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Today marks the opening round of the 19th edition of the Tour de Ski, and this year it will be an all Italy based event with races in Toblach and Val Di Fiemme. On the women’s side, this year’s Tour promises to be one of the most compelling in years, as three time Tour champion Therese Johaug (NOR) marks her return to the Tour and will face perhaps her stiffest Tour competition ever. Challenging Johaug for the top spot will be two time champions Jessie Diggins (USA), and Heidi Weng (NOR). Weng looks reinvigorated this season and is turning in some of her best racing in years.
But Diggins has an advantage over her two main rivals in today’s event, the Freestyle Sprint. Diggins is a capable Sprinter while Johaug and Weng rarely make Sprint heats. However, the Tour’s Sprint rules are different than the regular season and everyone must at least try to Sprint.
That’s because the Overall winner of the Tour is whoever has the lowest cumulative time; Sprints included. Times from the qualifying Sprint rounds are added onto each competitor’s total running time. For skiers who make it to the heats, bonus seconds are removed from their overall time. If you win the Sprint competition you have a massive 60 seconds deducted from your overall time. So, there’s lots of incentive to ski fast in the qualifiers and go all out in the Sprints. It’s quite possible that the Sprint winner could gain as much as 70 seconds on her rivals.
Besides the Tour’s unique rules, the normal Sprint dynamics were thrown into further disarray as Jonna Sundling (SWE) —who has been sprinting great lately— did not start the Tour. This opened the window for her teammate Lin Svahn (SWE) who has twice won the Sprint crystal globe, and when she is healthy can beat anyone in the world in a Sprint showdown. Also absent from the Sprints is Norway’s Kristine Stavaas Skistad, who while never a threat at winning the Tour, could always upset the apple cart by affecting the Sprint results.
Day one of the Tour got off to a rollicking start when Diggins qualified with the third fastest time only behind Johanna Hagstroem (SWE) and Federica Cassol (ITA). Svahn was lurking right behind Diggins qualifying fourth. But Diggins was able to ski wise tactical races and used all her accumulated racing knowledge to work her way to the finals. In the final heat Diggins skied smartly and tactically the entire way with a great entry into the stadium which propelled her to the finish ahead of Jasmi Joensuu (FIN). It was a great victory for Diggins, giving her a huge surge of momentum going into day two of the Tour.
After the race, Diggins was clearly very happy to have proven that she could still win a Sprint race. It was her first Sprint victory since 2021. “I thought I was getting old and maybe didn’t have another Sprint victory in my life.” She continued by thanking her wax technicians and the fans and family members in attendance. “I’m super surprised, it was unexpected, but I think that’s what makes it more exciting and joyful. I’m really thankful for our team. We had awesome skis, it’s a win for the whole team.”
Other American finishers were Julia Kern 14th, Alayna Sonnesyn 19th, Rosie Brennan 29th, and Sophia Laukli 63rd.
The top Canadian finishers were Liliane Gagnon in 36th, and Katherine Stewart-Jones 45th.
The Women’s Tour de Ski Freestyle Sprint—Quarterfinals
Rosie Brennan (USA) raced in the first heat having qualified 24th. Moa Lundgren (SWE) and Joensuu lead through most of the heat. Joensuu won the heat to move on, but Julie Myhre (NOR) put in a late surge to knock Lundgren out of a qualifying position. Brennan finished sixth and her day would be over. After the race she said, “I felt cautiously optimistic entering the Tour.” Brennan continued that, “things have just not been perfect for me by any means. I don’t have any current injuries … things haven’t been ideal. I had some better feelings today, so I’m hopeful that I can continue to carry that with me and move forward in a way that I am happy with, but I’m just taking it day by day and we’ll see how things go.”
Linn Svahn (SWE) was one of the favorites going into the second heat. She would be challenged by Helene Marie Fossesholm (NOR) and Laura Gimmler (GER). Gimmler and Fossesholm took the early lead with Svahn asserting herself about a minute into the race. After about two minutes Fossesholm put in a burst to take the lead and increased the tempo for the entire field. Gimmler and Fossesholm crossed the line first with Svahn having made a tactical error by leaving too much distance between her and the leaders to be able to catch up at the finish. One of the Sprint favorites was now out in the first round as her time would not hold up for a lucky loser position.
Julia Kern (US) was in the third heat. Kern looked good in the qualifying round having finished 10th. Also in the heat was hometown favorite and surprise winner of the qualifying round Cassol. Nadine Faehndrich (SUI) took the early lead and kept the tempo brisk. Kern was able to stay with the lead group through the race and at the two minute mark was sitting in second place. But then Faehndrich put in a little extra turn of pace taking Dahlquist with her. Kern was in third coming into the stadium but couldn’t manage to close the gap. She finished third, but her time was fast enough to put her in a lucky loser spot for the moment and knocked Svahn out of the lucky loser spot. “I was happy with today’s qualifier,” said Kern. “This course has always suited me pretty well and I love racing in Toblach. I don’t feel like I’m in top form yet, but there were a lot of positives from how I felt and skied today, and I hope to continue to build on that.”
