Author: Nicolò Bortolotti
Last saved by: Giulia

Press release 10^th January 2021

DIGGINS WINS TOUR DE SKI
ANDERSSON TAKES GOLD ON CERMIS AND STUPAK DANCES ON THE PODIUM

Ebba Andersson took gold on Alpe Cermis and Diggins finished second to win the overall title
Delphine Claudel finished third after overtaking Yulia Stupak in the final kilometre
Diggins is the first American to win the Tour de Ski overall title
Tour de Ski podium: 1^st Jessica Diggins, 2^nd Yulia Stupak, 3^rd Ebba Andersson

The day has come for Val di Fiemme (ITA) to stage the much-anticipated last competition of the 2021 Tour de Ski: the gruelling Final Climb up Alpe Cermis, a 10km race with 420 metres of difference in height and a maximum slope of about 30%. These numbers in sequence take your breath away, almost as much as the cross-country skiers were breathless from the exertion of skiing uphill. Once again this year the race was held in a mass start format, which allowed the cross-country skiers to battle it out right from the start.
41 athletes – representing 13 different nations – lined up for the women’s last stage of the Tour de Ski. Sweden once again dominated the race after the podium sweep in Saturday’s sprint. After taking gold in the sprint, Svahn had predicted a great performance by her teammate Ebba Andersson, who was in the fight for an overall podium finish.
The Swedish team was ready to give battle to Diggins – chasing the first American Tour de Ski overall victory – to Russia’s Stupak and to Finland’s Parmakoski, who was third in the overall standings after Saturday’s sprint.
After completing a lap in the Cross-Country Stadium in Lago di Tesero, the skiers took the Marcialonga track to reach the bottom of Alpe Cermis, a narrow section where it is better to be in the lead in order to be ready to break away on the steep pitch. And it was right at the foot of the tough climb that Andersson broke away from the group. Diggins and Stupak were forced to increase the pace and keep up with her. Lactic burn and exertion: the face of Diggins chasing Ebba left no room for doubt – the race was still open.
In the last 1.5 km Andersson increase the pace, finding some more energy after a long and demanding Tour de Ski. With the end in sight, surrounded by the soft silence of the winter landscape in Val di Fiemme, the Swede skied through the finish and collapsed from exhaustion, being aware that she made history. Diggins held up and crossed the finish line in second place.
France’s Delphine Clauder finished third after overtaking Stupak in the final kilometre.
Diggins won the 15^th FIS Tour de Ski ahead of Stupak and Andersson, who advanced from 6^th to 3^rd thanks to her incredible performance on Alpe Cermis.
The highlight of the day was the unscheduled dance on the podium to the tune of “Celebration” by Kool & The Gang, with Stupak go-go dancing and Diggins becoming a show girl while Andersson remained serious. The few people present, including the athletes’ entourage, enthusiastically applauded the three athletes. Unfortunately, the public was not there.

Download immagini TV: broadcaster.it

Women 10 km mass start FT
1 ANDERSSON Ebba SWE 36:45.6; 2 DIGGINS Jessie USA 36:54.8; 3 CLAUDEL Delphine FRA 37:18.2; 4 STUPAK Yulia RUS 37:25.6; 5 SORINA Tatiana RUS 37:49.9; 6 RAZYMOVA Katerina CZE 38:03.0; 7 BRENNAN Rosie USA 38:03.4; 8 HENNIG Katharina GER 38:09.2; 9 NECHAEVSKAYA Anna RUS 38:13.2; 10 EIDUKA Patricija LAT 38:14.8 
17 COMARELLA Anna 39:00.3; 22 FRANCHI Francesca 39:14.4; 34 DEBERTOLIS Ilaria 40:19.1; 35 SCARDONI Lucia 40:20.6; 40 DI CENTA Martina 40:44.4 

Tour de Ski Women
1 DIGGINS Jessie USA 3:04:45.8; 2 STUPAK Yulia RUS +1:24.8; 3 ANDERSSON Ebba SWE +2:00.8; 4 SORINA Tatiana RUS +2:58.1; 5 PARMAKOSKI Krista FIN +3:23.0 
20 COMARELLA Anna +8:51.5; 31 SCARDONI Lucia +12:33.8; 32 FRANCHI Francesca +12:36.6; 37 DI CENTA Martina +16:37.6; 41 DEBERTOLIS Ilaria +18:52.3