Niskanen wins, Diggins leads, but Swedish stars struggle

After what the Finnish team described as a ‘catastrophic’ start to the Tour de Ski in the sprints on Saturday, they had plenty to smile about on Sunday in Toblach, Italy, after Kerttu Niskanen won the Women’s 10km Classic.

The veteran Finn’s showed why this is her favourite distance and favoured technique – all six of her World Cup victories have now come in 10km Classics.

This will be the only time trial (interval start) among the Tour’s seven races this season, and in temperatures hovering below freezing in Toblach, the tracks remained in pristine condition for both loops of a 5km course that tests all aspects of a skier’s technique and athletic ability.

A flat start requiring plenty of double-poling power is followed by a steep climb in excess of 50 metres up to around the 1.5km mark and another climb, staggered slightly, up to around 3.5km. It is all downhill from there, with the need for speed above all else.

Niskanen, last season’s World Cup distance champion, took full advantage of a good draw. Going out in 29th position, just a minute behind Katharina Henning (GER) and 30 seconds behind Rosie Brennan (USA), the 35-year-old used the fast-starting pair as a marker. And with plenty of long straights to keep the duo in her sights, the Olympic 10km silver medallist made her move on the first climb of the second lap, turning a 1.8-second deficit into a 12.6s lead between 5km and 8km.

In the end it was another German-American combination that ran her closest, Victoria Carl (GER) and Jessie Diggins (USA) both putting in bursts over the last 2km to finish in second and third, 6.7s and 10.7s behind respectively. In a sporting gesture, Niskanen helped both - and other later finishers - to their feet as they cross the line.

Brennan and Hennig eventually paid for their flying starts to finish fourth and fifth.

Diggins retains her lead in the overall World Cup standings and takes the yellow bib in the race for the Tour de Ski, atitle she won in 2020-21.

“The race was really hard but also really fun. I love individual start races because it’s you against the clock and the course, and it’s fun to challenge yourself that way. I’m excited for tomorrow.”

Carl is just seven seconds behind Diggins in the Tour standings after the German continued her excellent start to the season. “It was really hard but I like the course, I can do a lot of double-poling and I’m very strong there, so I’m very happy,” she said.

Much has been made of the German women’s overall improvement, something that had been attributed in part to their ability to adapt better than anybody else to the ban on fluor wax on skis – brought in this season because of health risks and environmental concerns.

“We had good grip and good glide,” Carl admitted. “My serviceman did a very good job today.”

Things appear less happy in the Sweden team, who were expected to continue their recent domination of women’s cross-country skiing.

Their highest finisher in Sunday’s 10k – and now third in the Tour standings, four seconds behind Carl – was Linn Svahn (SWE), who won Saturday's sprint. The 24-year-old came in ninth, ahead of reigning Tour de Ski champion, Frida Karlsson (11th) and other more decorated teammates Jonna Sundling (12th), Ebba Andersson (13th) and Emma Ribom (14th).

Moa Ilar finished one place further back after a clash with teammate Johanna Hagström on Saturday prompted a crisis meeting.

They will be hoping for better when the Tour continues on Monday with the 20km Freestyle Pursuit.

For full results from Toblach, click here.