Klaebo excels in 'chaotic' 15km Mass Start to make back-to-back wins

Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo took another big step towards a fourth overall Tour de Ski triumph as he won the Men's 15km Mass Start Classic in Toblach, Italy on Sunday.

The 28-year-old, who had been dominant in the Sprint Free on Saturday, made it two victories in two days of the Tour, finishing 0.6 of a second before runner-up Erik Valnes (NOR) as Haavard Moseby in third place made it an all-Norwegian podium.

"It was a hard race but I’m for sure satisfied with being first," Klaebo said.

"I had good skis and the shape was OK so it was a good day."

If it had been difficult for Norway's Therese Johaug and Astrid Oeyre Slind to break away from the pack in the women's race, it was impossible for any man to shake off the rest.

After 10km, the first 39 skiers were within 9.2 seconds of each other, and even though it spread out a little in the remainder of the race, 13 skiers came into the last 400m within four seconds of each other.

Klaebo was however first. And with 200m left to ski, the Norwegian sprint ace set off, leaving the rest of the front group fighting for the spots behind him.

The three-time Tour de Ski champion got a gap so big that he, several meters before the finish line, could afford to slow down and look back at his competitors as Valnes clinched the second place and Moseby finished third, 1.2 second behind the winner.

"It was quite chaotic, Klaebo said.

"There was a lot of people and a big pack but at the end I'm just satisfied with being first."

The fifth Coop FIS Cross-Country World Cup win for Klaebo this season gives him a solid advantage after two of seven stages of the Tour de Ski.

He is 34 seconds ahead of the overall Tour rankings No.2 Richard Jouve (FRA), 36 seconds ahead of No.3 Federico Pellegrino (ITA) and keeps the overall World Cup leader and defending TdS champion, Harald Westberg Amundsen (NOR), who finished sixth, one minute and two seconds behind him.

But despite spraying bubbly from the top of the podium for the second day in a row, Klaebo refuses to take anything for granted as there is still much left of the Tour. 

After a rest day on Monday, the action in Toblach continues with the Men's 20km Interval Start Free on 31 December.

"There are still five more races and we've got 20k here on Tuesday, so it's going to be a hard Tour," Klaebo said.

Landing his third podium this season, Valnes was not too bitter about having to wait a bit longer for this winter's first victory.

"It was a tough race but I was feeling good and had a good position all the way, so I’m happy," the 28-year-old said.

For Moseby, the third-place was a milestone career-first podium. The 25-year-old's previously best result had been a 10km Free fifth-place in Lillehammer, Norway, in December 2022.

"I’m super happy. This was my goal this season and to get it on the second day (of Tour de Ski) was unbelievable," Moseby said.

"I've had low shoulders and been very calm, because I was on the reserve list for this Tour de Ski, so I will keep on enjoying the moment and just keep calm."

Click here for full results from the Men's 15km Mass Start Classic.

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