Weng repeats as Tour de Ski Champion

(Alpe Cermis, Italy) Norway's Heidi Weng has repeated as the Tour de Ski Champion in 2018.  In the process she set the fastest time of the day by 41 seconds for an impressive finish atop Alpe Cermis.  Weng began the day with a 1.8 second deficit to her teammate Ingvild Flugstad Oestberg.  They arrived at the bottom of the climb up Alpe Cermis side by side but when the first steep pitch began Weng lifted the pace and skied away to victory by 48.5 seconds.

The USA's Jessie Diggins closed her 10 second gap to Finland's Krista Parmakoski on the way down the valley and with a steady pace up the climb skied to third place +2:23.2 back of Weng.  It is a first overall Tour de Ski podium for Diggins and the first for a North American.

Austria's Teresa Stadlober was second fastest on the day which gives her her second World Cup podium in two days with yesterday's podium being the first in her career.   Four nations were represented in the top 5 today with 8 nations in the top 13.

ATHLETE QUOTES

Heidi Weng (NOR)
I am obviously so happy to win again the Tour. It was very hard.
When we came to the bottom of Alpe Cremis the pace was quite
high. I knew when it got steep that was when I wanted to make my
move.

Ingvild Flugstad Oestberg (NOR)
I had a bad day yesterday but the rest of the Tour was good. I knew
Heidi would be very strong on the final climb. I was little bit more
worried that the girls behind might catch me. So to be 2nd in the Overall
Tour is a success for me.

Jessie Diggins (USA)
Today I was really good climber. For the first time I was feeling good. I
tried to be strong mentally. I skied together with Krista and we tried to
keep the speed high so that the girls behind us do not get close. It was
fun skiing with her.

TOUR DE SKI FINAL STANDINGS

LADIES - 9km F

1. WENG Heidi 1991 NOR 32:13.3
2. OESTBERG Ingvild Flugstad 1990 NOR +48.5
3. DIGGINS Jessica 1991 USA +2:23.2
4. PARMAKOSKI Krista 1990 FIN +2:57.7
5. STADLOBER Teresa 1993 AUT +3:09.4

Complete RESULTS

FASTEST OF THE DAY

1. WENG Heidi 1991 NOR 32:11.5
2. STADLOBER Teresa 1993 AUT +41.3
3. DIGGINS Jessica 1991 USA +41.9
4. OESTBERG Ingvild Flugsta 1990 NOR +50.3
5. STEPHEN Elizabeth 1987 USA +1:22.6

Complete