Klæbo's final attack and Pellegrino's fighting spirit

The Tour de Ski also provided great competitions in Val di Fiemme. While Johannes Høsflot Klæbo shone in the men's race with tactical finesse and an explosive final sprint, Therese Johaug demonstrated her undisputed dominance in the women's race.

04 January 2025

From: do

The spectacle of the Tour de Ski knew no bounds on Saturday. Numerous fans cheered on the best cross-country skiers in the world in Val di Fiemme on Saturday and witnessed an impressive demonstration of power by Johannes Høsflot Klæbo. In the 20-kilometer skiathlon, the leader of the overall ranking secured victory ahead of the sensational Federico Pellegrino from Italy and his Norwegian compatriot Jan Thomas Jenssen. Klæbo thus consolidated his leading position in the Tour.

Klæbo did not triumph with an unassailable lead, but rather with tactical finesse and a breathtaking final sprint. On the last climb, the Scandinavian stepped up a gear, overtook his astonished competitors in no time at all and pulled away with a considerable lead. He turned onto the finishing straight with a lead of several meters, took a quick look back and shrugged his shoulders cheekily before leisurely crossing the finish line.

Pellegrino surprises everyone

In addition to Klæbo's impressive performance, second-placed Federico Pellegrino also caused thunderous cheers in Val di Fiemme. The veteran from the Aosta Valley reacted best to Klæbo's attack and kept the competition at bay in the sprint to the finish line, securing an outstanding second place.

The Azzurro lets the corks pop. © Newspower.it

The veteran from Italy commented on his success after the race: "I didn't expect anything today. The goal was actually just not to lose too much time to the leaders. But I felt very relaxed both mentally and physically. It's an unexpected podium place, but I'm very happy about it."

Johaug's demonstration of power

In the women's race, Therese Johaug outshone everyone and confirmed Norway's dominance on the Tour de Ski. After switching to freestyle skis, the Norwegian broke away from her competitors and ran alone towards the finish line. There, the 36-year-old celebrated a brilliant victory in the Val di Fiemme, which also put her in the lead in the Tour rankings.

Behind them, the decision was much closer. Around 30 seconds after Johaug, the Austrian Teresa Stadlober, the Norwegian Astrid Øyre Slind and the Swede Ebba Andersson reached the finish line. All three athletes mobilized their last strength in the final sprint, but the finish photo decided in favor of the Austrian (+30,6), who took a fantastic second place ahead of Slind (+30,7).