Fight for Tour de Ski top spots goes into final round
Jan 08, 2021·Cross-Country
Val di Fiemme’s 10km C Mass Start always hold up for great surprises. Today’s leading work by Natalia Nepryaeva (RUS) was rewarded with a victory. Almost one year after her last distance podium, the 25 year-old Russian set out to gain a top spots for the upcoming two final stages of the Tour. As an experienced Sprinter, todays success has surely given confidence for tomorrows Sprint C where the final setup for the Tour de Ski ranking will be decided before the last race up the Final Climb to Alpe Cermis on Sunday.
Katharina Hennig (GER) secured the second spot on the podium. Repeating her success from last year (3rd in 10km C) the German concludes her race: “I had a high motivation during the whole Tour and this place pushes my motivation even more as I like the course and I have been successful here already. But I take it day by day and am very happy with my achievements so far.
The last remaining spot was taken by Ebba Andersson (SWE) who has improved her results throughout the Tour. Gaining on the uphills, Andersson lost a precious gap in the downhill sections on the course and thus could not keep up or gain spots on the final meters towards the finish line. Nevertheless, her performance today places the young Swede in 4th position, +1.45 seconds behind the ongoing leader of the Tour, Jessie Diggins (USA).
Johanna Matintalo (FIN) races to her best ever individual World Cup result with her 5th place.
Alisa Zhambalova (RUS) confirms her top-10 trend in the Tour and repeats her 7th rank after the 10km C Pursuit in Toblach.
