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Cross Country

What a Day in Les Rousses; Diggins Wins, Ogden Third

By Leann Bentley - Stifel U.S. Ski Team
January, 17 2025
Jessie Diggins
Jessie Diggins celebrates her victory in Les Rousses, France. (NordicInsights).

Jessie Diggins and Ben Ogden put on quite the show today in the first of three races in Les Rousses, France with Ogden in third and Diggins taking home her 25th career World Cup victory. 

Les Rousses, France is always a fun stop on the World Cup tour. The French fans come out in droves, the course is challenging and most importantly, the athletes are rested after a week off. 

Today’s 10k skate challenged all. A course with transitional downhills, steep poppy uphills and little rest, it was all gas from start to finish. With the interval start format, it was athlete against the clock. 

The men kicked things off with 57 men on the start list. The U.S. crew was led by Ogden, Kevin Bolger, Hunter Wonders and JC Schoonmaker. 

For Ogden, it was all gas, no brakes - his specialty. Some would say it’s difficult to find the balance of distance and sprint skiing - many athletes are specialists in one, yet Ogden is joining the ranks of skiers who can do both. Just last season, he clinched his first-ever World Cup podium in the skate sprint during the beginning stages of the Tour de Ski. Plagued by illness that took him out of the rest of the season, Ogden entered this season with high expectations and a “master plan” he looked to follow. After the Tour, Ogden graded the first half of his season. 

“It was a B+,” said Ogden. “I am happy with many performances but still was hoping to be a little stronger in certain ones.” 

Today, he was stronger. 

In the first splits of the race, Ogden was the one to beat — some would say he had near-perfect pacing. 

“I am really psyched with today, that was incredible. Really fired up to get on the podium and really excited to round out the sprint and distance third places - now I just need to get some classic results in there!”

Alongside Ogden was Bolger, who returned to the World Cup with a 28th place result, a solid distance result for the veteran. Schoonmaker was just outside of the top 30 in 31st and Wonders was 48th. The ultimate winner of the day went to Iver Tildheim Andersen of Norway and Paal Goldberg in second. 

For the women, the sentiment was the same. Diggins was the fastest out of the gate, pushing a pace no one could catch. Through the time check at the middle section of the race, her pace held steady over Norway's Astrid Slind and continued to increase over Sweden's Frida Karlsson and Germany's Victoria Carl.

Sophia Laukli had her own race and put up splits that challenged Diggins and the rest of the World Cup field. Laukli, a specialist in distance skate races, especially those with climbs, was on fire. Across the line, Laukli spent some time in the leader's chair before other races came in and ultimately finished the day in eighth place, a solid result. The rest of the U.S. women had strong races, including Luci Anderson of the U.S. Biathlon Team, who started her first-ever FIS Cross Country World Cup, crossing the line in 21st, with Brennan not far behind in 28th. Sonnesyn was 34th. 

“I'm just so happy,” said Diggins, post race. “I was super inspired by Ben this morning and the rest of the boys, and it got me really fired up to race today. Overall, it was a really good day and I just raced with my whole heart!” 

"Today was definitely a bit of a confidence boost I needed," said Laukli. "I actually felt more like myself racing so that’s all I can ask. Results wise I’m happy but I know I can still be moving up so it was definitely motivating to be back in the mix and close to the podium."

With today’s victory, Diggins continues her lead in the overall World Cup rankings and clinches her 25th World Cup victory of her career and fourth victory of the 2024-25 season. 

Saturday, the team is back at it for the classic sprint. Watch LIVE on skiandsnowboard.live, with heats starting at 8:45 a.m. ET. 

RESULTS
Women
Men

Recap: Cross Country National Championships Wrap in Anchorage 

By Leann Bentley - Stifel U.S. Ski Team
January, 8 2025
team
(left to right) Michael Earnhart, Luke Jager, and Murphy Kimball, all on the Stifel U.S. Ski Team, celebrate the podium sweep at the U.S. National Championships.

The 2025 U.S. National Championships have officially wrapped in Anchorage, Alaska, with new National Championships crowned and top results by athletes worldwide throughout the four races, including distance and sprint race formats. 

Kinkaid Park in Anchorage played host to hundreds of skiers–and even more volunteers–for the past week for the 2025 U.S. National Championships, which brought together junior and senior-level athletes from around the world, collegiate programs and the Stifel U.S. Ski Team. The race format was as follows: 10k skate interval start, 1.3k classic sprint, 20k classic mass and a 1.3k skate sprint. 

