4 months ago
Jessie Diggins capped 1 of nan astir demanding stretches successful cross-country skiing connected Sunday by winning nan Tour de Ski for nan 3rd time, a consequence that further solidifies her position arsenic an Olympic badge favourite heading into what she has already announced will beryllium her last season.
Diggins, nan 34-year-old American from Afton, Minnesota, clinched nan wide title aft nan sixth and last shape of nan Tour de Ski, an eight-day, multi-race bid staged crossed Italy and modeled aft cycling’s Tour de France. The title tests skiers crossed sprint and region races, classical and freestyle techniques, and concludes pinch nan sport’s astir notorious challenge: a steep, lung-burning climb up Alpe Cermis.
Entering Sunday’s last 10km shape pinch a 79-second lead, Diggins skied conservatively and vanished 2nd connected nan day, conscionable nether 9 seconds down Norway’s Karoline Simpson-Larsen. That was much than capable to unafraid nan wide title pinch a cumulative clip of 2 hours, 11 minutes and 26.1 seconds successful Val di Fiemme, nan venue that will big Olympic cross-country skiing adjacent period astatine nan Milan Cortina Winter Games.
Diggins vanished 2min 17.7sec up of Austria’s Teresa Stadlober successful nan wide standings, pinch Norway’s Heidi Weng third, 2:31.6 back.
The triumph marked Diggins’ 3rd Tour de Ski title, adding to her wins successful 2021 and 2023. In nan 20-year history of nan event, she remains nan only American – antheral aliases female – to guidelines atop nan wide podium. Her further third-place finishes successful 2019 and past twelvemonth further underscore her power successful 1 of nan sport’s astir grueling competitions.
The Tour de Ski is wide regarded arsenic a definitive measurement of all-around excellence successful cross-country skiing, rewarding athletes who tin strengthen repeated high-level racing pinch small betterment while adapting to changing courses and techniques. Diggins’ capacity crossed nan week highlighted her consistency, tactical subject and endurance, qualities that person defined her career.
In November, Diggins announced that nan 2025–26 play would beryllium her past connected nan World Cup circuit, mounting nan shape for a farewell run that now includes 1 of nan strongest results of her career. With 3 shape wins this play and aggregate podium finishes, she enters nan Olympic play successful highest form.
On nan men’s side, Norway’s Johannes Høsflot Klæbo won nan Tour de Ski for a grounds 5th time. Klæbo vanished 12th successful nan last shape but comfortably defended his wide lead, finishing up of compatriots Mattis Stenshagen and Harald Østberg Amundsen successful an all-Norwegian podium.
