Italy end weekend in Toblach (ITA) on top with first relay victory in 17 years

The host nation got a perfect end to the COOP FIS Cross-Country World Cup competitions in Toblach, Italy, as Federico Pellegrino led his team to a win in the men’s 4x7.5km relay classic/free on Sunday.

Dietmar Noeckler, Francesco De Fabiani and Simone Dapra had made sure to keep Italy in the game in the first three legs before 32-year-old Pellegrino sealed the deal with a strong finish.

Crossing the line 0.6 seconds before Sweden (Eric Rosjoe, Calle Halfvarsson, Johan Haeggstroem, Edvin Anger) and Norway I (Sjur Roethe, Didrik Toenseth, Simen Hegstad Krueger, Harald Oestberg Amundsen), Italy claimed their first relay victory since January 2006 to end three days of action in Toblach in the best possible way.

Sweden were awarded the second place in a photo finish as Norway I, without the overall World Cup leaders Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo and Paal Golberg, got the last podium spot.

”The goal was defence, to stay there (in the race),” Noeckler said, having made sure Italy were in the top three after the first two 3.75km laps around the course.

”We know that with Pellegrino in the last leg we have maybe one of the best finishers and thanks to the whole team, (we got a) victory for us and for the whole Italian team.”

Norway II’s Erik Valnes started the race at a furious pace, handing over to Hans Christer Holund in with a 11.4-second lead. In the second leg, however, Finland’s Iivo Niskanen showed why he will be up there fighting for medals at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Planica, Slovenia, later this month.

Niskanen drove the field until Holund had lost his gap as the seven top teams were within six seconds of each other coming into the two freestyle legs.

”When Iivo attacked I tried really hard,” De Fabiani said.

He handed over to Dapra only 0.6 second behind leading Sweden.

”It was really difficult in the last uphill and at the end we were the first, so yes, I did a great leg and I’m really happy about this.”

Norway I made a strong push in the third leg as Krueger earned his team an advantage of 4.3 seconds to the rest of the field. When Dapra exchanged to Pellegrino, Italy were in seventh place, 6.8 seconds behind the leaders.

The Italian two-time Olympic medallist got himself a comfortable spot behind Sweden’s 20-year-old Anger, who took charge of the anchor leg. Sprint Specialist Pellegrino had reason to be confident he could beat the rest of the field coming into the final stretch of the race.

”The plan was to wait for the great job that my teammates did and they did it, and to feel if the skis were as good as always, and they were. My legs too, and then I know that with this track and on this snow I can be one of the best,” Pellegrino said.

”I only thought about staying together with the strongest team in the world, and then to be the strongest.”

With a 300m left of the final lap, Pellegrino switched gears and got himself a five-metre lead to Anger and Amundsen. The veteran made no mistake and could celebrate the win with the rest of the quartet in front of the home South Tyrol.

Pellegrino thinks his team can to repeat the feat at the world championships starting in 17 days, despite the legs in Planica being 10km rather than 7.5km.

”We know that the relay with four legs of 7.5k is a different sport to the relay with four legs of 10k, but we are ready,” Pellegrino said.

”Now we have time to recover and plan it well before Planica and then we want to be part of the game and try our best, as today. And why not reach the first (world championship) podium in the relay since a lot of time (ago)?”

In the first day of World Cup relays since December 2021, Norway’s women showed that they can win without retired all-time top skiers Marit Bjoergen or Therese Johaug in the team.
 
Heidi Weng, Anne Kjersti Kalvaa, Ingvild Flugstad Oestberg and Silje Theodorsen in the first team controlled the race to claim the Cross-Country superpower’s 15th victory in the past 16 women’s relays with a comfortable margin.
Sweden I, with Emma Ribbon, Ebba Andersson, Moa Ilar and Jonna Sundling, finished second before USA’s Hailey Swirbul, Rosie Brennan, Jessie Diggins and Julia Kern.

Oestberg, who made it to the 10km free podium on Saturday, had another strong performance as she gave Norway I the lead in the third leg. Sweden I’s Ilar had struggled and as sprint ace Sundling took over for the anchor leg, the favourites’ 13.5-second lead had turned into a 32.1-second disadvantage behind their Nordic rivals.

”It was really exciting,” Oestberg said.

”I had to catch up with the two teams in front and tried to just push as hard as I could, with all my leg (power), and get as many seconds as possible for Silje (Theodorsen).

”Silje did an amazing job on the last leg and it is so fun to win today.”

With two laps to go, Norway were up against Germany to fight for the top spot as Sundling got to battle it out for the third-place with Kern.

Theodorsen made no mistake in the anchor leg, keeping calm for the first lap before increasing her lead in the second to celebrate the win with her teammates.

”I was so nervous because the three girls before me did a really good job, so I wasn’t quite sure of how to attack my race but I think I managed today,” the 28-year-old said.

Kern gave Sundling a run for the money but the Swede showed why she is one of the best sprinters in the world, crossing the line two tenths of a second before the American.

Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 runners-up Germany had crossed the finish line in second place, showing that they will be a team to count on in Planica. The Germans were however disqualified as they had not registered Sofie Krehl to replace Coletta Rydzek in the final leg due to illness.

Sweden I got the second place as USA grabbed the last podium spot and plenty of confidence to bring with them into the world championships. The World Cup takes a five-week break and is back on the 11 March with competitions in Oslo, Norway.

Click here for the detailed results from the men’s 4x7.5km relay classic/free and here for detailed results from the women’s 4x7.5km relay classic/free.