Kinkaid Park has long been a staple of the cross country ski community in Anchorage and despite the rain, cold temperatures and a mixture of manmade and natural snow, it held together nicely for the four races. On the first day, Jan . 4, athletes took to the track for the 10k skate. 

Day One: 10k Skate (National Championship)

In the interval format, 183 men took to the start line for the reportedly “very cold” race. John Steel Hagenbuch of the Stifel U.S. Ski Team B team and a Dartmouth College student-athlete took the win in a fast 10k time, notching a National Championship title to his decorated resume. After coming off racing in the first period of the World Cup, Hagenbuch took the win ahead of Norway’s Andreas Kirkeng by .8 seconds and 14.6 seconds ahead of University of Utah’s Walker Hall. Stifel U.S. Ski Team and Anchorage-local Luke Jager was just off the podium in fourth. For the domestic podium (only U.S. athletes), Hagenbuch was first, Hall second and Jager third. Results can be found here

For the women, 151 athletes took to the interval start gate. It was a fight between Stifel U.S. Ski Team and the University of Alaska Fairbanks dual athlete Kendall Kramer, Montana State’s Kate Oldham and University of Utah’s Erica Laven. Kramer ultimately took second place in the final result. Oldham led the domestic podium, Kramer in second and U.S. Biathlon athlete Luci Anderson in third. Results here

Day Two: Classic Sprint (National Championship)

Sprinting was on the program for the second day of racing at Kincaid. In the qualification round, Jager put down the fastest time, with Bridger Ski Foundation’s Erin Bianco winning the round for the women. With the top 30 from both men and women qualifying for the sprint heats, it was anyone’s game to take home the National Championship title. It was cold and windy going into the heats, but three more races would determine the day's winner. For the men, Jager was leading the way with his qualification win. Through the heats, Norway’s Kirkeng, who was second in the 10k skate two days prior, moved up a place and took home the overall win. Jager was second, holding off his teammate Michael Earnhart, who was third. Yet, looking at the domestic podium, it wasn’t only a Stifel U.S. Ski Team sweep but all athletes from Anchorage growing up skiing and racing on these tracks their entire lives were on the podium together, with Jager in first, Earnhart second and Murphy third. Results here

For the women, Bianco was the athlete to beat and Sammy Smith was the one to do it for the domestic podium. After a successful first season of D1 soccer at Stanford, Smith returned to ski racing with minimal skiing under her belt this season. Despite the late start to the season, Smith was the first American across the sprint finish, becoming the U.S. National Champion for the classic sprint. Following her was Bozeman’s Bianco, who is coming off some World Cup racing and rounded out by Dartmouth’s Nina Seemann in third. For the overall podium, Sweden’s Erica Laven was first and Estonia’s Mariel Merlii was second. Results here

Day Three: 20k Classic (National Championship)

Back to distance racing for the third day of events. It was a mass start day, with all athletes immediately off the line in one pack. In the men’s race, the field never really broke up - skiers raced in a pack most of the race through the four laps of the 5k course. In the final lap, it was anyone’s race, but Norway’s Kirkeng put the hammer down and crossed the finish line first, taking home another win. Seconds later, Stifel U.S. Ski Team’s Hagenbuch was in second place and Jager third. The domestic podium was in Hagenbuch’s favor, with the Dartmouth senior taking home his second victory of the National Championships, with Jager in second and Will Koch in third. Results here

In the women’s race, it was Fairbanks local Kramer who made a statement on the course, taking home her first National Championship title in front of family, friends, teammates, and more. It was her against Laven, pushing a pace that was too fast for the rest of the field. Skiing together for most of the race was a fight from start to finish. Neck-to-neck into the final stretch, Kramer took it into another gear, crossing the line in first place and clinching her first-ever National Championship title. Laven was second and Lauren Jortberg of Quebec Ski Club was third. Domestic results were led by Kramer, with Jortberg in second and Oldham in third. Results here

Final Day: Skate Sprint (SuperTour)

