Cross-country skiing : Therese Johaug showed no fear to win her fourth Tour de Ski
There was no contest on Sunday in the final race of the nineteenth edition of the Tour de Ski. Therese Johaug was at her best as the kilometres went by, crushing her rivals to cross the finish line relaxed at the top of the much-anticipated Alpe Cermis climb (Italy).
Back on the circuit this season after two years without a start on the cross-country skiing World Cup, little seems to have changed. The Norwegian was imperious in Saturday’s skiathlon and repeated the feat in Sunday’s race in a format that she loves.
At the front of the peloton from the first to the last kilometre, the world multi-medalist never gave her rivals the slightest opening. She broke away on the first key section of the climb and was never seen again. As usual, the Scandinavian continued to press the accelerator right up to the final metres.
Her unfailing determination enabled her to cross the finish line more than 25 seconds ahead of her compatriot Astrid Oeyre Slind, a stunning second on the day and in the overall classification of the tour. After all, Therese Johaug didn’t miss out on the overall classification.
When she picked up the gold bib the day before, the four-time Olympic champion had no intention of letting it go. And the day after her fifteenth Tour de Ski victory – an all-time record – the 36-year-old cross-country skier raised her arms for the ninth time at the summit of Alpe Cermis. An XXL performance which also enabled her to equal Justyna Kowalczyk ‘s record of four overall victories.
And it has to be said that this long-awaited final stage turned out to the advantage of the Norwegians. In fact, behind Therese Johaug and Astrid Oeyre Slind, it was Heidi Weng who took third place as a veteran of the climb. A top 3 finish won under the nose of her team-mate Nora Sanness, fourth by just three seconds.
Jessie Diggins held on for the podium
After Therese Johaug’s unchallenged domination, the battle for the places of honour raged on. And as usual, it was a Jessie Diggins at the end of her tether who crossed the finish line. Exhausted and sixth at the finish, the American fought to the end to retain her third place on the overall podium ahead of Kerttu Niskanen, seventh on the day.
The full rankings
The general classification of the Tour de Ski
The general ranking of the best female climber in the Tour de Ski
The general ranking of the best female sprinter in the Tour de Ski
The overall distance ranking
The overall World Cup standings
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- 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