American Alayna Sonnesyn was in the fourth heat along with Lotta Udnes Weng (NOR) and Sofie Krehl (GER). Krehl went to the early lead along with Jasmin Kahara (FIN). A little over a minute into the race Weng fell just in front of Sonnesyn who was able to avoid her. The tangle seemed to spark Sonnesyn who moved into fourth going into the final uphill alongside Kerttu Niskanen (FIN). The five remaining skiers were in one pack entering the stadium and out of nowhere Niskanen surprisingly shot to the front to take the win, her teammate Kahara finished second. Sonnesyn was fourth and would not advance. It was a surprise win for Niskanen who is known more for her Classic Distance skiing than her Sprinting.
Diggins was in the fifth and final heat along with the second fastest qualifier Hagstroem. Diggins went to the lead early as she has been doing all season in the quarterfinal heats. In the first turn several racers tangled and Hagstroem fell, immediately losing contact with the group. That left Diggins with Anja Weber (SUI) right behind her. Diggins was able to hang on to the lead coming into the stadium to take the win with Weber holding on in a photo finish to take second. Diggins had set a fast pace which meant that both lucky losers would come from her heat. Kristin Austgulen Fosnaes (NOR) would move on to the semifinals along with Katerina Janatova (CZE). The fast pace meant that Kern had lost her lucky loser spot and would not move on.
So, after the quarterfinals, Jessie Diggins was the only American still standing.
The Semifinals
Joensuu, Fossesholm, Dahlqvist, Myhre, Gimmler, and Janatova were in the first semifinal. Joensuu and Gimmler immediately went to the front of the race with Dahlqvist right with them. Dahlqvist then used an excellent race strategy to slingshot to the front about 1:30 into the race. But at the two minute spot the entire field was still together with Joensuu now setting the pace into the final climb. Joensuu was able to shoot over the top of the final climb and establish a bit of a gap on the field. She entered the stadium first with Dahlqvist right behind her. But just at the finish line Dahlqvist was able to throw her foot ahead of Joensuu to take the victory. Myhre and Fossesholm would have to wait for a lucky loser spot.
Diggins was in the second semifinal along with Niskanen, Kahara, Faehndrich, Weber, and Fosnaes. Faehndrich took the early lead with Diggins off her right shoulder. Faehndrich continued to push the pace with Diggins hanging with her, but the speed wasn’t fast enough to break up the field. About two minutes in, Diggins put in a burst to go by Faehndrich. But Faehndrich wouldn’t let her go and tenaciously hung on Diggins’ coattails. Going into the stadium Diggins took the entering turn a little wide giving Faehndrich an inside opportunity. But Diggins was able to maintain her speed and held on for the victory. Fosnaes snuck by Faehndrich at the finish to take second, but Faehndrich and Weber were able to move on as lucky losers. Once again, Diggins’ fast tempo had benefitted the other racers in the heats by bringing them along as lucky losers.
The Finals
Joining Diggins in the finals were Dahlqvist, Joensuu, Fosnaes, Faehndrich, and Weber. On paper, the field looked like a good opportunity for Diggins to take the podium. It was the first Sprint finals for Weber. But Joensuu and Dahlqvist are experienced Sprinters and had skied very well through their heats.
At the start, Diggins dropped back quickly, with Faehndrich and Joensuu going to the front. But Diggins didn’t stay in the back for long and quickly moved toward the front just behind Joensuu, with Faehndrich next to her. Dahlqvist broke a pole early in the race and had to ski with one pole for a very long stretch. That ended her chances.
While Dahlqvist was struggling, Diggins was surging to the front with Joensuu going with her up the final hill. Joensuu had established a gap on Diggins at the top of the last hill, but she was able to close the gap on the final downhill into the stadium. Diggins put in a huge burst in the final 50 meters to fly past Joensuu to take the win. An exuberant Diggins waved to the crowd at the finish while the rest of the field was laying on the ground around her. Faehndrich held on to third to round out the podium.
It was as good a start to the Tour for the American star as she could have hoped for. Her first place gave her a minute bonus over her two primary competitors, Johaug and H. Weng. Additionally, Diggins would gain about an additional eight seconds over the two Norwegians because of her faster qualifying time to put her 1:08 ahead of H. Weng and 1:09 ahead of Johaug.
Tour de Ski Freestyle Sprint: Results
Tour de Ski Overall Standings
