Diggins nabs final World Cup win before Olympics

(Seefeld, Austria) The USA's Jessica Diggins put her name even further up the list of medal favourites for the upcoming Olympic games with her impressive win today, in the ladies' 10 km free technique mass start in Seefeld, Austria.

Always at the front throughout the race she surged to the front on the final lap and attacked on the final big climb just as Dario Cologna did in the men's competition earlier in the day.  In the end it was the same outcome with Diggins crossing the line just ahead of Norway's Heidi Weng.  Ragnhild Haga also from Norway took the third spot +1.0 seconds behind Diggins.  Weng and Haga were able to close some of the gap that Diggins opened up over the final climb to make it close to the line.

Ingvild Flugstad Oestberg (NOR) was apart of the leading group of 4 but was unable to match the pace on that final climb and crossed the line in 4th place.  Norwegian ski legend Marit Bjoergen returned to World Cup racing for the first time since before Christmas and battled her way to a 5th place result.  It appeared she struggled early with the fast pace being set but found her rhythm and moved up over the final kilometers.

This FIS 2017-18 World Cup season resumes 3-4 February with the Lahti Ski Games following the completion of the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang, Korea.

ATHLETE QUOTES

Ragnhild Haga NOR
That was hard. Fast from the beginning. It's my first racing at World Cup since the Tour de Ski so it's good to come back with a podium.

Heidi Weng NOR
It was a really good day. I'm happy with how I raced. I made a mistake up the final climb and then couldn't go with Diggins but I push hard all the way to the finish but Diggins was the better skier today.

Jessica Diggins USA
I watched the men's race and saw how Dario won and thought I can do that. I knew that final climb would be important. I tested it early in the race because I knew I had good skis and wanted to see how the draft affect was working. In the end it all worked and I'm so happy to get this win.

OFFICIAL RESULTS

LADIES 10 km F

DIGGINS Jessica 1991 USA 23:08.5
WENG Heidi 1991 NOR +0.7
HAGA Ragnhild 1991 NOR +1.0
OESTBERG Ingvild Flugstad 1990 NOR +8.7
BJOERGEN Marit 1980 NOR +16.7

Complete RESULTS

OVERALL WORLD CUP STANDINGS

LADIES

1. WENG Heidi NOR 1346 pts
2. OESTBERG Ingvild Flugstad NOR 1147
3. DIGGINS Jessica USA 967

Complete