Jessie Diggins (Afton, Minn.) skied to her first podium of the season, finishing third in the freestyle sprint in stage 1 of the FIS Cross Country World Cup Tour de Ski in Toblach, Italy, Saturday. Sadie Bjornsen (Winthrop, Wa.) finished sixth, and Sophie Caldwell (Stratton Mountain, Vt.) was ninth.

“While a podium is always awesome and exciting, I was really happy with my race today because I was racing with joy and having fun again,” Diggins said. “I had a really good Christmas break and taking a step back from World Cup racing and getting relaxed and happy, remembering to ignore all the external pressure, was key for me.”

The U.S, qualified all three women who started the Tour, with Bjornsen winning the qualifiers, Diggins qualifying sixth and Caldwell 13th. All three women were matched up in the semifinal heat one with Diggins and Bjornsen advancing to the finals. In the finals, Diggins sat fourth coming into the final corner and made her move up the inside but got nipped at the line in a photo finish with Ida Ingemarsdotter of Sweden, who finished second. Sweden’s Stina Nilsson skied away from the field in the final kilometer to win by three seconds.

In the men’s race, Simi Hamilton (Aspen, Colo.) qualified eighth, and Kevin Bolger (Burlington, Vt.) qualified 13th, but neither advanced from the quarterfinals. Norway’s Sindre Bjoernestad Skar took the victory as countryman Emil Iversen was second. Richard Jouve of France rounded out the podium in third.  

The Tour de Ski continues Sunday with the women’s 10k individual start and the men’s 15k individual start.

RESULTS
Women’s Sprint Finals
Men’s Sprint Finals

TOUR DE SKI STANDINGS
Men's overall through stage 1
Women's overall through stage 1

HOW TO WATCH
All times EST.
*Same-day delayed broadcast

Sunday, Dec. 30
6:30 a.m. - Tour de Ski stage 2 women’s 10k interval - Toblach, ITA - Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold
8:30 a.m. - Tour de Ski stage 2 men’s 15k interval - Toblach, ITA - Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold\

Tuesday, Jan. 1
6:00 a.m. - Tour de Ski stage 3 men and women’s sprint - Val Muestair, SUI - Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold

Wednesday, Jan. 2
6:00 a.m. - Tour de Ski stage 4 women’s 10k mass start - Oberstdorf, GER- Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold
8:00 a.m. - Tour de Ski stage 4 men’s 15k mass start - Oberstdorf, GER- Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold

Thursday, Jan. 3
7:00 a.m. - Tour de Ski stage 5 men’s 15k pursuit - Oberstdorf, GER- Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold
9:00 a.m. - Tour de Ski stage 5 women’s 10k pursuit - Oberstdorf, GER- Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold

Saturday, Jan. 5
8:00 a.m. - Tour de Ski Stage Stage 6 women’s 10k mass start - Val di Fiemme, ITA - Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold
9:10 a.m. - Tour de Ski Stage Stage 6 men’s 15k mass start - Val di Fiemme, ITA - OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold
2:00 p.m. - Tour de Ski Stage Stage 6 men’s 15k mass start - Val di Fiemme, ITA - Olympic Channel-TV*

Sunday, Jan. 6.
7:00 a.m. - Tour de Ski Stage Stage 7 women’s hill climb - Val di Fiemme, ITA - Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold
8:45 a.m. - Tour de Ski Stage Stage 7 men’s hill climb - Val di Fiemme, ITA - OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold
2:00 p.m. - Tour de Ski Stage Stage 7 men’s hill climb - Val di Fiemme, ITA - Olympic Channel-TV