Cross-country skiing : Therese Johaug’s great escape in Val di Fiemme
A few hours after Johannes Hoesflot Klæbo‘s show of strength in the women’s skiathlon, it was the turn of the women cross-country skiers to take to the track in the 10km classic and 10km skate in Val di Fiemme (Italy), the fifth stage of the cross-country skiing World Cup.
And unlike the men’s competition, where it all came down to the last bump on the course, the women’s skating race was decided from the very first lap. Therese Johaug, who had been making a very strong impression since the start of the race, launched an attack that left her three breakaway companions in the dust.
The Norwegian was frequency and imperious, and was never seen again in the final two rounds. Runner-up to Astrid Oeyre Slind on two occasions since the start of the tour, the multi-medalist took her revenge this time and flew to victory.
A fifteenth success on the tour, which now makes her the most successful female cross-country skier in this competition. And that’s not all. On the eve of the terrible and dreaded ascent of Alpe Cermis (Italy), the four-time Olympic champion took the opportunity to don the golden bib of leader of the overall classification, which until then had been on the shoulders of her compatriot Astrid Oeyre Slind, on the day’s podium.
This Sunday in the Dolomites, Therese Johaug could pocket her fourth Tour de Ski – like Justyna Kowalczyk – with her sights set on a ninth victory at the top of the final climb. By taking the necessary points in today’s race, she has also strengthened her purple bib as the best climber of the Tour, which she will attempt to win for the first time in Sunday’s mass-start.
A surprise named Teresa Stadlober
Behind the untouchable Scandinavian, three riders battled it out to get onto the box and limit the damage to the overall classification. Still in a group, Teresa Stadlober, Astrid Oeyre Slind and Ebba Andersson battled it out for the last two steps of the box in the final metres.
A final in which Teresa Stadlober was the strongest. Bluffing her way through the tour on Saturday, the Austrian held her nerve to equal her best career performance, which she had already achieved in Val di Fiemme in 2018.
Now relegated to 22 seconds behind Therese Johaug in the overall classification, Astrid Oeyre Slind nonetheless climbed onto the podium again, her seventh of the season since winning in Ruka (Finland) at the start of the winter. Back at the front of the pack after some disappointing performances since the start of the Tour de Ski, Ebba Andersson regained her composure and reassured everyone by finishing fourth.
25 seconds behind her, Jessie Diggins completed the top 5. The American was quickly dropped in the classic section and, as is often the case, finished the race with courage. And it paid off, as she clawed back precious seconds to move back into third place overall, with a comfortable lead of 40 seconds over Kerttu Niskanen, the day’s other big loser.
The full rankings
The general classification of the Tour de Ski
The overall distance ranking
The overall World Cup standings
Read also
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- Tour de Ski: Hugo Lapalus takes the purple best climber bib before the Alpe Cermis climb
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- Tour de Ski: tears for Marcus Grate, who scored his first career podium in Val di Fiemme
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- 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