It’s been a long week of racing in Anchorage, and the classic sprint has wrapped up all the action. The day started with a stellar skate sprint qualifier by an Anchorage skier and first-year Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete Murphy Kimball and Laven winning the women's qualifier. Into the heats, the course was quickly deteriorating because of the rain. Still, the athletes put their best ski forward and continued, with the course surprisingly staying intact despite the unfavorable weather. Into the final, Alaska’s Earnhart, a Stifel U.S. Ski Team B Team athlete, took home the SuperTour win, with Walker Hall of the University of Utah Ski Team in second and Carl Rune of Sweden in third. Earnhart, Hall topped the domestic podium in second and Reid Goble of the Bridger Ski Foundation in third. Results here. For the women, Team Birkie’s Mariel Merlii led the way first, with Laven second and Kate Oldham third. The domestic podium was led by Oldham, Anderson in second, and Stifel U.S. Ski Team’s Smith in third. Results here
 

Diggins Claims Third Overall in Tour de Ski

By Leann Bentley - Stifel U.S. Ski Team
January, 5 2025
jessie diggins tour de ski
Jessie Diggins takes third overall in the Tour de Ski. (Nordic Focus)

On the final stage of the 2023-24 Tour de Ski, Jessie Diggins took sixth place in the Final Climb to secure third overall in the Tour de Ski.

After six grueling stages featuring new Olympic-style courses prepped for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games next season, the remaining six athletes from the Stifel U.S. Ski Team lined up for the mass start of the climb. The course, new to the Tour, led athletes through a lap of the Val di Fiemme course, then down the winding Marcialonga tourist track to the base of the alpine hill. The race concluded with a brutal 4k ascent up the alpine course of Alpe Cermis, featuring a steady gradient of 12%, with the steepest section averaging 28% – the same gradient as the Champions course that moguls athletes race on at the Intermountain Health Freestyle International presented by Stifel at Deer Valley.  

Diggins entered the final stage in the women's race ranked third in the overall standings and had to fight for every second to secure the overall podium position. Despite a strong push from Norway’s Therese Johaug, Diggins held on to finish sixth on the day, clinching the overall Tour de Ski podium in the process. 

“Oh man, I don’t think you’ve ever seen a happier third place than what you’re seeing now,” said Diggins. “It’s so awesome to finish this tour and an overall podium kind of happened against all odds! It was a really epic tour, in ways that I didn’t ask for. I learned to be tough in new ways and it was a huge thanks to the amazing team around me. I am definitely excited for some rest now but it was so great to fight out there today! I am so lucky that our alpine girls were out there cheering today, and also my husband! I and the team had so much support, it was awesome.”

Norwegian teammates Astrid Oeyre Slind and Heidi Weng finished second and third for the day, with Johaug first and Slind second overall in the Tour de Ski standings. It is Johaug’s fourth Tour de Ski win, equaling the record—a particularly impressive feat for the skier who took off the last two seasons from professional ski racing.

Sophia Laukli was 15th in the Final Climb with Julia Kern 19th. Last year, Laukli became the youngest American to win an individual cross country World Cup, when she won the Final Climb. Julia Kern was 19th.

Kern was the next American after Diggins in the overall, finishing in 17th, while Laukli was 21st.  

Ben Ogden, Zanden McMullen and Jack Young represented the remaining Stifel U.S. Ski Team Tour de Ski male athletes. Up the Alpe Cermis, Ogden and McMullen fought through the pain, skiing around the alpine gates to land in the top 20: McMullen in 19th and Ogden 20th. Young, whose finish marked his first-ever Tour de Ski – his 2024-25 season goal – crossed the finish line in 53rd. 

Going into the day, Ogden was ranked 15th in the Tour de Ski overall ranking and maintained his position. This was his second best finish in the Tour de Ski, finishing 13th overall two years ago. Ogden also secured seventh in the sprint standings. McMullen was 21st overall and Young 55th. 

The day's winner went to Norway’s Simen Hegstad Krueger, followed by Mika Vermeulen of Austria in second and Friedrich Moch of Germany in third.

With a remarkable 1:23.1 second lead and four victories out of seven stages, Norway’s Johannes Klaebo secured a record-equaling fourth Tour win. Vermeulen of Austria was second and Hugo Lapalus of France was third.

Cheering on the Stifel U.S. Ski Team racers were their alpine teammates Lindsey Vonn and Alison Molin. “This is a ski slope that is meant to go downhill!” said Vonn. “It’s counterintuitive to go up! But this is incredible.” 

The Stifel U.S. Ski Team women and men both finished fourth overall in the nation standings of the Tour de Ski. 

The cross country athletes will head to their respective recovery camp locations before the World Cup season continues in Les Rousses, France Jan. 17-19.

