Strong Classic Stage for Bjornsen

VAL di FIEMME, Italy (January 9, 2016) – Sadie Bjornsen (Winthrop, WA) led the U.S. team to a top 10 finish in stage seven of the Tour de Ski Saturday. Bjornsen finished ninth in the women’s 10k classic mass start and moved up to 12th in the overall Tour standings with one stage remaining.

“I struggled with classic in the middle of this tour, with a fall in the classic qualifier and then slow and slick skis in the classic mass start in Obersdorf ... so it feels nice to be back where I feel like I belong,” Bjornsen said.

Sadie Bjornsen (Winthrop, WA) competes during the FIS Nordic World Cup and women's Cross Country Tour de Ski on Saturday in Val di Fiemme, Italy. (Getty/Agence Zoom-Stanko Gruden)

Bjornsen started 13th and was able to move up early in the race and pushed hard through the first seven kilometers despite tricky conditions. She dabbled between sixth and 10th position, but had to back off to recover with two kilometers to the finish. Jessie Diggins (Afton, MN) finished 17th and remains 10th in the overall Tour standings with one stage remaining.

“Today was a very tricky waxing day for the entire field,” coach Matt Whitcomb said. “Every team had visible icing issues, including Norway, so we watched athletes stumble over the tops of each hill as they attempted to clear the snow from their klister. It was very challenging skiing for a field of tired athletes.”

Norway swept the podium in the women’s 10k, but there was a new face on the top of the podium. Heidi Weng won her first individual World Cup race, after being on the podium 37 times. The leaders of the 10k had dominantly been Norway’s Therese Johaug, Ingvild Oestberg and even Finland’s Krista Parmakoski, but in the final stretch of the race it was Weng who prevailed.

In the men’s 15k classic, Norway’s Martin Sundby was back on top step of the podium after his disappointing 23rd place in the 15k mass start in Oberstdorf, Germany this past week. Sundby led the majority of the race and several men challenged each other for the second place position throughout the race. At 13.3k Norway’s Niklas Dyrhaug lengthened the gap to secure second over Kazikstan’s Alexey Poltoranin.

Noah Hoffman (Aspen, CO) led the U.S. men’s team finishing 23rd, and is 27th in the overall Tour de Ski Standings after seven stages.

Up next, the eighth and final stage of the Tour de Ski Sunday with the 9k freestyle pursuit, which is the infamous climb up Alpe Cermis in Val di Fiemme.

HIGHLIGHTS

• With bonus seconds collected on the course and finishing second, Oestberg stretched her Tour lead over her countrywomen Therese Johaug to 38.7 seconds heading into the final stage.
• Sundby increased his lead in the overall standings to 2:51 minutes over Norway's Petter Northug.
• Jessie Diggins leads the U.S. team in the overall Tour standings in 10th, Sadie Bjornsen is 12th, Liz Stephen (East Montpelier, VT) is 25th, Rosie Brennan (Park City, UT) is 31st and Caitlin Gregg (Minneapolis, MN) is 38th.
• Noah Hoffman is 27th in the overall Tour de Ski Standings and Erik Bjornsen (Winthrop, WA) is 44th.
• In the first six stages of the Tour de Ski for the women, Norway has won four stages and USA has won two.
• In the first six stages of the Tour de Ski for the men, Norway has won four of the six stages held in this Tour de Ski.
• The eighth and final stage of the Tour happens Sunday, with the infamous climb up Alpe Cermis where Stephen and Diggins will be among the favorites.

BROADCAST SCHEDULE (times EST)

Saturday, January 9
7:00 p.m. - 15k/10k classic, Val di Fiemme - Universal HD

Sunday, January 10
8:00 a.m. - Women's 9k hill climb, Val di Fiemme - NBC Live Extra - LIVE STREAM
9:40 a.m. - Men's 9k hill climb - NBC Live Extra - LIVE STREAM
7:00 p.m. - Hill climb finale, Val di Fiemme - Universal HD

QUOTES

Sadie Bjornsen
It was a really fun race out there today. I struggled with classic in the middle of this tour with a fall in the classic qualifier, and then slow and slick skis in the classic mass start in Obersdorf... so it feels nice to be back where I feel like I belong.

I felt amazing for 7k out there today, at which point I just pushed a little too hard on the uphill, and took the next 2k to recover. It was fun to be skiing with the best for a while though. Conditions were incredibly tricky out there with icing skis on the uphill, but we all managed. Sometimes you just have to accept the challenge and find a way to make it work.

Matt Whitcomb
Today was a very tricky waxing day for the entire field. Every team had visible icing issues, including Norway, so we watched athletes stumble over the tops of each hill as they attempted to clear the snow from their klister.

It wasn’t a disaster, but it was very challenging skiing for a field of tired athletes. Sadie lead the charge for our women today with a very strong race. She said at one point on the last lap she got a little too fired up and redlined the engine, having to back down a bit before regrouping for the push to the finish. To be fired up in any way after seven stages of racing is a great sign.  

By the men’s race the conditions became wet and more uniform so it was less of a waxing race. Our techs put some great skis on the snow, and Noah was happy with his performance. He says his energy is feeling quite good, so watch for him on tomorrow’s climb.Up next, Sunday’s final stage features a 9k uphill freestyle pursuit.

RESULTS
Women’s 10k Classic
Men’s 15k Classic

Tour de Ski Standings (Through stage seven)
Men’s overall
Women’s overall
Men team standings
Women’s team standings