Keystone
Astrid Slind and Therese Johaug overtake Jessie Diggins, leader of the general classification of the Tour de Ski. Marina Kälin comes out again in 22nd place, the Swiss disappoint.
After finishing 17th in the New Year’s Eve skating race, Marina Kälin also skied very well in the 15 km classic pursuit in Dobbiaco. The 21-year-old from Engadin lost 3:50 minutes to winner Astrid Slind.
“The end of last year was great,” said last year’s U23 20km mass start world champion in an interview with SRF. “It’s good that it happened like that.” She had to struggle a little on the climbs, but was able to follow the group well on the flat. She now wants to complete her first Tour de Ski. Nadine Fähndrich lost more than five minutes in 28th place and will once again be unable to realize her dream of finishing in the top ten.
Klee without feeling or strength
The Swiss were disappointing. Beda Klee, who finished a brilliant fifth overall last year, is not in great shape after suffering from the coronavirus before Christmas and told SRF he has “no good feeling or strength” and that he “did not run well technically”. With a delay of 2:13 minutes and a 30th place, the native of Toggenburg was nevertheless the best Swiss athlete. Cyril Fähndrich was four places behind him.
Jason Rüesch, who would have been the most promising Swiss-Ski athlete in 21st place, had to withdraw from the race at short notice due to back problems.
In the first competition of the new year, World Cup leader Harald Amundsen was both winner and loser. Starting with 21 seconds ahead of the skating race the day before, the Norwegian had to run alone in front and gained 2.5 seconds on the strong Swede Edvin Anger at the finish.
However, he lost time in the general classification and fell to 3rd place behind Anger. Johannes Klaebo defended his lead as third of the day and after four of the seven stages he is 36 seconds ahead of Anger and 57 seconds ahead of Amundsen.
Slind and Johaug with a preliminary decision
Among the women, Norwegians Astrid Slind and Therese Johaug have probably made a preliminary decision. Overall victory should only come through them. They took more than two minutes from former leader and last year’s winner, Jessie Diggins, and are now almost tied for the lead. The American is already almost a minute behind and, with his experience, he should tackle the final stage on Sunday with the climb of Alpe Cermis in the lead. The sprint for victory of the day was clearly won by Slind on Johaug.
After a rest day on Friday in Val di Fiemme, the race continues with a classic sprint on next year’s Olympic course. After their last places in the first sprint of the tour, hopes once again rest on Janik Riebli and Valerio Grond as well as Nadine Fähndrich and Anja Weber.