RESULTS
Women
Men

OVERALL RESULTS
Women
Men

CLIMBER
Women
Men

SPRINT
Women
Men

NATION
Women
Men

Diggins, Kern Top 10 in Sixth Stage of Tour de Ski

By Leann Bentley - Stifel U.S. Ski Team
January, 4 2025
julia kern
Julia Kern at the sixth stage of the Tour de Ski. (NordicFocus)

The Tour de Ski continued in Val di Fiemme, Italy with the sixth stage of the grueling series—the 20k skiathlon, which saw Jessie Diggins in fifth and Julia Kern in a career-best distance result in seventh.

Today's race marked the second race in Val di Fiemme, a venue preparing to host the world’s best athletes at the upcoming 2026 Olympic Winter Games next year. It also delivered standout performances from the remaining six athletes on the Stifel U.S. Ski Team's Tour de Ski roster. The new course tested the field with 10k of classic skiing followed by 10k of skate skiing, with a ski change at the halfway point of the six-lap course. This format demands physical endurance and tactical precision, as it features some highly challenging descents met with steep climbs. 

The men’s race started the day with Zanden McMullen powering to a strong 17th place result and Ben Ogden following closely in 21st. At this point in the Tour, athletes are mentally and physically fatigued from racing six times in eight days. Only 61 athletes remained on the start list in the day's first race, but McMullen, Ogden and Jack Young put the hammer down. Throughout the six laps, McMullen and Ogden were in and out of the lead and chase pack, fighting for position in the ripping descents, hairpin turns and steep climbs.

Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo continued his streak, winning the race and leading in the overall Tour de Ski rankings, with Italian Federico Pellegrino in second and Jan Thomas Jenssen of Norway in third. 

For the women, a field reduced to just 36 competitors due to illness made for an even tighter race. Diggins and Kern were in the mix, fighting for top positions from the start. After the ski change, Norway’s Therese Johaug established a gap, but Diggins and Kern kept pushing, sometimes skiing solo or within a pack, to secure top results. Kern, mere seconds behind, delivered a breakout performance and put her name on the map for World Cup distance races. After a less-than-desirable result and race for Kern the day prior, the 20K result showed how never giving up works out.

"I've had a lot of bad luck so far this season and just not all the pieces coming together on the right day all of the time," said Kern. "I knew there was a lot more potential today and I hadn't really shown my best yet in distance racing, or sprints, so I really believe that there's a lot more to give into show. And today, I had incredible skis that helped me do that and my body was responding well to my surprise! I just bounced back today, and I kept believing that there's so much more potential. I'm really excited for what's to come!"

"I was just looking forward to changing to skate," said Diggins, laughing. Diggins is currently dealing with a foot injury that makes classic skiing painful, yet she can still race. "And skating just gives me the normal amount of hurting - and I know how to handle that. So I just put my head down and fought for every second and was just trying to ski my own race. I am really proud! And really proud of our team." 

Sophia Laukli, despite falling and breaking a pole on the first lap, continued the fight, and in the five laps that followed her fall, Laukli continued to pick off athlete-by-athlete, charging the uphills as the strong climber she is to finish 20th.

The women's race resulted in Johaug taking home the win, Teresa Stadlober of Austria in second and Astrid Oeyre Slind of Norway in third. 

Tomorrow, all eyes are on the iconic Final Climb—a brutal 8-kilometer uphill battle up the Alpe Cermis alpine hill. Last year, Laukli etched her name into the history books with a commanding victory on the climb, becoming the youngest American to win a World Cup race. With Laukli’s history on this course, all eyes will be on her as she looks to repeat that feat. Diggins has moved into third place in the Tour de Ski standings, including third in the sprint standings, positioning herself as a serious contender heading into the finale, with Ben Ogden leading the men in 13th overall. 

RESULTS
Women 
Men

OVERALL TOUR DE SKI RESULTS
Women
Men

Ending the Year on a Good Note: Diggins, Kern, Laukli, Ogden Top 15 in Stage Three

By Leann Bentley - Stifel U.S. Ski Team
December, 31 2024
team
Jessie Diggins, Alayna Sonnesyn and Julia Kern hug at the finish line in Toblach. (NordicInsights)

The third stage of the Tour de Ski in Toblach, Italy, delivered an exciting day for the Stifel U.S. Ski Team. On the challenging 20k skate course, Ben Ogden achieved a career-best ninth-place finish in distance racing, securing third overall in the Tour standings and Jessie Diggins, Sophia Laukli and Julia Kern all finished within the top 15. 

