Two 22-year-old Norwegians, Maiken Caspersen Falla and Ingvild Flugstad Østberg, topped Sunday's World Cup team sprint podium, beating Sweden's Ida Ingemarsdotter and Stina Nilsson by half a second in the 6 x 0.85 k skate sprint. The U.S. women with Sadie Bjornsen and Ida Sargent ended up seventh after hanging in third.
Simi Hamilton and Andy Newell began their semifinal in good position with the leaders in the Liberec team sprint, but got unlucky when a Finn fell in front of Hamilton before the last exchange. The duo finished fifth in the heat for 13th overall and did not advance to the finals.
Russian Nikolay Morilov used impressive closing speed to secure victory in the freestyle Team Sprint in Liberec. Norway I and Russia II crossed in second and third in a tight race that featured little action for the bulk of the six legs.
The four Canadians in Saturday's classic sprint made the rounds, where Dasha Gaiazova in fourth led the team in all-around solid day. Gaiazova narrowly missed the podium in a photo finish, Perianne Jones tallied a career best in ninth and Lenny Valjas also made the top 10.
Andy Newell was sixth in Liberec, Czech Republic, on Saturday for his third appearance in a sprint final this season. He was the only American to advance past the qualifier, but as this is the first World Cup since before the Tour for many, his teammates look forward to moving up from here on out.
It's been almost a year since Teodor Peterson last stood atop a podium, but on Saturday in Liberec, Czech Republic, he finally had the race he was looking for. He out-lunged Emil Jönsson and Pål Golberg for the classic sprint win; Andy Newell was sixth for his best classic result in three years.
It took Finland’s Mona-Liisa Malvalehto 67 World Cup starts to achieve her first podium, but she did it in winning fashion Saturday in the classic sprint, ahead of Justyna Kowalczyk, Maiken Caspersen Falla and Dasha Gaiazova. A mother with a musical background and reality show title, Malvalehto won the first of two sprints in Liberec, Czech Republic.
It's no exaggeration to say that this might have been the busiest week of the year to be a North American ski fan. With the Tour de Ski practically every day, U.S. Nationals, and some big NorAms used to determine junior and U23 trip rosters, plus biathlon and nordic combined, here are the highlights.
Ivan Babikov posted the second fastest time of the day while skiing up to 7th in the overall Tour de Ski. Babikov ended the Tour with his highest overall result, and a string of personal bests. Teammate Devon Kershaw finally showed strong form and Lenny Valjas ended his own successful Tour well within the points.
Taking off near the bottom of the Alpe Cermis climb, Alexander Legkov managed to ski smoothly up the mountain and over the plateau at the top, claiming Russia's first Tour de Ski title. Dario Cologna held on for second, while Maxim Vylgzhanin kept a suffering Petter Northug off the podium.
While Kikkan Randall slipped from seventh to 12th in the overall Tour de Ski standings, she said she was happy with her final place - but mostly "psyched" to see teammate Liz Stephen on the podium for the day. Stephen's second-fastest time on the climb moved her to 15th. Jessie Diggins was 21st and Holly Brooks 38th.
Justyna Kowalczyk (POL) will need to make room in her trophy case for yet another crystal Tour de Ski pyramid. For the fourth straight time, the Pole won the grueling stage race, besting Norwegians Therese Johaug and Kristin Stoermer Steira.
Alexey Poltaranin (KAZ) skied to his second consecutive Tour stage win, besting the Canadian duo of Len Valjas and Alex harvey in a sprint to the line.Dario Cologna (SUI) moved into the overall Tour lead.
With four women starting in the top top ten spots in the 10 k classic mass start, Norway seemed to have an opportunity - albeit a slim one - to steal at least some bonus seconds from Justyna Kowalczyk. But it was to no avail as the Polish star cruised to another victory and more or less sealed her Tour title. Kikkan Randall, meanwhile, is in seventh and hoping for a better climb than she's had before.
Andy Newell will not complete the 2013 Tour de Ski, withdrawing following the 5k prologue as planned.
Lenny Valjas continues to show top form, racing to an 11th place finish in the 5k classic prologue in Toblach, Italy. Teammate Alex Harvey will withdraw from the Tour de Ski following Saturday's mass start, a plan that has been set for some time.
Kikkan Randall placed 7th in the 3.3k classic pursuit, maintaing her position in the overall Tour de Ski with just two stages remaining.
Alexey Poltaranin (KAZ) skied to a convincing 8 second win in the men's 5km classic prologue in Toblach, Italy. Petter Northug (NOR) added to his overall Tour lead, besting rival Dario Cologna by .2 seconds to claim second.
Justyna Kowalczyk (POL) skied to a 16.5 second win in the classic prologue, winning the fifth stage of the Tour de Ski while increasing her overall lead to more than a minute. Krista Lahteenmaki (FIN) was second and Astrid Jacobsen (NOR) took third.
Kikkan Randall continued to ski well, finishing 8th in the Tour de Ski pursuit, just seconds out of 5th. Teammates Liz Stephen and Jessie Diggins also had strong races, moving up in the overall standings.