Cross-country skiing: Maja Dahlqvist returns to World Cup winning ways
On Saturday, the second day of competition at the Cross-Country Skiing World Cup in Cogne, Italy, featured a classic sprint. AfterJasmi Joensuu’s early elimination from the semi-finals, despite having dominated the qualifiers, the final promised to be indecisive.
And while the six cross-country skiers who made it to the final round watched each other for a while, Maja Dahlqvist then took the lion’s share of the credit. Back to her best in recent weeks, the Swede confirmed that she is a force to be reckoned with in both classical and skateboarding.
Already on the podium of the team sprint held the day before in the company of Johanna Hagstroem, the 30-year-old Scandinavian used her skill to open up a comfortable lead and secure victory. She has not enjoyed individual World Cup success since 18 December 2021 in Dresden, Germany.
Laura Gimmler finally has her first top 3 finish
Behind her, Nadine Faehndrich thought for a long time that she was in a position to claim her second victory of the winter. However, the Swiss was no match for the day’s winner, who gave her very little hope. The courageous 29-year-old still held on to her second place.
Always well placed but rarely rewarded in recent seasons, Laura Gimmler finally secured her very first podium finish at this level of competition. Fighting right to the end, the German managed to put the finishing touches to her win over Lotta Udnes Weng, Ane Appelkvist Stenseth and her compatriot Coletta Rydzek.
Mélissa Gal, the only Frenchwoman in the finals, was nevertheless unable to make an impact. Beaten in her quarter-final, the Haut-Savoyard was no match for a group that included Jasmi Joensuu, Hedda Oestberg Amundsen and Kerttu Niskanen.
The full rankings
The overall sprint ranking
The overall World Cup standings
Read also
- Cogne: classic sprint qualification for a solid Erik Valnes, three Frenchmen in the finals
- Cogne: Jasmi Joensuu takes the lead in the classic sprint qualifier, Mélissa Gal comes out on top
- Reactions from Jules Chappaz and Richard Jouve after their podium finish in the classic team sprint in Cogne: “It gives the whole team some breathing space”.
- Video of Jules Chappaz and Richard Jouve taking second place in the classic sprint team race in Cogne
- Cogne: Jules Chappaz and Richard Jouve on the podium in the classic sprint team
- Cogne: Kerttu Niskanen and Jasmi Joensuu make no bones about winning the classic sprint team, Mélissa Gal and Léna Quintin finish twelfth
- Cogne: after the disqualification of Iivo Niskanen and Lauri Vuorinen, Rémi Bourdin and Renaud Jay are drafted into the finals
- Cogne: Jules Chappaz and Richard Jouve fifth in the classic team sprint qualifier won by Norway, Rémi Bourdin and Renaud Jay eliminated
- Cogne: Kerttu Niskanen and Jasmi Joensuu win the classic sprint team qualifier, Mélissa Gal and Léna Quintin finish tenth