The men started off the day's races, with the 20k skate featuring a brand new course ahead of them. The course, starting in Toblach Stadium and stretching out toward the Tre Cime mountain range in the Dolomites, challenged the athletes with its lack of rest points - it was all out from the start. Strong gliders and powerful skiers thrived on this “working” course, which demanded consistent effort.

For the men, Ogden, Gus Schumacher, JC Schoonmaker, Jack Young and Zanden McMullen were representing the U.S. At the same time, the women were led by the overall leader, Diggins, then Laukli, Kern, Rosie Brennan and Alayna Sonnesyn. 

Often used as a "tourist track," this course is narrow and unrelenting. Appearing flat, it was anything but that - racers had to put the hammer down from start to finish. It was the sunniest part of the day for the men when the start gun went off. With 91 skiers on the roster and a new course in front of them, it was truly anyone's game. Through the checkpoints, Schumacher and Ogden were showing impressive splits. At the top of the climb, racers did a horseshoe to turn around and come back down, with the Tre Cime towering overhead in the distance. There, Ogden was sitting just outside the top 10, in 11th, with just the downhill. At 15.6k, the final checkpoint, Ogden was solidly in the top 10 and into the finish, he put down the hammer to cross the line in ninth - this was the best skate distance result of his World Cup career. 


"Today will absolutely go down as my best distance race ever!" said Ogden. "Really pumped with that and with the progress I've made lately."

With the men's race wrapped, Ogden was ninth, Schumacher 34th, McMullen 52nd, Schoonmaker 53rd and Young 71st. Norwegians Harald Amundsen was first, Simen Krueger second and Great Britain's Andrew Musgrave in third.  

For the women, all eyes were on Diggins, as this race not only played to her strengths but she's coming off two back-to-back wins the days previous. 

Wearing the yellow bib marking her as the overall Tour de Ski leader, Diggins started right behind teammate Kern. In their favor, this course was made easier if you had someone to work with - whether drafting, taking turns leading, or just fighting the up and downhill together. That is just what Kern and Diggins did. For Laukli, the sentiment was the same. However, she was working alongside Germany's Victoria Karl, who ended the day just off the podium tied for fourth. With the teamwork, Laukli finished the day 10th, a big step forward in her Tour de Ski results, giving her more confidence going into the final stages. Kern and Diggins skied the entire course together and crossed the line together, with Diggins in sixth and Kern in 13th. Brennan was 37th and Sonnesyn 51st, respectively. Norwegians Astrid Oeyre Slind led the podium in first, Therese Johaug in second and Kerttu Niskanen of Finland in fourth. 

"It was so hard - but it was also so cool," said Diggins. "The best part was that I got to ski with my teammate Julia, whom I trained with all summer. We had a plan that if we caught together, we would work together. On the downhill, we had amazing communication and collaboration. Without her, it would have been a really tough time for me - because you either got lucky to ski with someone or didn't. That's ski racing!"

"This is the type of race that you go through a lot of emotions!" Said Laukli. "I was in a dark hole after the past two races and didn't know if I wanted to keep going but I really want to fulfill the Tour and I want to keep going!"

With three stages completed, the Tour heads to stage four tomorrow before moving to Val di Fiemme, Italy, for the final three stages. Diggins remains the overall leader, while Ogden’s strong position in third makes the Stifel U.S. Ski Team one to watch as the Tour continues.

RESULTS 
Men
Women

Diggins Does What She Never Thought Possible: Wins First Ever Classic Race

By Leann Bentley - Stifel U.S. Ski Team
December, 29 2024
jessie diggins
Jessie Diggins celebrates her first career classic victory at the Tour de Ski. (NordicFocus)

Jessie Diggins added another milestone to her career today in Toblach, Italy, winning the second stage of the Tour de Ski in a thrilling and... unexpected finish. In what was her first-ever World Cup victory in classic skiing, Diggins crossed the line victorious on the same course where she secured her first-ever World Cup win 14 years ago, in the Tour de Ski, during the 5k skate. This win came over 340 World Cup starts later, cementing her place as one of the greatest cross country skiers ever, and one that can win in any distance, in either discipline. 

Meanwhile, Gus Schumacher continued his impressive performance at the Tour, crossing the line in seventh place in today’s 15k classic mass start. His consistency throughout the Tour sees him sitting seventh overall in the standings, while Ben Ogden remains fifth in the Tour de Ski standings after another strong showing.

