Tour de Ski: Morilov and Björgen are Toblach's sprint kings

The women's duel that characterizes this year's Tour de Ski continued on Wednesday in the sprint races. The Norwegian Marit Björgen was unbeatable by her competitors on the 1,3 kilometer loop. The 31-year-old had already set the best time in the qualification, then easily survived the quarter and semi-finals and relegated the American Kikkan Randall and Justyna Kowalczyk from Poland - Björgen's rival for the overall victory - to the places in the final.

Björgen, who had already won the individual race on Tuesday, drew level with Kowalczyk in terms of stage victories in the 2011/12 Tour de Ski. The two best cross-country skiers in the world have each won three stages. Denise Herrmann (Germany), Vesna Fabjan (Slovenia) and Marthe Kristoffersen (Norway) also took part in the final.

The only Italian to make it through qualification was Elisa Brocard. She was eliminated in the quarter-finals and ended up in 22nd place. Debora Agreiter from Gadertal failed to qualify in 49th place.

David Hofer narrowly missed the podium In the men's category, overall leader Dario Cologna from Switzerland and Norwegian Petter Northug also reached the final. Here, however, Nikolay Morilov was the laughing third, as the Russian left Northug and Cologna behind him. Morilov took the lead on the long straight opposite the Nordic Arena and confidently maintained his lead until the finish.

David Hofer from Val Gardena also had a great result at the end of the second day of competition. The 28-year-old finished fourth after winning both races in the quarter-finals and semi-finals, leaving Petter Northug behind him. Dietmar Nöckler was the second South Tyrolean to reach the knockout phase, then survived the quarter-finals and only had to give up in the semi-finals. In the end, the man from Bruneck achieved an excellent 10th place – his best result ever in the World Cup. Justyna Kowalczyk remains at the top of the women's overall ranking. The Pole's lead over Marit Björgen has melted to 4,8 seconds. Therese Johaug remains third, whose gap to her teammate Björgen has grown to 2.26,9:13,5 minutes. For the men, Dario Cologna continues to wear the “red jersey” of the overall leader. After two thirds of the most important stage race in cross-country skiing, his lead over Petter Northug is 1.28,2 seconds. The Russian Alexander Legkov remains third (+XNUMX minutes).

The Tour de Ski in Dobbiaco ends on Thursday with the third and final stage in Alta Pusteria before the entourage moves to Fiemme Valley after a day of rest. The men's program includes the classic Cortina-Toblach over 35 kilometers (distance race with a handicap start), while the women run three loops of five kilometers each around the Nordic Arena (also with a handicap start). The men's race begins at 13 p.m., while the women's race is scheduled to start at 15.30:XNUMX p.m.

Results Tour de Ski Toblach (January 4, 2012)

Sprint 1,3 km women 1. Marit Bjorgen (NOR) 2. Kikkan Randall (USA) 3. Justyna Kowalczyk (POL) 4. Denise Herremann (GER) 5. Vesna Fabjan (SLO) 6. Marthe Kristoffersen (NOR)

7. Ingvild Flugstad Oestberg (NOR) 8. Hanna Kolb (GER) 9. Aurore Jean (FRA) 10. Eva Nyltova (CZE) 11. Charlotte Kalla (SWE) 12. Heidi Wenig (NOR)

22. Elisa Brocard (ITA) 38. Ilaria Debertolis (ITA) 40. Virgina De Martin Topranin (ITA) 49. Debora Agreiter (ITA)

Overall ranking Tour de Ski after six of the nine stages 1. Justyna Kowalczyk (POL) 1:13.38,1 2. Marit Bjoergen (NOR) +4,8 3. Therese Johauh (NOR) +2.26,9 4. Kikkan Randall (USA) +3.44,2 5. Charlotte Kalla (SWE) +4.12,1 6. Krista Latheenmaki (FIN) +4.13,8 7. Aino-Kaisa Saarinen (FIN) +4.40,5 8. Ingvild Flugstad Oestberg (NOR) +4.42,2 9. Marthe Kristoffersen (NOR) +4.50,1 10.Karin Zeller (GER) +5.10,7

25. Virginia De Martin Topranin (ITA) +6.49,2 35. Elisa Brocard (ITA) +7.35,9 45. Debora Agreiter (ITA) +9.58,0 56. Ilaria Debertolis (ITA) +11.38,2

Sprint 1,3 km men 1. Nikolay Morilov (RUS) 2. Petter Jr. Northug (NOR) 3. Dario Cologna (SUI) 4. David Hofer (ITA) 5. Alexey Pethukhov (RUS) 6. Alex Harvey (CAN)

7. Josef Wenzel (GER) 8. Emil Joensson (SWE) 9. Teodor Peterson (SWE) 10. Dietmar Nöckler (ITA) 11. Ilia Chernousov (RUS) 12. Nikolay Chetko (KAZ)

14. Fabio Pasini (ITA) 18. Giorgio Di Centa (ITA) 28. Federico Pellegrino (ITA) 32. Fulvio Scola (ITA) 38. Roland Clara (ITA) 51. Thomas Moriggl (ITA) 77. Valerio Checchi (ITA)

Overall ranking Tour de Ski after six of the nine stages 1. Dario Cologna (SVI) 1:53.15,4 2. Petter Northug (NOR) +14,5 3. Alexander Legkov (RUS) +1.28,2 4. Devon Kershaw (CAN) +2.06,6 5. Maxim Vylegzhanin (RUS) +2.15,8 6. Maurice Magnficat (FRA) +2.35,3 7. Lukas Bauer (CZE) +2.38,6 8. Marcus Hellner (SWE) +12.45,0 9. Alex Harvey (CAN) +2.46,2 10. Eldar Roenning (NOR) +2.46,6

17. Giorgio Di Centa (ITA) +3.30,4 21. Fabio Pasini (ITA) +4.03,4. 26. Valerio Checchi (ITA) +4.56,0 27. Thomas Moriggl (ITA) +34.58,7 32. Roland Clara (ITA) +5.23,3 40. David Hofer (ITA) +6.19,6 53. Dietmar Nöckler (ITA) +8.10,1 57. Fulvio Scola (ITA) +9.01,9 75. Federico Pellegrino (ITA) +13.16,6

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Tour de Ski: Morilov and Björgen are Toblach's sprint kings

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