Understudies Fill Team Sprint Spotlight in Cogne

John TeafordJanuary 31, 2025

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Elation in Cogne, Italy: Finland I (Kerttu Niskanen and Jasmi Joensuu) end Sweden’s five-year domination in World Cup Team Sprints. (Photo: Vanzetta/NordicFocus)

It was a day for hard-working backup players to show what they can do . . .

A few weeks from now, the World Championships in Trondheim, Norway will include a Team Sprint, an event typically included on the roster at both World Championship and Olympic events. Today’s races in Cogne, Italy were scheduled to offer a dress rehearsal, of sorts, for teams likely to compete in Trondheim. But the best-laid plans of FIS officials are often undone by the many complications of the World Cup season, the complex and opportunistic fight for overall points, the aspirations of athletes trying to qualify for their national teams, and the injuries and illnesses that tend to plague winter endurance athletes. Cogne may have offered an opportunity for athletes and teams to practice the skills needed to excel in a World Championship event, but precious few nations fielded the actual teams that are likely to contend in Trondheim. No Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR) in today’s field, no Linn Svahn (SWE), no Jessie Diggins (USA). Nonetheless, the competition was hotly contested, and the victories well-earned.

The World Cup schedule did seem to recognize the iniquity this race might pose in calculating points standings; therefore, this Team Sprint offered no individual World Cup points. Racers would compete for prize money ($15,000 Swiss Francs for the victory), for Nations Cup points, and for the opportunity to claim the sport-immortality that comes with World Cup podium performances.

Jasmi Joensuu (FIN) sprints to the win ahead of Coletta Rydzek (GER), Maja Dahlqvist (SWE), Lotta Udnes Weng (NOR). (Photo: Vanzetta/NordicFocus)
Team Sprint

The Aosta valley around Cogne has played host to World Cup Sprint events in the past, most recently as the site that celebrated the 1-2 finish of Federico Pellegrino and Francesco deFabiani in a Freestyle Sprint in 2019. In 2025, Italian hopes were again high, as indicated by the non-stop din of revving chainsaws and novelty AaaahOooga! car-horns that seem to accompany most Nordic ski races on the European continent. While the great victories of 2019 would not be repeated for the Italians, the racing was still fast and furious.

Ironically, the most successful Team Sprint teams are rarely made up of two pure “sprinters.” The event is simply too long: both team members end up skiing a 1.3 kilometer qualifying lap, AND three 1.3 kilometer race legs. For any sprinter, that’s a long day of racing, one favoring athletes who possess an ability to recover between highly intense Sprint legs (a quality more commonly found in all ’round skiers rather than in pure sprinters).

On the Women’s side of World Cup Team Sprinting, it’s been a few years of dominance for Sweden who has triumphed in every Team Sprint since 2021 (five straight events). But in Cogne, Sweden was pushed by both teams from Finland—with penultimate legs skied by Niskanen (Finland I) and Parmakoski (Finland II)—who pushed the pace. Even so, the lead at the final exchange belonged to Germany I as Laura Gimmler (part of an Olympic Championship duo with Victoria Carl in 2022) had surged to a decisive lead. The final leg would be up to Gimmler’s teammate, Coletta Rydzek. But again it was Finland who animated the race as Rydzek was caught mid-way through the final lap by Jasmi Joensu (Finland I). While Joensu stayed away to capture the win, Rydzek  was overtaken in the final meters by Maja Dahlqvist (Sweden I) who made up four places in the final lap, capturing second place (with teammate Johanna Hagstroem).

Team USA—Erin Bianco and Emma Albrecht—qualified in 14th. They would finish the day in 15th, 1:29 behind the winners. No Canadian team was entered in the Women’s Team Sprint.

Smiles on the podium for Maja Dahlqvist and Johanna Hagstroem (SWE), Jasmi Joensuu and Kerttu Niskanen (FIN), Coletta Rydzek and Laura Gimmler (GER). (Photo:  Authamayou/NordicFocus)

Women’s Team Sprint RESULTS

Women’s Team Sprint QUALIFYING

Erik Valnes (NOR) leads Richard Jouve (FRA) to the finish line to give Norway I the victory in Cogne, Italy. (Photo:  Authamayou/NordicFocus)

Among the men, there was hope for the Americans as Gus Schumacher would join JC Schoonmaker to form team USA I. They qualified as the fourth fastest team, but would ultimately finish 10th (12 seconds behind the winners). Likewise, Team II (Zak Ketterson and Luke Jager) would start boldly, with Jager leading the field through much of Leg 1. They would fade over the race’s distance, ultimately finishing the day 14th (36 seconds behind the winners).

Heading into the Team Sprint’s anchor leg, France I led a five-team group that included Finland II, Sweden I, Norway I, and Norway II. France’s anchor leg skier, Richard Jouve, would lead through much of the final leg, but would be overtaken by Valnes (Norway I, teamed with Even Northug) in the final meters. Finishing order: Norway I, France I, Sweden I. The Italian crowd cheered lustily, but no miracles came today from Pellegrino. Italy I would finish the day eighth.

Jules Chappaz (FRA), Even Northug (NOR), and Luke Jager (USA) led the charge in the early stages of the Team Sprint in Cogne, Italy. (Photo: Vanzetta/NordicFocus)

In post-race interviews, Northug remained circumspect regarding his chances to make up half of any Norwegian Team Sprint team at the World Championships. “I will be ready if someone gets sick,” he grinned, acknowledging the inevitable return of Klaebo to his place at the head of Team Norway.

The dress rehearsals are all done now, and the eager understudies have had their moment in the spotlight. In a few weeks, Trondheim will set the stage for the return of the principal players, with World Championship medals and ski-immortality to follow.

Men’s Team Sprint RESULTS

Men’s Team Sprint QUALIFYING

Podium celebrations in Cogne, Italy. Even Northug and Erik Valnes (NOR) took the win, but either one might find himself “out” when Norwegian teams are chosen for World Championships. (Photo:  Authamayou/NordicFocus)

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.

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