The day dawned sunny in Toblach, with fast classic tracks and eager athletes ready to tackle the 15k mass start. Diggins lined up with 63 other competitors, taking the lead early in a tactical, fast and hilly race. Rosie Brennan, Julia Kern, Sophia Laukli, and Alayna Sonnesyn joined Diggins on the USA start list. 

Diggins led, forming a tight lead group alongside Norwegian stars Therese Johaug and Astrid Øyre Slind and Finnish standout Kerttu Niskanen. Brennan and Kern worked hard in the chase pack alongside the massive pack of skiers on the tight course. 

The stakes grew higher with each lap and Diggins refused to let up. Approaching the final climb, she dug deep, refusing to yield to her competitors. In a post-race interview, she reflected, “I never gave up. I’ve dreamed of a classic victory for so long, and today it finally happened.” Crossing the finish line with a fist pump and tears in her eyes, Diggins collapsed in Diggins fashion but did something in the process that she thought was impossible.

"Honestly, I'm really emotional," said Diggins, post-race, when asked what this meant to her. "We finally did it. I say we, because I'm looking at my coach right now too. This summer I put in so much work on my double poll and classic skiing, and to be able to sprint like that yesterday and finish like that today - that was something that I didn't know if I had in me. I had to work really hard to get here, and I got a lot of help from a lot of people. It's honestly super emotional - it's really cool." 

Diggins took home her second Tour de Ski victory in two races; Brennan was in the top 20 again in 14th, Kern in 31st, Laukli in 46th, and Sonnesyn in 50th. Second place went to Niskanen of Finland, and Slind of Norway. 

With Diggins’ victory setting the tone, the American men approached their 15k race with renewed energy. Ben Ogden, Gus Schumacher, JC Schoonmaker, Zanden McMullen, and Jack Young represented the stars and stripes. The variable conditions on the course—chopped-up snow and icy patches—required strategic precision and smart skiing by the men - nothing they couldn't handle.

Ogden and Schumacher positioned themselves in the lead pack early, with McMullen and Schoonmaker not far behind. Schumacher made a decisive move on the penultimate climb as the race progressed, making a spot for himself in the top five going into the final curve. Despite losing a couple of places in the finishing stretch, Schumacher's move showed he knows what needs to be done going into Tuesday's 20k to maintain that podium position. Reflecting on his race, Schumacher said, “I knew I had to do something big. I pushed hard, got into position, and went for it. I didn’t have the legs to hold it at the end, but I’m proud of how I raced.”

Schumacher’s efforts earned him seventh place, while McMullen impressed with a 17th-place finish. Ogden ended the day in 26th, maintaining his strong overall Tour position in fifth. Johannes Høsflot Klæbo dominated once again, claiming his second consecutive Tour stage victory, followed by Erik Valnes and Håvard Moseby in second and third.

With Diggins’ historic win and the men's continued rise in the ranks, the Stifel U.S. Ski Team is making a statement in this year’s Tour de Ski. As the Tour progresses, the momentum is undeniable and the athletes are determined to deliver standout performances. Tomorrow is a rest day and then the team is back at it on Tuesday. 

RESULTS
MEN
WOMEN

OVERALL TOUR DE SKI STANDINGS
MEN
WOMEN

Diggins Wins First Stage of Tour de Ski; Eight in Top 30

By Leann Bentley - Stifel U.S. Ski Team
December, 28 2024
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The Stifel U.S. Ski Team celebrates Jessie Diggins's podium in Tolbach, ITA. (NordicFocus)

The 2024-25 Tour de Ski began today in Toblach, Italy, with a strong showing from the Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team. Wearing the yellow bib as the current leader in the overall World Cup standings, Jessie Diggins led the Americans into the highly anticipated opening sprint stage with a win in the skate sprint. Eight U.S. athletes advanced to the sprint heats—four men and four women—highlighting the depth of the team and landing 80% of the team in the top 30 at the end of the day. 

For the men, Ben Ogden, JC Schoonmaker, Gus Schumacher and Jack Young qualified for the sprint heats. Young, in particular, made an impressive debut in his first Tour de Ski appearance. On the women's side, Diggins, Rosie Brennan and Alayna Sonnesyn joined Diggins in advancing to the heats, setting the stage for an exciting day of sprinting.

Diggins, Schumacher and Ogden stood out as the races progressed by advancing through to the semifinals. Schumacher and Ogden won their respective quarterfinal heats, setting the tone. Toblach holds a special place for Ogden, as last winter, he skied to his first career podium in the same race. Despite battling nerves and breaking a pole in the final, Ogden finished an impressive sixth on the day and is hungry for more. 

