The twentieth edition of the Tour de Ski opens in Dobbiaco (Bolzano) in the name of Johannes Hosfløt Klæbo and Kristine Skistad, Norwegian winners of the free technique sprint which opened the way to the stage trial which will take place for the entire next week between Dobbiaco and Val di Fiemme, home of the last two stages; Federico Pellegrino and Federica Cassol, the best Italians of the day, were eliminated in the semifinals.
Klæbo takes off in the final to manage the situation on the finishing straight (22nd success in a stage of the Tour de Ski for him) and lead an all-Norwegian podium with Lars Heggen and Oskar Vike at his side; fourth place for Valerio Grond who overtakes Lukas Chanavat and Janik Riebli.
Federico Pellegrino had to stop in the semi-final: after having overcome the heat shoulder to shoulder with the Swiss Riebli, the Aosta Valley champion had to face an absolute level semi-final in which he was unable to go beyond sixth place, behind Klæbo, Grond, Chanavat, Riebli and Anger.
Previously the heat proved to be difficult for Davide Graz, twenty-first, Michael Hellweger (23rd) and Giacomo Gabrielli, 25th.
Instead, there is the signature of Kristine Skistad in the women’s sprint: the Norwegian unleashes all her power to precede the detestable Coletta Rydzek and the Swede Maja Dahlqvist, with Jessie Diggins at the foot of the podium ahead of Johanna Hagström, best in qualifying but held back in the final by breaking a stick.
After the 14th time in qualifying, Federica Cassol was quick to take advantage of the repechage to reach the semi-final, but in the following match, despite giving excellent impressions, she had to give way with fifth place which earned her tenth position in the final ranking. Red light in the heat instead for Caterina Ganz (19th), Nicole Monsorno (20th) and Iris De Martin Pinter, 23rd.
However, in the late morning Simone Mocellini, Elia Barp, Martino Carollo, Simone Daprà, Francesco De Fabiani and Paolo Ventura for the men, Nadine Laurent, Virginia Cena, Martina Di Centa, Anna Comarella and Francesca Franchi for the women had not qualified.
Tomorrow the second day of the twentieth Tour de Ski will again propose the individual test in classic technique over a distance of 10 kilometers in Dobbiaco: men’s test at 11.45am, women’s at 2.45pm.
Men’s sprint finishing order TL Tour de Ski of Dobbiaco (Bolzano)
Order of arrival women’s sprint TL Tour de Ski of Dobbiaco (Bolzano)
