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Tour de Ski
The Tour de Ski is one of the premier events on the World Cup calendar. Featuring a grueling 7 events in 10 days, the Tour is the ultimate cross-country skiing stage race.
Viessmann FIS Tour de Ski preparations in full force
FasterSkierSeptember 3, 2009
In the past week, the main organizing team involved with the FIS Tour de Ski preparations visited the four Tour host venues Oberhof (GER), Prague (CZE), Toblach and Val di Fiemme (ITA). The 4th edition of the FIS Tour de Ski performance by Craft Sportswear will take place from 1st to 10th January 2010. The site inspections started in Oberhof (GER), on the same day as the official opening of the first ski tunnel in...
The Road to Whistler: Alex Harvey
Nathaniel HerzJune 26, 2009
At just twenty years old, Canadian Alex Harvey had a breakout year in 2008-2009 with two World Cup podium finishes: third in the team sprint in Whistler, and another third in the 50 kilometer classic in Trondheim, Norway. FasterSkier caught up with him just after he finished his afternoon massage at a National Team camp in Canmore. FS: You’re out in Canmore right now training with the National Team. It seems like you have a...
The FIS Cross-Country Committee met at the recent FIS Calendar Conference 2009 in Cavtat-Dubrovnik, Croatia. A number of topics were discussed, including the elimination of the B-Finals from sprint competition. Apparently the B-Final has attracted little interest from media and spectators alike. The Committee is forwarding a proposal to skip the B-Finals to the FIS Council for approval. One of the ideas behind the B-Final was to provide additional rest for athletes advancing to the...
The Tour de Ski continues to evolve heading into the 4th running of the event. Several changes are on tap for next year, including a later start date. The Tour will now start on January 1st. In past years, the first race has been held as early as the 27th of December. FIS Cross-Country Race Director, Jurg Capol, told Langde.se that the hope is to hold a more significant Opening Ceremony on New Years Eve...
Special thanks to Linda Ramsdell for providing translation services! The Tour de Ski is over, the champions crowned, and the athletes are resting in preparation for the continuation of the World Cup season and the World Championships. Here are a few odds and ends from the conclusion of the Tour – information translated form Scandinavian coverage of the events. Overall winner Virpi Kuitunen (FIN) was thrilled with her victory. She described the Final Climb course...
Universal Sports has put together an excellent recap page of the Tour de Ski – complete with full write-ups for each stage, links to on-demand video and photo galleries.
Sunday: Anchorage Sprint Cancelled
Train WreckJanuary 4, 2009
UPDATED with pictures below…. The classic sprint has been canceled in Anchorage for the second time today. The official decision was made by the jury ten minutes before the scheduled time of 1pm after the weather hadn’t shown any sign of changing during the morning. “We headed back to the hotel to rest up and get out of the circus,” said Brian Gregg of CXC. “There was a lot of energy built up from the...
Val di Fiemme, Italy – Virpi Kuitunen (FIN) won the 3rd annual FIS Tour de Ski in impressive fashion, holding off a late attack by teammate Aino-Kaisa Saarinen. Kuitunen, who has won the last two overall World Cup titles, held a 32 second lead starting the race, but could not feel comfortable. last year she entered the Final Climb with a 40 second cushion on young Swede Charlotte Kalla. Kalla was unable to make up...
Cologna Wins Tour de Ski, Northug Charges to Second
Cologna Wins Tour de Ski, Northug Charges to Second
Topher SabotJanuary 4, 2009
Val di Fiemme, Italy – 22-year old Dario Cologna (SUI) won the third annua FIS Tour de Ski, skiing away form the field in the grueling Final Climb. Cologna, who had never stood on the World Cup podium prior to this season, and had just 34 Word Cup starts under his belt, finished 30th in last year’s Tour. This season was different. Entering the 7 event, 10 day test, the young Swiss was considered a...
Tour de Ski Comes To An End
FasterSkierJanuary 4, 2009
The Tour de Ski concluded today, finishing up with the brutal Final Climb. Both the men’s and women’s races are available for on-demand watching on Universal Sports, and feature some exciting moments! If you haven’t looked up results yet, it is highly recommended to watch both events without knowing the outcome. Men’s Tour de Ski Final Climb Full reports from FasterSkier will follow shortly.
Kuitunen Retakes Tour Lead, Wins Mass Start
FasterSkierJanuary 3, 2009
Virpi Kuitunen (FIN) attacked early and often and picked up valuable bonus seconds on her way to the victory in the Women’s 10km Classic Mass Start in the Tour de Ski action in Val de Fiemme, Italy. Kuitunen set a strong pace early, putting on a big push at the 1km mark and stretching out the field. She passed the first intermediate point at 3.3km in first, gaining 15 bonus seconds. She was closely followed...
Teichmann Wins Again, Cologna Maintains Overall Lead
FasterSkierJanuary 3, 2009
Axel Teichmann (GER) won his third event of the 08-09 Tour de Ski, edging Finn Sami Jauhojaervi at the line in the 20km Mass Start Classic in Val di Fiemme, Italy. Dario Cologna (SUI) finished 4th and holds a 34 seconds lead entering the last day. Teichmann climbed back to the second position overall with a victory that included 50 bonus seconds, the most of anyone in the race. Overall there were five intermediate sprint...
Watch All Tour de Ski Races on Universal Sports
FasterSkierJanuary 3, 2009
All Tour de Ski races are currently available online for on-demand viewing. This year’s Tour has featured some extremely exciting racing. Watch the best in the World battle in the toughest ski event. It is one thing to read about it, another to watch it! The full schedule is here:
Northug Wins Tour Sprint
FasterSkierJanuary 2, 2009
Petter Northug (NOR) won the final Tour de Ski Sprint in Nove Mesto (CZE). Northug bested teammate Tor Arne Hetland and Italian Christian Zorzi in the 1.2km freestyle event. A third Norweigan, John Kristian Dahl, finished 4th. “I’m for sure happy about my victory. My tactic was to ski as fast as possible and try to take the lead to avoid accidents. I had good skis and the courses fit’s me well here in Nove...
Arianna Follis (ITA) won the women’s Tour de Ski sprint yesterday. Aino-Kaisa Saarinen was 3rd and took the overall Tour lead from teammate Virpi Kuitunen. Follis, who has a solid 17 second lead in the Tour sprint rankings over Petra Majdic (SLO), won both sprint competitions of the Tour, as well as finishing second in the prologue. She is 5th overall, +52.1. After finishing 5th in the 10km classic pursuit, Follis struggled somewhat in the...