Cross-country skiing : Hugo Lapalus takes another podium place in the overall rankings
It was undoubtedly one of the most eagerly-awaited stages of the cross-country skiing world cup, which took place on Sunday 5 January under a grey transalpine sky. The cross-country skiers brought their Tour de Ski to a close at the summit of the dreaded Alpe Cermis (Italy) in the middle of the afternoon.
And this nineteenth edition of the competition once again lived up to all its promises. Hugo Lapalus was in contention for a second podium finish in the overall rankings a year after claiming his first career top 3 on the circuit, and once again fulfilled his contract.
The Frenchman quickly moved to the front of the race as soon as the gradient began to rise, and for a long time held his own in a group that included Simen Hegstad Krueger and Mika Vermeulen, two of the day’s big favourites. However, with a few hectometres to go, Le Cluse lost contact with the group.
Reeled in by Friedrich Moch, who was thought to have lost ground for a moment, the rider from the Haut-Savoie region battled all the way to the finish line to hold on to fourth place. A top 4 finish meant third place overall, asErik Valnes, second at the start of the race, quickly lost ground to finish twenty-eighth.
Another colossal feat fromHugo Lapalus who, by climbing the overall podium for the second time in a row, becomes the first rookie in history to achieve this incredible feat. Mathis Desloges was also heroic on this climb, which he was discovering for the first time, crossing the line in thirteenth place. A fabulous performance synonymous with eighth place overall for the man taking part in his very first Tour de Ski.
The revenge of Simen Hegstad Krueger
Disappointed and frustrated after his crash in Saturday’s skiathlon, Simen Hegstad Krueger made no secret of his ambitions in the early hours of this final climb. With his determination to be “aggressive” as the kilometres went by, the Norwegian had a fine card to play in a format that has worked particularly well for him in recent winters.
Wearing his number 29 bib, the Scandinavian first took his time to get back into the race before quickly showing his nose as the final three kilometres began. Gradually picking up the pace, he distanced himself one by one from his rivals to make it to the finish line alone.
The 31-year-old cross-country skier never looked back and won his third career victory at the top of the Alpe Cermis. Behind him, Mika Vermeulen also lived up to expectations. Small in stature, the Austrian wasted no time in showing off his ease as soon as the steepest gradients arrived.
In a duel with Simen Hegstad Krueger, the twenty-five year old nevertheless finally gave in to the insistence and experience of his main rival of the day. The revelation of the last few months in the distance, he climbs onto the podium of the overall Tour de Ski classification for the very first time.
Well on his way to a fourth Tour title, Johannes Hoesflot Klæbo started the climb at the front of the pack. However, the Norwegian gradually lost precious positions. Not worried though, as he had a margin of over two minutes, he crossed the line in eighteenth position to join Dario Cologna as the most successful cross-country skier on this legendary event.
The full rankings
The general classification of the Tour de Ski
The general classification of the best climber in the Tour de Ski
The general classification of the best sprinter in the Tour de Ski
The overall distance ranking
The overall World Cup standings
Read also
- Tour de Ski: after his fall with serious consequences, Simen Hegstad Krueger is going to climb Alpe Cermis “aggressively”.
- Val di Fiemme: the start lists for the final climbs of the Tour de Ski
- Tour de Ski: Therese Johaug reverses the trend in the overall rankings by taking the gold number from Astrid Oeyre Slind
- Val di Fiemme: Therese Johaug sets new Tour de Ski record for solo skiathlon victories
- Tour de Ski: Mika Vermeulen and Hugo Lapalus to battle it out again on the Alpe Cermis climb
- Tour de Ski: why Germany’s Janosch Brugger was disqualified
- Tour de Ski: the big losers in the skiathlon
- Tour de Ski: Hugo Lapalus takes the purple best climber bib before the Alpe Cermis climb
- Hugo Lapalus 15 seconds off the podium, Mathis Desloges 43 seconds back: the French have a great chance to win the last race of the Tour de Ski.
- Val di Fiemme: Johannes Hoesflot Klæbo’s incredible performance in the Tour de Ski skiathlon, Hugo Lapalus back in the top 10
- Tour de Ski: Rémi Bourdin withdraws just minutes before the Val di Fiemme skiathlon
- Val di Fiemme: start lists for the Tour de Ski skiathlons
- After the classic sprint in Val di Fiemme, Léna Quintin and Mélissa Gal bring their Tour de Ski to an end
- Val di Fiemme: in the final of the Tour de Ski classic sprint, Federico Pellegrino made a mistake that prevented him from finishing in the top 3.
- Tour de Ski: tears for Marcus Grate, who scored his first career podium in Val di Fiemme
- Johannes Hoesflot Klæbo undisputed leader, Hugo Lapalus still in contention for the podium: the overall classification of the Tour de Ski
- Val di Fiemme: on the podium in the sprint, Heidi Weng does well in the overall classification of the Tour de Ski
- Dorothea Wierer, luxury spectator at the Tour de Ski classic sprint in Val di Fiemme
- Val di Fiemme: Johannes Hoesflot Klæbo unbeatable in the classic sprint of the Tour of Ski
- Val di Fiemme: Nadine Faehndrich finds her way back to victory in the classic sprint of the Tour de Ski
- Val di Fiemme: Richard Jouve qualified for the classic sprint but will not take part in the final stages
- Val di Fiemme: Johannes Hoesflot Klæbo wins the classic sprint qualifier, Richard Jouve is the only Frenchman in the quarter-finals
- Val di Fiemme: Jasmi Joensuu leads the classic sprint qualifier with ease, Mélissa Gal and Léna Quintin in the next round