"Most proud of my confidence today," said Ogden, post race. "I was more nervous today than I've been in awhile - because I have some memories here. But I handled it well, I skied really smart. Unfortunate way to end it with all that work but what can you do? That's part of the deal." 

Meanwhile, Diggins strongly returned to the top of the podium in the skate sprint, securing her first win in this format since 2021. Her victory marked a strong start to the 2024-25 Tour de Ski, earning her the overall and sprint leader bib. "Can I wear two bibs?" she said, laughing after the race. 

"I'm excited to build through it like I’ve been able to in the past!" said Schumacher. "It’s been a while since I strung together a good full tour and I’m hoping that this is my year to get better every day."

The podium for the men was led by Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo of Norway, Lucas Chavanat of France, and Janik Riebli of Switzerland. Diggins was on top for the women, led by Jasmi Joensuu of Finland–first career podium– and Nadine Feindrich of Switzerland. For the U.S., Kern was the second American, in 14th, Sonnesyn in 19th, a career-best result, and Brennan in 29th. Sophia Laukli was 63rd. For the men, Ogden was sixth, Schumacher was 10th, Schoonmaker was 14th, Young 17th, and McMullen 36th, respectively.

"This was a huge surprise!" said Diggins. "It was so fun to be here, we had amazing fans, amazing skis! Toblach is so special, this is where I had my first podium, a long time ago during the Tour de Ski... so, this victory is an amazing surprise!"

The Tour de Ski remains one of the premier events on the FIS World Cup calendar, and this year, it attracted a strong field despite being a World Championships year. The momentum is building and the fun doesn't stop here - six more races are on deck, along with tomorrow's 15k classic mass start. The event starts at 6:30 a.m. ET for the women and 8:45 a.m. ET for the men. Watch live and on-demand on skiandsnowboard.live. 

RESULTS
Men
Women

Race Report: Davos Wraps a Grueling Period One

By Leann Bentley - Stifel U.S. Ski Team
December, 15 2024
jessie diggins
Jessie Diggins before the start of the 20k classic in Davos, Switzerland. (NordicFocus)

The final race of the opening period of the FIS Cross Country World Cup was a true test of endurance, capping off a whirlwind stretch that spanned three countries and three venues. After starting in Ruka, Finland, and continuing through Lillehammer, Norway, the athletes landed in Davos, Switzerland, for one last weekend of racing before a well-earned holiday break. Today, Jessie Diggins and Rosie Brennan put the pieces together to land two top-10 results with a seventh and eighth, respectively, while Gus Schumacher and Zanden McMullen broke the top 30 in 21st and 28th. 

Sunday’s race in Davos was a 20k classic individual start on a newly designed course, widely regarded as one of the most challenging on the circuit. With two consecutive days of racing already in their legs, the athletes faced a grueling final test on a high-altitude course stretching 21k by the end.

The men’s field featured 85 athletes, with six U.S. skiers on the start list: Michael Earnhart, Zak Ketterson, Zanden McMullen, Ben Ogden, Hunter Wonders, and Gus Schumacher.

In the individual start format, it was every man against the clock. Early time checks showed Schumacher and McMullen leading the charge for the Americans, though Norway, France, and Finland set the pace with the fastest splits. By the halfway mark at 11.3k, Schumacher, fresh off an 11th-place finish in the previous day’s skate sprint, was contending for a top-30 result.

The sun shone brightly as the race wore on, and slick tracks tested the skiers’ legs. When the final times came in, Schumacher finished just outside the top 20 in 21st, with McMullen securing 30th. Ogden, who had placed sixth in Saturday’s sprint, was 40th, followed by Ketterson in 42nd, Wonders in 51st, and Earnhart in 59th.

On the podium, Norway’s Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget continued his impressive season with the victory. Finland’s Livo Niskanen claimed second and France’s Hugo Lapalus achieved his first career World Cup podium (outside the Tour de Ski) in third.


The U.S. women’s team consisted of Jessie Diggins, Rosie Brennan, Sydney Palmer-Leger, Alayna Sonnesyn, and Haley Brewster. Diggins and Brennan, who had podiumed in this race last year, once again led the team.

Diggins and Brennan held firm in the top five to ten through the splits, battling a stacked field on a course that pushed everyone to their limits. Athletes struggled with their skis, often opting to step out of the tracks and use herringbone technique on the steepest climbs.

