The Toblach World Cup 10-kilometer classic individual start on Saturday provided a few takeaways exactly one week out from the Olympics. Bjørgen made a statement with a definitive win, Kowalczyk missed the podium for the first time in a 10 k classic since 2009, and the U.S. women put four in the top 20, five in the top 22, in a classic distance race.
On her 26th birthday, this northern Vermont native still has the smallest feet on the World Cup, can drink maple syrup straight, and is a self-described "horrible swimmer." More fun facts about Ida Sargent in the weeks leading up to her first Olympics.
The U.S. Cross-Country and Nordic Combined teams officially announced their athlete selections for the 2014 Winter Olympics, which start in just over two weeks in Sochi, Russia.
It’s not easy being Justyna Kowalczyk — always breaking trail, always having the weight of Poland on her, and in a classic distance race at home on her birthday without any Scandinavians in the field? Forget about it. She was easily the favorite for Sunday’s World Cup 10 k classic mass start in Szklarska Poręba, Poland. That didn’t make winning any easier.
Sunday's 10 k classic mass start in Szklarska Poreba, Poland was another great day for the US women. Liz Stephen had a breakthrough performance, finishing sixth, a career best for her and a major milestone in her development as a classic skier. Ida Sargent too had an excellent day, placing ninth, her career best distance rac
Sunday's classic team sprint in Nove Mesto was destined to be a showdown between Finland and Norway. Saarinen led the race for Finland in the final lap until a burst of speed from Østberg on the final climb secured a Norwegian victory.
The story of the day for the Americans may have been Kikkan Randall, but Sophie Caldwell quietly turned in another strong performance, earning points in her fifth consecutive World Cup sprint.
Of the three nations with two teams in the women's final on Sunday, the U.S. was one of them. After qualifying in second and third in the same semifinal (despite a collision between teammates), the Americans were a factor early in the classic-team sprint final -- before Finland and Norway broke away.
Finland's Aino-Kaisa Saarinen and Anne Kyllönen dominated Sunday’s 1.25-kilometer classic team event at the World Cup in Asiago, Italy, giving a lesson to more than 20 other teams on how to get out front and stay there, beating the likes of Norway on the way.
Ida Sargent became the latest US Ski Team member to break through this winter with her first top 10 of the season. All four U.S. women made the heats and finished in the top 25, but most left wanting more.
From the cross-country World Cup in Davos, Switzerland, to U.S. Nordic Combined's best finish in a team sprint in Ramsau, Austria, to five straight days of biathlon races in Annecy, France: here's everything you didn’t get to read about over the weekend.
Four races into the 2013/2014 World Cup season and American Sadie Bjornsen already has two top 10's and the recognition that comes with it. Bjornsen placed seventh in Saturday's 10 k classic in Lillehammer, Norway, leading three U.S. women in the top 30.
A new World Cup season dawns for the United States, and the future looks bright with expectations understandably high. In an Olympic year, the U.S. features one of the best collections of cross-country talent the nation has seen.
While teammate Kikkan Randall (USA) stole the headlines with her first classic sprint podium, both Sadie Bjornsen and Ida Sargent had excellent days of their own.
The U.S. women closed out their weekend in Beitostølen on top, with Kikkan Randall winning Sunday's 1.2 k skate sprint ahead of two Slovenians and three Norwegians, including Marit Bjørgen. Ida Sargent placed 13th and three other Americans made the top 20.
Placing fifth in her first FIS race of the season, Sadie Bjornsen broke up a Norwegian sweep of the top 10 on Friday in Beitostølen, Norway, along with fellow U.S. Ski Team member Kikkan Randall in 10th. Five other U.S. women finished in the top 30, and Noah Hoffman led the U.S. men in 42nd.
On Thursday, a classic-sprint showdown among some of the top Canadian and U.S. nordic skiers took place on Frozen Thunder. "Let’s be honest," men's winner Dakota Blackhorse-von Jess says. "Winning a race against [Andy Newell and Simi Hamilton], even in a tune up event, even with a relatively small field, even in October, it still makes a good time even better."
Katerina Smutna of Austria topped U.S. Ski Team members Ida Sargent and Sophie Caldwell in Thursday's on-snow sprint at Frozen Thunder, and Dakota Blackhorse-von Jess led an American sweep of the hypothetical podium in what was essentially the first race of the season.
Liz Stephen and Tim Burke make skiing uphill for five miles look like a piece of cake. That's because there was nobody within about three minutes of either of them in their Climb to the Castle wins on Sunday.
Mmm, maple syrup! Ida Sargent shares one of her favorite homemade bread recipes and even the tip that makes it so sweet.