FIS World Cup Tour de Ski Stage Val di Fiemme, Italy 9 k Freestyle Pursuit Alpe Cermis Hill Climb
Sunday was the day for the steeps, the V1, and some single pole sticks as the Tour de Ski’s (TdS) final Stage 7 9-kilometer skate pursuit up the Alpe Cermis played out.
Norway’s Ingvild Flugstad Østberg began the stage with a 53.4-second head start on Russia’s Natalia Nepryaeva who skied off in bib 2 as the Tour’s second overall skier.
Despite the six stages in her legs, Østberg was untouchable on the Alpe. She finished the stage in a time of 35.15.0 minutes which was also the fastest time of day. Of the leading skiers that followed across the line, none gained any time on the overall TdS winner — the time back only increased. Nepryaeva placed second overall (+2:42.0), while Finland’s Krista Pärmäkoski placed third (+2:55.0).
In fourth was Russia’s Anastasia Sedova 3:353.2 minutes back. Sedova began in bib 5, but passed teammate Yulia Belorukova, the day’s fourth starter, as she ascended the Cermis. Belorukova finished 4:47.4 minutes behind Østberg.
The U.S. Ski Team’s Jessie Diggins placed sixth (+5:13.5). Norway’s Heidi Weng, last season’s TdS winner, placed seventh (+6:49.3).
Canada’s Emily Nishikawa placed 25th overall (+13:54.9).
Women’s Results |Winner of the Day | Women’s Stage by Stage TdS Overall Results
In the men’s 9 k hill climb, the seventh and final stage of this year’s Tour de Ski, Norway’s Johannes Høsflot Klæbo managed to hold off the charge of Russian Sergey Ustiugov to take the win in a time of 32:51.3. A hard pressing Ustiugov finished 16.7 seconds behind the Norwegian winner after starting with a 1:20 minute deficit.
Norway’s Simen Hegstad Krüger, who started 3:06 behind Klæbo reduced that deficit to 48.8 by the end of the climb, passing Russia’s Alexander Bolshunov in order to claim third. By the end of the race, third place finisher, Krüger had made up 1:23 on Bolshunov.
In the end, Bolshunov placed fifth (+1:26.6) after also being passed by Norwegian Sjur Røthe who placed fourth (+1:05.3). Røthe posted the fastest time of day, having completed the grueling 9 k in a time of 30:32.0. Krüger had the second fastest time, finishing in a time of 30:33.3.
Results: Men’s Final Climb | Time of Day | Men’s Stage by Stage TdS Overall Standings
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U.S. Cross-Country Ski Championships Craftsbury, Vermont 20 k/30 k Freestyle Mass Start
On Sunday, the women raced a 20 k skate mass start event. Caitlin Patterson (CGRP) won the race in 59:23.1 minutes. Rosie Frankowski (APU) placed second in 1:00:03 and Jessica Yeaton (APU/Australian National Team) third in 1:00:09.7.
Hailey Swirbul (APU) was fourth overall but third overall American. She finished in a time of 1:00:30.1.
In the men’s 30 k skate mass start, David Norris (APU) took the win in 1:18:02.4 hours. Kyle Bratrud (SMS T2) placed second in 1:18:08.8, while Scott Patterson (APU/USST) was third in 1:18:21.4.
FasterSkier will be posting U.S. national’s race reports later in the day.
