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Jessie Diggins (USA) continues to pursue the season-long World Cup Overall title, having successfully defended her lead in those standings through the recent weekends of sprints and mass start races. And with so many World Cup bonus point sprints incorporated into those mass start events, there is simply no time to surrender the lead. Diggins has appeared willing to take on that challenge, and to be willing to risk losing in order to win; that’s nowhere near as simple as it sounds. Only a few years ago, Diggins would not have been considered a distance-race contender in anything longer than a 5 k Freestyle. But in Goms, Switzerland, Diggins once again showed that she has matured into a skier who can push the pace in races of any distance, control the field on a challenging and technical courses, and sprint like a rocket even when it appears she’s out of gas. Say what you will about Jessie Diggins, but always remember that she is the quintessential fighter. Today in Goms, that fighting spirit was on thrilling display.
After four 5 k laps of Goms’ challenging and technical course, Diggins outsprinted an on-form and determined Frida Karlsson (SWE) to take the win in the World Cup 20 k Mass Start Freestyle. Her American teammates, Sophia Laukli and Rosie Brennan, followed closely in fifth and seventh, respectively. The third place on the podium was captured in tremendous form by a skier better known for her sprinting—Nadine Faendrich—who may have been energized by the cheering of her Swiss countrymen.
Having been securely positioned in the lead pack throughout the day, Lilliane Gagnon (CAN) finished a tremendous ninth. Additional North American finishers included Sammy Smith (USA) 45th, and Olivia Bouffard-Nesbitt (CAN) 54th.
20 k Mass Start Freestyle
A week ago in Oberhof, Germany, Diggins won both Bonus Points Sprints on her way to a sixth place finish in the 20 k Classic Mass Start, allowing her to effectively protect her lead in the World Cup Overall standings. The rest of the field—and the other contenders in the chase for the overall—continue to search for chinks in Diggins’ armor. Today’s 20 k Mass Start Freestyle represented another opportunity to continue that search in earnest, though Diggins would prove more than capable of withstanding the combined efforts of her rivals.
From the very beginning of Sunday’s race, Diggins found herself at the front setting the pace with Victoria Carl (GER) and Karlsson.
“I loved all of the winding downhills. That was really fun to ski,” said Diggins. “I’m glad to have kept it together and skied with better tactics today; that was my goal.”
Brennan skied the opening kilometers always in the top ten, while Smith and Laukli attempted to work their way forward from less advantageous starting positions. By 2.5 k, Laukli had succeeded in erasing the deficit, and moving al the way forward to the tails of her teammate, Brennan.
“I had an early crash which put me quickly at the very back of the pack,” said Laukli. “[That] certainly caused some initial stress. Even though it was a long race, I knew it was the type of course and conditions where I really wanted to be in the front early on. I knew I felt very good but it’s definitely challenging to actually maneuver around the whole field. It was pretty daunting to look up and see how many women there were to try and pass. I just pushed really hard the rest of the first lap and tried to ski a bit more aggressive/confident than normal to make up all the spots. It used up some energy for sure, but was worth a little surge to get back up.”
It pays to stay near the front, as the pack broke up after Delphine Claudel (FRA) tangled her ski tips in specators and course markers near the five kilometer mark. Her fall (on a curve at the top of an uphill section) impeded a number of Swedish athletes, and a rupture in the field was created. Led by Diggins, a group of seven managed to slip away, closely pursued by Laukli. Ultimately, Laukli was able to re-connect to this lead pack, along with Kristen Austgulen Fosnaes (NOR) and Katharina Hennig (GER).
Most racers slowed to take on fluids at the feed zone just after the five kilometer mark; the earlier gap began to disappear, though the field remained strung out. Diggins and Laukli remained near the front, while Brennan hovered near the 20th spot where she was forced to deal a bit more with crowding and clogging in the trail and the accordion affects of the field’s maneuvers through curves, descents, and climbs.
“Ideally, I would‘ve been more in the front,” said Brennan. “But that was easier said than done. I had to focus more on being patient and picking smart places to try to move up. Sometimes that’s how the race unfolds.”
