Pre-competition facts World Cup Lillehammer

The 3-days tour Lillehammer is just around the corner. Starting off with the sprint F races on Friday, 30th November, followed by the 10/15 km F on Saturday and the 10/15 km C Pursuit on Sunday. For the detailled programme, check out the website of the World Cup Lillehammer here.

Preview 3-day tour Lillehammer ladies

• Charlotte Kalla won last year's 3-Days Tour to become the first ever non-Norwegian winner of the opening mini tour in Ruka or Lillehammer. Therese Johaug triumphed in 2015 and Heidi Weng took the number one spot in 2016.

• Three of the last four winners of the 3-Days Tour went on to win the overall World Cup title that season.

• Norway had at least two athletes on the podium in seven of the eight editions of the 3-Days Tour.

• Weng is the only athlete to have reached the podium in both previous 3-Days Tours held in Lillehammer. Weng won the 2016 edition and finished in third place in 2014.

• Jessica Diggins and Sadie Bjornsen are both hoping to become the first ever non-European winner of one of the Tours (3-Days Tour, Tour de Ski, World Cup Final, Ski Tour Canada).

• Krista Pärmäkoski, fourth in last season's Tour de Ski, could become the second Tour winner from Finland after Virpi Kuitunen.

• Weng (98) can make her 100th Tour stage appearance in Lillehammer (3-Days Tour, Tour de Ski, World Cup Final, Ski Tour Canada) to become the 14th athlete to reach this milestone.

Preview 3-day tour Lillehammer men

• The eight 3-Days Tours (Ruka and Lillehammer) have been won by just four different athletes. Martin Johnsrud Sundby (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016) has claimed a record four victories, Petter Northug is on two wins (2011 and 2012), while Alexander Legkov (2010) and Johannes Høsflot Klæbo (2017) both won once.

• Sundby, second in the 2017 edition, has claimed a competition high five overall podium finishes in the 3-Days Tour. Sundby recorded his five top-three spots in the last five editions (2013-2017).

• Sundby is the only athlete to have reached the podium in both previous 3-Days Tours held in Lillehammer. Sundby won in both 2014 and 2016.

• Klæbo won last season's 3-Days Tour in Ruka at age 21 to become the youngest ever 3-Days Tour winner. Klæbo already was the youngest Tour winner (3-Days Tour, Tour de Ski, World Cup Final, Ski Tour Canada), as he won the 2017 World Cup Final in Quebec at age 20.

• Klæbo, Sundby, Calle Halfvarsson and Lukáš Bauer are the only athletes to have won multiple 3-Days Tour stages, all four triumphed twice.

• Klæbo and Halfvarsson are the only athletes to have claimed multiple 3-Days Tour stage wins in a single edition. Halfvarsson won the sprint classic and the 10km free in Lillehammer in 2016. Klæbo won the sprint classic and the 15km classic in last year's edition.

• Only Sundby (8) has won more Tours (3-Days Tour, Tour de Ski, World Cup Final, Ski Tour Canada) than Cologna (6). Colonga's tally of 13 Tour podium finishes is a joint-record. Northug is also on 13 top-three finishes.

• Alex Harvey, runner-up in last season's World Cup Final and third in the 2017/18 Tour de Ski, is aiming to become the first ever non-European Tour winner (3-Days Tour, Tour de Ski, World Cup Final, Ski Tour Canada).

• Harvey is one of the 10 athletes to have appeared in all eight editions of the 3-Days Tour.