“This weekend was definitely a step in the right direction,” said Brennan. “I’m feeling good about wrapping things up here, taking a breather and refocus and gain speed for the tour.” 

Davos has long been a stronghold for the Americans, particularly Diggins and Brennan. Diggins, a podium regular at this venue, has only finished outside the top 15 twice since 2015, amassing six individual podiums, including a third-place finish in last year’s classic pursuit race. For Brennan, Davos holds special significance: it was here in 2020 that she earned her first World Cup victory in the skate sprint. Since 2018, she has only finished outside the top 15 once and has claimed four individual podiums, including two victories. Sydney Palmer-Leger also had a strong day, finishing in the top 30 for the first time this season in 28th. Brewster was 25th and Sonnesyn 37th. The victor of the day was Norway's Astrid Oeyre Slind, Finland's Kertu Niskanen, and Norway's Therese Johaug in third. 

Looking Ahead
With the Davos races complete, athletes will take a well-deserved holiday break. Some will stay in Europe to experience a European Christmas, while others, including coaching and technician staff members, will return home.

Next up is the iconic Tour de Ski, a season highlight featuring seven races over nine days. This year’s event takes on a revised format, with two stops in Toblach and Val di Fiemme, Italy—host of the 2026 Winter Olympic Games.

Results
Women
Men

Americans Shine Under the Lights in Davos Night Sprint

By Leann Bentley - Stifel U.S. Ski Team
December, 14 2024
ben ogden
Ben Ogden races in the Davos World Cup skate sprint. (NordicFocus).

The excitement of World Cup cross country skiing lit up the Swiss Alps as eight Americans advanced to the sprint heats in a thrilling evening under the lights, with Jessie Diggins and Ben Ogden both skiing to sixth-place results and two career-best performances by Jack Young in 12th and Alayna Sonnesyn in 22nd. Eight Americans clinched a top 30 result. 

On the second day of racing in Davos, Switzerland, eight Americans qualified to the skate sprint heats, including four women and four men. 

For the women, Diggins, Rosie Brennan, Julia Kern and Sonnesyn put their speed on display, all advancing to heats. Brennan, Sonnesyn and Kern were ultimately knocked out of the quarterfinals, but Sonnesyn still nabbed a career-best individual result. For Diggins, she skied a stellar race and finished sixth overall in the day, skiing through to the final heat. With her result today, Diggins retains her lead in the overall World Cup standings. 

"We're powered by sunshine and mountains," said Brennan when asked about what made today so successful. "It was awesome to see the results today and to have some career bests from Alayna and Jack! And, it was a really solid day. I think we are still not quite where we want to be as a team but we're working on gaining some speed and today was a good step in the right direction! The momentum is there."

On the men’s side, Ben Ogden, Gus Schumacher, JC Schoonmaker and Jack Young moved on to the sprint heats. Ogden and Young Schumacher delivered strong performances, advancing to the semifinals, but Schoonmaker did not advance. 

"It's really awesome to have a big crew advance to the heats," said Ogden. "I think we all ski better when our teammates are there as well. We bounce tactic ideas off each other a lot and are able to learn from each other's experiences. Makes ski racing really fun!"
 

Jack Young, a 21-year-old from Colby College, delivered a career-best performance, finishing 12th. In only his fifth World Cup start, Young showcased his potential by qualifying again for the heats and battling to the end alongside his teammates. To wrap up the results, for the men, Schumacher was 11th, Schoonmaker was 16th, and for women, Brennan was 18th and Kern 28th, respectively. 

"This result means so much," Young said. "One of my biggest goals for the year was to make it to a World Cup semi final, and now I have achieved that. More so, this result gives me so much confidence moving forward skiing heats at the highest level. I’m always a little bit scared to take it out hard in sprint heats, but today was a real confidence boost." 

"It was really cool to see so many USA athletes in the heats today," reflected Schmacher. "It's great to see JC back in form and Jack proving to everyone that he's ready to be here and show up. And for Ben - he got us through! As for me, for the second sprint of the season - it's great to be back and nice to know i'm still sprinting well!"

With Diggins leading the overall World Cup standings, two career bests from Young and Sonnesyn and eight athletes advancing to the heats, the U.S. squad continues to make its mark on the international stage and is putting together the momentum each race day. Tomorrow, the team is back at it for the Davos 20k classic. Watch LIVE on skiandsnowboard.live. 


RESULTS
Women
Men