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Press release 9^th January 2021

SWEDEN UNBEATABLE IN THE SPRINT
SVAHN AND SVENSSON GOLD IN VAL DI FIEMME

Spectacular FIS Tour de Ski classic sprint today in Val di Fiemme
Svahn took gold 30 years after Gunde Svan’s win at the World Championships in Lago di Tesero
Sweden unbeatable today with a podium sweep in the women’s sprint and Svensson’s win in the men’s sprint
Russia was beaten, Pellegrino finished fourth. Tomorrow the Final Climb

It was a cold and cloudy day in Val di Fiemme (ITA) for stage 7 of the Tour de Ski. This morning the thermometer read -17 °C, a low temperature that heralded the imminent “War of the North” between Sweden and Russia in the classic sprint.
The Swedish team proved their strength already in the crisp morning, with Linn Svahn winning the qualifier ahead of Sorina and Lampic. Two Italian athletes qualified for the heats, Lucia Scardoni and Ilaria Debertolis. 
The surname Svahn reminds of Gunde Svan, world champion in Val di Fiemme back in 1991. Although the two athletes have similar surnames and sporting skills, they are no relation. Both Italians, Germany’s Hennig, second place yesterday, and Sweden’s Andersson were all knocked out in their quarterfinals.
Diggins and Brennan of the United States were seeded in the second semi-final, but they didn’t advance to the final. Lampic (SLO) and Stupak (RUS) too didn’t make it to the final. The final saw Sweden’s Linn Svahn, Maja Dahlqvist and Emma Ribom, Russia’s Natalia Nepryaeva and Tatiana Sorina, and Finland’s Krista Pärmäkoski. The two Russians tried to take the lead and win the race, but it was Svahn who pulsed into the final straight with top speed, dreaming of another Swedish triple after Ruka. Svahn took gold. Behind her, Dahlqvist finished second (+0.54) and Ribom third (+0.84) to make a triple Swedish podium. Karlsson – who withdrew from the Tour de Ski due to health problems in agreement with the staff – wanted Sweden to conquer Val di Fiemme yesterday, and her teammates made her wish come true one day later.
As for the men’s sprint, Italy’s Federico Pellegrino clocked the fastest time in the qualification. Spitsov (RUS) and Lapalus (FRA) didn’t qualify for the heats. In the quarterfinals, many important athletes didn’t make it to the semi-finals, including Russia’s Belov and Chervotkin, France’s Manificat and Jouve, the young Poromaa (SWE) and Italy’s de Fabiani. Pellegrino qualified for the final – fourth sprint final for him this season – together with Sweden’s Oskar Svensson, Russia’s Artem Maltsev, Gleb Retivykh, Bolshunov, and France’s Valentin Chauvin. The men’s final was struck by tactical moves and a sleepy pace after the last climb. Svensson seized the moment and entered the last downhill into the stadium in first position. Bolshunov’s “rockets” were once again impressive, and he overtook Pellegrino in the final straight, in a battle that heralds the fight for the sprint title. Oskar Svensson took gold ahead of Gleb Retivykh (+0.24) and Alexander Bolshunov (+0.32). Fourth place for Pellegrino (+0.70).
Bolshunov leads the Tour de Ski overall standings ahead of Manificat and Yakimushkin. Diggins maintains her lead over Stupak by +0.54 and Parmakoski by +1.51, third thanks to today’s performance.
Tomorrow the grand finale with the 420 metres of difference in height of the Final Climb on Alpe Cermis. Who will be crowned king and queen of the Tour de Ski this year? Women’s Final Climb at 12:45 p.m. and men’s Final Climb at 3:35 p.m.
Info: www.fiemmeworldcup.com

Download TV: broadcaster.it 

Women’s classic Sprint 
1 SVAHN Linn SWE 3:14.69; 2 DAHLQVIST Maja SWE +0.54; 3 RIBOM Emma SWE +0.84; 4 NEPRYAEVA Natalia RUS +1.60; 5 SORINA Tatiana RUS +1.97; 6 PARMAKOSKI Krista FIN +2.42
14 SCARDONI Lucia; 30 DEBERTOLIS Ilaria; 33 COMARELLA Anna; 38 FRANCHI Francesca; 40 DI CENTA Martina 

Men’s classic Sprint 
1 SVENSSON Oskar SWE 3:19.83; 2 RETIVYKH Gleb RUS +0.24; 3 BOLSHUNOV Alexander RUS +0.32; 4 PELLEGRINO Federico ITA +0.70; 5 CHAUVIN Valentin FRA +0.76; 6 MALTSEV Artem RUS +3.15
17 de FABIANI Francesco; 32 BERTOLINA Mirco; 36 VENTURA Paolo; 43 SALVADORI Giandomenico 

Tour de Ski – Women’s standings
1 DIGGINS Jessie USA 2:27:51; 2 STUPAK Yulia RUS +0:54; 3 PARMAKOSKI Krista FIN +1:51; 4 NEPRYAEVA Natalia RUS +1:58; 5 SORINA Tatiana RUS +2:03 

Tour de Ski – Men’s standings
1 BOLSHUNOV Alexander RUS 2:59:38; 2 MANIFICAT Maurice FRA +3:22; 3 YAKIMUSHKIN Ivan RUS +3:27; 4 MALTSEV Artem RUS +3:27; 5 SPITSOV Denis RUS +3:50