Diggins came through to take 15 winner’s bonus points at the 9 k checkpoint, followed closely by Karlsson (12 points), Svahn (10 points) and Andersson (8 points). So, near the halfway point of the race, Diggins had succeeded in protecting her overall World Cup lead. Laukli (4 points) and Brennan (3 points) came through seventh and eighth, respectively.
“[It’s] a 30 point swing if you’re able to take both bonus points: that’s actually quite a lot!” said Diggins. “I do feel a little bit of pressure to strategically go for those. I’m kind of evaluating through the race: how do I feel? What might this cost me? How much do I think I can recover? In this race in particular—we’ve got a big downhill, we’ve got a big flat stadium—this won’t cost me in the end, so then it’s worth going for.”
A split formed soon after the bonus sprint, as 12 contenders pulled away in a group that also contained Laukkli and Brennan. This group swerved and dodged its way through the second feed zone with most competitors opting to take the hand-up of drink mix.
The inclusion of bonus points sprints (at 9 k and 14 k) and feed zones coming in such close proximity disturbed the field, and forced a number of racers to work harder even as the pace slackened. Pace-makers returned to the front: Carl, Karlsson, Diggins, and Svahn. Brennan and Laukli remained firmly in the top ten as Canadian, Lilliane Gagnon, joined the contenders in the lead pack.
The technical nature of the course continued to challenge all competitors, as Carl skied off the course—dramatically catching air as she flew through the course markers—on a significant downhill curve. She was able to get back to her feet rapidly and to maneuver back into the course, but the pace-makers quickly left her behind.
Near the front throughout the day was Switzerland’s Faendrich, presumably inspired by the presence of so many Swiss fans, and skiing on a course that she must have known well. Faendrich shadowed the Swedish pace makers (Karlsson and Andersson) as the field approached the final bonus points sprint at 14 kilometers. Points awarded to the leaders: Diggins (15) Karlsson (12), Andersson (10, Faendrich (8), Hennig (6), Laukli (5).
With three Swedes in the lead pack, it wouldn’t have been surprising to see them attacking Diggins with team tactics. But throughout the day the Swedes seemed content to push the pace without launching individual attacks that Diggins would be forced to cover. If they thought they could drop Diggins simply by tightening the screws, they would be mistaken.
As the field began to feel the finish line approaching, the lead group had grown to 14, with Brennan and Carl (who had managed to claw her way back to the lead group) latched on the back. Laukli moved forward into the top five in the company of Diggins, Karlsson, Andersson, and Faendrich. With only 2.5 kilometers remaining, Karlsson launched herself up the A Climb with Diggins in tow. Andersson and Faendrich faltered a bit, and may have blocked the line that the true climbers—Laukli and Claudel—would’ve preferred.
Karlsson and Diggins continued to battle at the front, while Laukli gave chase ahead of Andersson and Faendrich. With 500 meters remaining, it looked like Karlsson would storm to the finish line in the lead as Diggins continued to appear a bit ragged on the final uphill. But as the lead pair curled through the final turn Diggins turned on the jets, powering past Karlsson down the finishing straightaway, punching the air as she crossed the line for the win.
“My plan was to go as hard as you can, ski smart and tactically, which became hard because towards the end,” said Diggins. “I couldn’t really feel my legs, but just had to stay on my feet!”
Faendrich followed closely to finish third, while Andersson outsprinted Laukli who rounded out the top five. Brennan recovered to outsprint Hennig for seventh. Canada’s Gagnon crossed the line moments later to secure a career-best ninth place finish.
Women’s 20 k Mass Start Freestyle RESULTS
John Teaford
John Teaford—the Managing Editor of FasterSkier — has been the coach of Olympians, World Champions, and World Record Holders in six sports: Nordic skiing, speedskating, road cycling, track cycling, mountain biking, triathlon. In his long career as a writer/filmmaker, he spent many seasons as Director of Warren Miller’s annual feature film, and Producer of adventure documentary films for Discovery, ESPN, Disney, National Geographic, and NBC Sports.
