johnsrud Sundby (l) and Emil Iversen (10) during the 15 k classic mass start at Stage 5 of the Tour de Ski in Oberstdorf, Germany. (Photo: Marcel Hilger)
Devon Kershaw racing to 29th in the 15 k classic mass start at Stage 5 of the Tour de Ski in Oberstdorf, Germany. (Photo: Marcel Hilger)
American Noah Hoffman (l) and Canadian Ivan Babikov (r) skiing together during the 15 k classic mass start at Stage 5 of the Tour de Ski in Oberstdorf, Germany. Babikov went on to place 34 and Hoffman finished 41st. (Photo: Marcel Hilger)
Finland’s Sami Jauhojärvi (38), and Canadian Ivan Babikov (37) during the 15 k classic mass start at Stage 5 of the Tour de Ski in Oberstdorf, Germany, in January. (Photo: Marcel Hilger)
Erik Bjornsen on his way to 56th in the 15 k classic mass start at Stage 5 of the Tour de Ski in Oberstdorf, Germany. (Photo: Marcel Hilger)
American Erik Bjornsen (32), Sweden’s Oskar Svensson (42), and France’s Jean Marc Gaillard (23) during the 15 k classic mass start at Stage 5 of the Tour de Ski in Oberstdorf, Germany. Bjornsen went on to place 56th. (Photo: Marcel Hilger)
Andy Newell during the 15 k classic mass start at Stage 5 of the Tour de Ski in Oberstdorf, Germany. He did not finish after dropping out between 3 and 4 k. (Photo: Marcel Hilger)
