Bjoergen wins and Weng repeats with overall crystal globe
Aug 31, 2018·Cross-Country
(Falun, Sweden) Norway's Marit Bjoergen has won the 2018 FIS Cross-Country World Cup finals in Falun, Sweden. She began the final stage 10 km pursuit in free technique with a 36 second lead over her nearest challenger and crossed the line with a 16.7 second advantage over the USA's Jessica Diggins. Diggins began the day with a 41 second deficit in 3rd place and while recording the fastest time of the day she over took Norway's Ingvild Flugstad Oestberg for second in the tour and jumped into 2nd place in the overall World Cup standings. Diggins' teammate Sadie Bjornsen ended her season on the same note that she started with a World Cup podium. She took third +1:11.5 behind Bjoergen.
Norway's Heidi Weng managed to hang on to her lead in the overall standings to claim her second consecutive crystal globe. Making her the first athlete to do that since Poland's Justyna Kowalczyk completed a three-peat in 2011. Diggins became just the third non-European to finish on the podium in the overall classification. Canada's Beckie Scott was second in 2006 and the USA's Kikkan Randall was third in 2013. Oestberg held on for third in the overall standings after finishing in 8th place today in the pursuit. This concludes the ladies' competitions for the 2017-18 FIS Cross-Country World Cup season.
**ATHLETE QUOTES
**
Sadie Bjornsen (USA)
It is amazing to finish the season on that note. I did not know that would be possible today. When I saw the other girls and how quickly the race went I decided I was going to fight for the podium. I felt really good and had amazing skis. It was a last race so I gave everything I had. Going to the home stretch I was just thinking that this was the last sprint of the season and I better make it count.
Jessie Diggins (USA)
My body felt really good. I was lucky I was feeling amazing. I had great skis as well. I was skiing as fats and hard as I could. I was focused on my own race I wanted to be the quickest today. I have been dreaming about finishing on the Overall World Cup podium. It’s exciting.
Marit Bjoergen (NOR)
I am really happy. I had a lead of 45 seconds so I was in the position to do my race. When the gap shrunk to 20 seconds I was little bit stressed and I knew I had to work hard. I think I was as fast Jessica on the uphills but she was much faster on the flats.
Heidi Weng (NOR)
I had a very good feeling in the first kilometre. When I caught Ragnhild (Haga) I thought I maybe started little bit too hard. I was quite stiff around the 5 km mark. I tried my best and I knew I had to go fast to secure the Overall Globe. It is amazing to win the Overall. I’m very tired and I am looking forward to going to Spain tomorrow and having some rest.
OFFICIAL RESULTS
LADIES 10 km F pursuit
1. BJOERGEN Marit 1980 NOR 24:18.9 0.0
2. DIGGINS Jessica 1991 USA +16.7
3. BJORNSEN Sadie 1989 USA +1:11.5
4. HAGA Ragnhild 1991 NOR +1:12.0
5. JACOBSEN Astrid Uhrenholdt 1987 NOR +1:12.8
Complete
OVERALL WORLD CUP STANDINGS
1. WENG Heidi NOR 1476 pts
2. DIGGINS Jessica USA 1436
3. OESTBERG Ingvild Flugstad NOR 1414
Complete
WORLD CUP DISTANCE STANDINGS
1. WENG Heidi NOR 818 pts
2. OESTBERG Ingvild Flugstad NOR 755
3. DIGGINS Jessica USA 723
Complete
FASTEST OF THE DAY
1. DIGGINS Jessica 1991 USA 23:54.4
2. HAGA Ragnhild 1991 NOR +10.7
3. BJOERGEN Marit 1980 NOR +24.5
Complete
U23 WORLD CUP STANDINGS
1. NEPRYAEVA Natalia RUS 614pts
2. SEDOVA Anastasia RUS 474
3. ANDERSSON Ebba SWE 263
Complete
