Women’s Cross-Country World Cup preview: who can stop a Diggins (USA) double?

A returning legend, a reinvigorated champion and a resurgent Norwegian team with a home world championships in their sights – the women’s competition in the 2024-25 FIS Cross-Country World Cup promises to be as unpredictable as it is exciting.

And who better to look forward to the action that one of the sport’s all-time greats?

A double world and Olympic champion, Justyna Kowalczyk also won four Crystal Globes as the overall champion and four Tour de Ski titles in a World Cup career that spanned 17 seasons before she retired in 2018. And the Polish legend believes reigning World Cup champion Jessie Diggins (USA) is again the woman to beat.

“Jessie is a very experienced skier,” Kowalczyk said. “Each season she shows how hard she worked during the summer to improve her weaker areas. Her classic [technique] is many times better than it was 5-6 years ago. I am sure that this season we will see a better and stronger version of Jessie, but her rivals are very strong.”

This includes a large Swedish contingent, led by 2022-23 Tour de Ski winner Frida Karlsson – who, like Diggins, was much improved in the sprints last season – double world champions Ebba Andersson and Jonna Sundling, and Linn Svahn, who returned from a career-threatening shoulder injury to win the 2023-24 sprint title. The 24-year-old also proved her all-round potential by winning over 15km and 20km to finish a close second behind Diggins in the overall standings.

“We have the [FIS Nordic Skiing] World Championships [26 February – 9 March] this season,” Kowalczyk said. “Experience shows that girls from Sweden compete [in the World Cup] less in such a season. And this certainly favours Jessie, who, while in Europe, takes part in almost every stage and is always at the forefront.

“I used to compete in this way, but if you don't have any health problems, after heavy and difficult summer preparations, it's nice to get into the racing rhythm and stay in it until the end of March.”

One skier who makes no secret of her intention to prioritise the world championships on home snow in Trondheim is Therese Johaug. After retiring in 2022 to start a family, the Norwegian legend has been the name on every cross-country skiing fan’s lips since announcing her comeback in August.

“It will be very fun to compete against the international skiers and see where I stand in comparison to them.”

Kowalczyk, who also has a young child, said of her long-time adversary: “I was sure she would come back and this comeback will be very difficult for her rivals. We met last winter. She looked great. I admire Therese for deciding to return to the sports regime and enormous pressure. It must have been difficult with a tiny baby and after experiencing ‘normal life’.”

Johaug’s return should also provide a much-needed boost to her fellow Norwegians. While the country’s men continued to dominate last season, winning all but five individual World Cup races, veteran Heidi Weng was the only Norwegian woman to finish in the top 10 of the overall standings, with sprint specialist Kristine Stavaas Skistad the only one to stand on top of the podium, something Johaug experienced 82 times during the first incarnation of her World Cup career.

Johaug added: "I hope that I can inspire them a little bit. They had a little dip last year but the year before that they performed super well so they know they can and they just need to go for it, believe in themselves and leave it all out there on the tracks.”

Along with Heidi and the other Wengs – twin sisters Lotta Udnes and Tiril Udnes, the 2022-23 Crystal Globe winner – Johaug has been impressed with Kristin Austgulen Forsnaes, 24: “She has also looked very strong in training. It will be exciting to see her.”

Could it also be a breakthrough season for another 24-year-old, Latvia’s Patricija Eiduka? “She can be one of the ski stars of the future,” Kowalczyk said. “I worked with her when she was a junior and I know her potential, humility, strength and determination.”

Kowalczyk has also tipped Kerttu Niskanen to challenge. Like Johaug, the Finn is still going strong at 36 years old, claiming a career-high seven podiums last season. It was a breakthrough campaign for Victoria Carl, meanwhile. The German won her first race in her 11^th season of racing and finished fourth overall in 2023-24.

The final word, though, must go to Johaug. “Of course, I know that there are expectations,” the four-time Olympic, 14-time world and triple overall World Cup champion admitted. “That is for better and worse, but I’ve lived up to the expectations before.”

The FIS Cross-Country World Cup season begins on 29 November in Ruka, Finland with the Women’s and Men’s 10km Classic.

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