Alex Harvey wasn’t feeling 100 percent on Sunday, but he didn’t need to be. Within three seconds of the leaders and eighth place at the finish of the men’s 10-kilometer classic mass start was essentially what he needed to secure one of the most coveted positions on the Tour de Ski right now: third place. Ahead of him, Russia’s Sergey Ustiugov and Norway’s Martin Johnsrud Sundby have built a nearly one-minute and 40-second lead on third place,...
Maybe it was because she wanted redress. Maybe it was because there was less pressure to perform. Or maybe it was because the yellow Tour de Ski (TDS) leader’s bib was with Sweden, calling her Norwegian name. Whatever it was, when Ingvild Flugstad Østberg lined up for the women’s 5-kilometer classic mass start on Sunday in Val Müstair, Switzerland, she was ready to race for the win. After being eliminated in the semifinal of Saturday’s...
FIS Cross-Country Tour de Ski Stage 2 (Val Müstair): 5/10 k classic mass starts Women’s report There was a lot of jostling between Russia’s Sergey Ustiugov and Norway’s Martin Johnsrud Sundby, with the latter leading early and the Russian not letting him get too complacent up front, but ultimately, Ustiugov was the first across the line in the men’s 10-kilometer classic mass start, the second stage of the Tour de Ski in Val Müstair, Switzerland. Ustiugov...
As the women’s sprint finalists promenaded through the stadium toward the starting pen, the demeanors caught on camera varied, seemingly a reflection of their differing personalities or emotions at that moment. On one hand, there was Stina Nilsson, Sweden’s sprint queen, walking through the athlete’s chute at the first stage of the Tour de Ski with the body language of a prizefighter. Then there was Norway’s Maiken Caspersen Falla, more smiley and cheery than Nilsson, her...
Sergey Ustiugov (RUS) sprints for the win and shows he's in good form. Last year's second place TdS overall finisher Finn Hågen Krogh was second and a certain Norwegian named Sundby was fourth. Canada's Alex Harvey was sixth. And yes -- it's Tour de Ski time!
FIS Cross-Country Tour de Ski Stage 1 in Val Müstair: Freestyle sprint Men’s report [UPDATED] After qualifying in fifth, eighth and ninth, respectively, Sophie Caldwell, Sadie Bjornsen and Jessie Diggins proceeded to represent the U.S. in the quarterfinals of the 1.5-kilometer freestyle sprint in Val Müstair, Switzerland, on Saturday, along with a fourth U.S. woman, Kikkan Randall. Randall turned 34 on Saturday and reached the heats for the first time this season, where she placed third...
The International Ski Federation (FIS) has denied an appeal by six Russian cross-country skiers suspended under the suspicion of doping. identified at least 34 skiers mentioned in the McLaren report, an investigation into systematic doping in Russia. Content of Legkov and Belov Appeal Legkov and Belov, in German and writes on its website. Urine contains substances excreted from the body, while blood contains those integrated into the body. Testing agencies may not even test for...
It’s time for the International Ski Federation’s (FIS) 11th Tour de Ski. The 2017 edition takes place in three countries and four different venues. Racers will compete in seven stages over the course of nine days. The grueling Alpe Cermis — a 9-kilometer freestyle hill climb in Val di Fiemme, Italy — will be featured again as the final race to determine the overall Tour de Ski (TdS) results. Directly leading up to the multi-stage event, currently out...
“I know that my athletes did not take anything,” and blamed former Moscow lab director Grigory Rodchenkov for sabotaging her skiers with “dirty tricks.” The admission of guilt is likely a move to try to try to stanch the bleeding of Russia’s reputation in the sports world. Several major events, including World Cup and World Junior Championships biathlon events, had been relocated from Russia already. Before that, biathletes had threatened to boycott events in Russia. Six...
The International Ski Federation (FIS) 28 athletes being investigated by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The cases were brought to light in the McLaren report, an investigation on behalf of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). “As a result of the current circumstances whereby the FIS competition season is in full swing and the competitions and sporting accomplishments of the athletes are being undermined by the shadow of the McLaren Investigation Report, the IOC has empowered FIS...
Note: this article has been updated to include more accurate information about Alexander Legkov’s participation at 2014 Russian Championships. At least 34 skiers are referred to in the World Anti-Doping Agency’s McLaren report, including one by name: Alexander Legkov, the 2014 Olympic champion in the 50 kilometer skate. Throughout the report’s evidentiary documents, names of athletes were scrubbed and replaced with alpha-numeric codes. But in one set of emails leaked by Grigory Rodchenkov, Legkov’s name is...
Welcome to The Rundown, your quick primer of need-to-know information about the day’s racing. We’ll be updating this digest as the day goes on with additional results, photos and quotes. The Rundown is NOT a race report; stay tuned for complete race reports later today with interviews from the day’s top racers. *** FIS Nordic Combined Continental Cup in Klingenthal [UPDATE] Ben Loomis tallied two top 10’s and his U.S. Nordic Combined teammate Ben Berend...
All Norway in La Clusaz and the Weng and company win the 4 x 4k relay. Finland placed second with Sweden third. The U.S. women skied to 7th and Canada placed 12th.
Eight years ago, France’s Maurice Manificat and Jean-Marc Gaillard waved to the French cheers of their country’s fans as they climbed onto the men’s World Cup relay podium in La Clusaz, France. The two — along with their former national-team teammates, told VG. “I did that today by getting a real beating.” As the first freestyle leg began to unfold, it was Sweden’s Martin Johansson who led the charge, not far behind was Russia’s Alexey...
Sundby is usually the cat, the others his mice. Not today in La Clusaz, France -- site of a 15 k mass start free. Norway's Finn Hågen Krogh beat the master to win the day. Sundby was second, Russia's Alexander Legkov was third. Canada's Alex Harvey was seventh after crashing, while U.S. skier Erik Bjornsen placed 20th -- his first ever skate distance points.
A little less than twenty seconds into Saturday’s 10-kilometer freestyle mass start, American Rosie Brennan was facing the wrong way. A collision in the first 100 meters had left her spinning and when she finally came to a stop, all that lay before her was the small section of course she had already covered. A few seconds later — upon turning around and seeing the entire women’s field of World Cup athletes skiing away —...
Welcome to The Rundown, your quick primer of need-to-know information about the day’s racing. We’ll be updating this digest as the day goes on with additional results, photos and quotes. The Rundown is NOT a race report; stay tuned for complete race reports later today with interviews from the day’s top racers. *** IBU World Cup in Nove Mesto: 10/12.5 k pursuits [UPDATE] Third one day, fourth the next. That’s the streak Susan Dunklee (US Biathlon)...
At the start of last season, Canadian cross-country skier Andy Shields one point. With some of his early season results –including a first place finish in last year’s NorAm skate sprint at Sovereign Lake, B.C. –Shields earned the opportunity to compete for Canada in two World Cup races in Planica, Slovenia. They were his first. A little less than a month later, Shields returned to Canada to compete in more domestic racing, and before he knew it, he found himself living...
The International Ski Federation has released an official statement about the McLaren report, which found widespread evidence of doping among Russian cross-country skiers, among athletes in other sports. told R-Sport news that the most important thing was that Russian athletes should be allowed to compete in the upcoming 2018 Olympic Games. She seemed to hope not fighting a decision to move the World Cup away from Russia in response to the scandal would earn the country...
What’s the significance of 0.39 seconds? For most of us, it’s the blink of an eye. For a midpack World Cup racer, it’s the difference between Tour de Ski start rights and staying home over the holidays. Swiss–Canadian skier Heidi Widmer and the meaning of margins.