Update stage 4 Ski Tour 2020

Due to tomorrows weather forecast with very strong winds for Storlien, the stage 4 of the Ski Tour 2020 will start and finish in Meråker (NOR).

The course will remain a long distance, it will go from Meråker stadium to Fjergen (original feeding station) and then back to Meråker stadium.

The course distance is 34km. Starting times remain the same.

Last update:  20th February, 10:00h

Pre competition facts stage 4

Women

• Therese Johaug has won each of the last seven individual distance World Cup races and can become the first ever to claim eight in a row. Her current run of seven straight wins is the joint-longest in history of the competition, previously set by Johaug herself in January-March 2016 and matched by Johaug in March-December 2019.

• Johaug has won 14 of the last 16 individual distance events in the World Cup. In that run, only Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen on 3 January (10km classic, Tour de Ski) and Ingvild Flugstad Østberg on 1 January (10km pursuit classic, Tour de Ski) managed to beat Johaug.

• Johaug has won each of the last 14 individual distance World Cup events in the freestyle she appeared in, since a sixth-place finish in the 10km free in Canmore on 11 March 2016 (Ski Tour Canada).

• Only all-time record holder Marit Bjørgen (62) has won more individual distance World Cup events among women than Johaug (60).

• Last Sunday, Johaug won the 10km pursuit classic style in Östersund to claim a record 111th podium finish in individual distance World Cup events. Johaug (111) surpassed Bjørgen (110) for all-time most.

• Ingvild Flugstad Østberg is one of three women to have won an individual distance event this World Cup season, alongside Therese Johaug (13) and Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen (1). Østberg won the 10km pursuit classic in Toblach on 1 January (Tour de Ski).

• Østberg's last win in an individual distance World Cup event in the freestyle came on 6 January 2019, when she won the 9km pursuit in Val di Fiemme (Tour de Ski).

• Østberg claimed a podium finish in both of the opening two Ski Tour 2020 distance events (both third).

• Østberg finished on the podium in four of the last five individual distance events in the World Cup, with the only exception in that run a 19th place in Falun on 9 February.

• The 15 individual distance World Cup events this season have all been won by Norwegian skiers - Therese Johaug (13), Ingvild Flugstad Østberg (1) and Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen (1).

• The last non-Norwegian woman to win an individual distance World Cup event was Sweden's Stina Nilsson, when she won the 10km classic in Quebec on 23 March 2019 (World Cup Final).

• Heidi Weng, second in the overall distance World Cup standings, has won seven individual distance World Cup events. Her last win came on 7 January 2018, when she won the 9km pursuit in the freestyle in Val di Fiemme (Tour de Ski).

Men

• Overall distance World Cup leader Alexander Bolshunov won the last four individual distance World Cup events ahead of this season's Ski Tour.

• Bolshunov finished on the podium in 10 of the last 11 individual distance World Cup events, with the only exception in that run a fifth-place finish in the opening stage of this Ski Tour (15km freestyle).

• Since the start of 2018/19, Bolshunov has claimed 10 World Cup victories in individual distance events, at least six more than any other skier in that period. Johannes Høsflot Klæbo and Sjur Røthe both follow on four triumphs each.

• Bolshunov won the most recent individual distance World Cup race of 30km or more, the 50km classic in Oslo on 9 March 2019. He finished in sixth place in the last 30km+ race in the freestyle, the 30km free in Beitestølen on 8 December 2018.

• Sjur Røthe won the opening stage of this Ski Tour, the 15km freestyle in Östersund on 15 February.

• Røthe's six individual World Cup victories all came in the freestyle, including three in one of the Tours (3-Days Tour, Tour de Ski, Ski Tour, World Cup Final, Ski Tour Canada).

• Røthe is the only skier to have finished on the podium in all four individual distance World Cup events in the freestyle in 2020.

• Røthe won the most recent 30km+ World Cup race in the freestyle, the 30km free in Beitestølen on 8 December 2018.

• On 14 March 2015, Røthe won the 50km freestyle in Oslo to claim his first career individual World Cup victory.

• Iivo Niskanen, third in the overall distance World Cup standings, is aiming for his first individual distance World Cup victory since 30 November, when he won the 15km classic in Ruka (3-Days Tour).

• Niskanen recorded just one of his seven World Cup podium finishes (including Tour stages and overall Tour results) in the freestyle, a second place in the 15km free in Nové Mesto na Morave on 18 January.

• Martin Johnsrud Sundby finished in second place behind Sjur Røthe in the most recent 30km+ World Cup race in the freestyle, the 30km free in Beitestølen on 8 December 2018.

• Sundby's last podium in a World Cup event was a second place in the 15km free in Falun on 17 March 2019. His last individual win came on 7 January 2018, when he won the 9km pursuit (freestyle) in Val di Fiemme (Tour de Ski).

• Dario Cologna is aiming for his first World Cup win in almost two years. His last victory came in the 50km freestyle in Oslo on 10 March 2018.

• Cologna's last podium finish in the World Cup was a third place in the 15km free in Davos on 15 December 2019.

• Simen Hegstad Krüger can claim his fourth World Cup win in an individual distance event and his first in a 30km+ race.