Form fires Faehndrich and Klaebo into early Tour de Ski lead

Nadine Faehndrich of Switzerland and Norway’s Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo proved their sprint supremacy as cross-country's Tour de Ski got underway at Val Mustair, Switzerland, on Saturday.

Swiss star Faehndrich is in a league of her own in the women’s sprint heading into 2023, blowing away the field to win her third World Cup race in a row and her second on home snow either side of Christmas.

The 27-year-old continued her tactic of going out hard to open up a big lead on the first lap, but Norway’s Tiril Udnes Weng – overall World Cup leader heading into the weekend – closed the gap coming out of the downhill section to pull away from her twin Lotta Udnes Weng in third place.

But Faehndrich again put distance between herself and the rest in the second uphill section. Even a stumble going into the final corner couldn’t stop the Swiss skier from crossing the line almost half a second ahead. It was enough to put her fifth in the overall World Cup rankings.

“It was hard but I enjoyed it and it was fun,” a grinning Faehndrich said at the finish. “Unbelievable to win again.

“I’m in good shape, I have the flow and at the moment it’s like a dream.”

“I take it day by day,” she said of her Tour de Ski and World Cup ambitions. “I hope that I can finish in a good place.”

Lotta Udnes Weng eventually overhauled her sister, but could not hold off Sweden’s Olympic silver medallist’s Maja Dahlqvist whose dramatic late burst was enough to take her from fifth to second place.

Tiril Udnes Weng, whose lack of electric pace at the finish again cost her a sprint podium, did at least have the consolation of holding onto the yellow bib as overall World Cup leader ahead of USA star Jessie Diggins who surprisingly failed to make it through sprint qualifying on Saturday morning.

In the men’s sprint, Frenchman Lucas Chanavat was expected to go out hard like Faehndrich, but a more tactical, easy-paced race played into the hands of sprint heavyweights Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo and Federico Pellegrino.

Chanavat did hit the front early but with Norway’s double Olympic individual sprint champion Klaebo and Czech Republic’s Michal Novak tucked closely in behind.

With the field packed, Olympic silver medallist Pellegrino moved from last to first ahead of the final downhill section to set up a straight shootout with sprint king Klaebo, who the Italian pipped to the top of the podium at the last World Cup event in Davos, Switzerland.

But the Norwegian, 26, carried his form through from qualifying to win by 0.18 seconds.

Compatriot Sindre Bjoernestad Skar was third, a further two seconds back, while Chanavat faded badly to bring up the rear in sixth.

Klaebo, who moves second in the overall World Cup rankings behind distance-specialist countryman Paal Golberg, said: “It was really tough. Sprinting here at 1600 metres [altitude] is pretty tough but I felt good today and I was really motivated to start the Tour [de Ski] well – I think it was a great start for me.

“Today I’m pretty glad I made the decision to stay in Davos for Christmas [to acclimatise to the altitude]. It was a good start to the Tour [de Ski] and I’m looking forward to the rest now.

“I think it will be a tough race tomorrow [10k], so hopefully not many fireworks this afternoon so we can relax and sleep for a bit and then back at it again tomorrow.”

Like Faehndrich, Klaebo’s sprint victory on Saturday means he will go out first in Sunday’s 10km pursuit as the Tour de Ski continues.

Click here for the full results from the Tour de Ski in Val Mustair.