‘A great day’ for Diggins who dominates Les Rousses 10K to extend World Cup lead
Jan 17, 2025·Cross-Country
Jessie Diggins (USA) put recent injury trouble behind her with a statement fourth victory of the season in the 10km Freestyle in Les Rousses, France on Friday.
The reigning Crystal Globe champion and current FIS Cross Country World Cup leader had been battling foot condition plantar fasciitis towards the end of the recent Tour de Ski but was in imperious form here on France’s border with Switzerland, crossing the line 19.5 seconds clear of the field in a time of 22 minutes, 37.7s.
“It was so fun,” the 33-year-old said. “I was joking with my teammates that it was like Mario Kart out there – those downhills were so swoopy and turny and I love that – and I had some awesome skis. So, a huge thank you to the team, and I was super inspired by Ben [Ogden, who came second in the men’s race] this morning and it was the best feeling to give him a hug before our race. That got me fired up. It was just a really great day and I raced with my whole heart.”
Perfect snow conditions in Les Rousses were mitigated somewhat by a brutal first climb on the 3.3km course. Running parallel with the resort’s ski jump as soon as the competitors come out of the stadium, it is arguably the steepest uphill section on the whole World Cup circuit.
Go out too hard and skiers risk blowing up before they even have time to establish themselves in the race. But Diggins’ all-out approach knows no bounds. She scaled the first climb 1.1s faster than the in-form Oeyre Astrid Slind (NOR) and continued to edge clear as the race progressed: 5.7s after lap one became 11.7s after lap two and victory was never in doubt.
The real race was going on behind Diggins. Slind appeared to have second wrapped up but a storming final lap from Victoria Carl (GER) in turn appeared to give the German second as she crossed the line 19.5s behind Diggins but 0.6s faster than Slind.
Double world champion, Ebba Andersson (SWE) – who won this race two years ago, the last time Les Rousses hosted a World Cup event – was third fastest after two laps but faded on the final loop.
Meanwhile, Teresa Stadlober (AUT) looked to be timing her run to perfection. The Austrian, who claimed her first podium in five years in the recent Tour de Ski, was only 14th fastest after lap one, but was fifth quickest after lap two and had moved into third by the end of the final climb.
But the 31-year-old seemed to lose ground on the final descent and eventually crossed the line in fourth, an agonising 2.4s behind Carl and 1.8s slower than Slind. Andersson eventually finished fifth while Frida Karlsson (SWE), returning to World Cup action for the first time since December 6 after injury and illness, came a respectable seventh.
While Carl was "really happy" after claiming her first podium of the season, Diggins was in a class of her own.
The Minnesotan took full advantage of Therese Johaug’s absence to not only extend her lead in the overall World Cup rankings, but to also claim the red bib for the leading distance racer.
“That’s a little bit crazy,” she said. “But it’s really exciting and I’ll enjoy it while I have it."
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