The U.S. Cross Country Team continues to shine at the Tour de Ski. In the 15k classic mass start, Brennan was the top American woman, finishing just off the podium in fourth place, and Ogden led the men in 19th. Now, going into the final climb of the Tour, Brennan is fifth overall and Ogden ninth. Ogden is on track to have the best result for an American man in Tour de Ski history!

“I decided to just believe in myself today, believe in what was possible and take a chance on myself," said Brennan. "I’m really glad I did because I felt good. I had good legs and it was just a really great day!”

Tomorrow, Jan. 8, the team is back in action for the last stage of the Tour de Ski, a 10k skate climb straight up a ski resort. Watch the men and women LIVE on skiandsnowboard.live, starting with the women at 5:45 a.m. ET and men at 7:30 a.m. ET. This is a race you won't want to miss!

The U.S. Cross Country Team raced the first of three races in Val di Femme, Italy to kick off the last stop of the FIS Tour de Ski with JC Schoonmaker leading the way for the Americans, finishing seventh, Ben Ogden ninth, and Rosie Brennan 10th.

To begin the 1.5k classic sprint at the site for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games, three men and three women qualified in the top 30 to advance to the next round. On the fast and hilly course, Ogden showed his speed by qualifying third, Schoonmaker was fifth and Zak Ketterson 15th - advancing to the heats for the first time in his World Cup career. For the women, Brennan led the way in qualifiers in 13th, Jessie Diggins in 16th, and Julia Kern in 24th to advance to the quarterfinal heats. 

Onto the heats - it's a game of mere inches. In the first heat for the men, Ogden skied smart and drafted Haavard Moseby of Norway through the tracks of the 1.5k course. With only meters to go, Ogden made the move and took the inside line of the critical left turn on the course and catapulted his way into a second-place finish. JC Schoonmaker, who qualified fifth in the qualifiers, made a move late in the heats to finish second - this led him to advance to the semifinal heats.

For women, Brennan skied smart throughout the entire first quarterfinal heat and pushed the pace alongside Krista Parmakowski of Finland and Nadine Faehndrich of Switzerland. Sprinting to the finish, Brennan was third in her heat, moving on to the semifinals with her lucky loser time. Diggins and Kern raced together in heat five but did not advance to the semifinals. 

In the semifinal heats, Ben Ogden charged into the lead with the eventual winner of the day, Johannes Klaebo, in tow. "They were kind of slow in the beginning, and I was just like 'Oh, I'm going to do it, I'm just gonna try,'" Ogden said of his mid-race effort that had him looking back to see the damage he inflicted. "I went as hard as I could, got to the top of the hill, and looked back and it was just me and the King (Kleabo). I was like maybe this could work, but of course, I paid the price in the end."

With fast skiing being the theme of the course, Klaebo made a move late and won the round, with Ogden finishing fifth. "I'll stand by (that effort)," Ogden added. "This was a unique course and a unique situation for me and I had a lot of energy...I might not try it again too soon, but I'm going to keep messing around. I've tried four times now to get into the finals, I mean eight times. I've been making errors doing other things...I try to ski smart and I don't make it, I try to wait till the end, and I don't make it, try to go early and I don't make it...so you have to try everything and see what works."

For Schoonmaker, the theme of fast skiing continued as the young American, finished third in the semifinal after skiing a smart round with some of the sports' veterans. 

In the semis, Brennan led the way in semifinal heat one, and even though she did not advance, reflected through a personal Instagram post that she is, "happy to find myself back in the semis today. It's been a slow journey in sprinting but forward is still forward!"

Now, with five out of seven stages of the Tour complete, the team resets for Saturday's 15k classic mass start. Watch LIVE on skindsnowboard.live. 

RESULTS
Men
Women

TOUR DE SKI SCHEDULE 

Val di Fiemme, Italy 
Stage 6: Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023: 15k classic mass start 
Stage 7: Sunday, Jan 8, 2023: 10k freestyle final climb mass start 

HOW TO WATCH

All races will be LIVE with commentary on skiandsnowboard.live. 

Stage 6, Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023
5:45 a.m. FIS Cross Country World Cup, Tour de Ski, 15k Skate Mass Start, Women's, Val di Fiemme, Italy, streaming on skiandsnowboard.live
7:30 a.m. FIS Cross Country World Cup, Tour de Ski, 15k Skate Mass Start, Men's, Val di Fiemme, Italy, streaming on skiandsnowboard.live

Stage 7, Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023
5:00 a.m. FIS Cross Country World Cup, Tour de Ski, 10k Skate Mass Start Final Climb, Women's, Val di Fiemme, Italy, streaming on skiandsnowboard.live
6:45 a.m. FIS Cross Country World Cup, Tour de Ski, 10k Skate Mass Start Final Climb, Men's, Val di Fiemme, Italy, streaming on skiandsnowboard.live

It was a fast day for the U.S. Cross Country Ski Team on the fourth stage of the Tour de Ski in Oberstdorf, Germany. Jessie Diggins was back in the top 10, crossing the line in eighth place and Ben Ogden ended the pursuit in the top 20, finishing in 13th place. 

For the Americans, the men packed half of the team into the top 30, and for the women, every single athlete was in the top 50. In a familiar site of the Tour, Johannes Klaebo of Norway won his fourth straight race and Frida Karlsson of Sweden was first for the women. 

Let's Talk Times

The real magic of the day was reflected in the individual times. While the placement of where an athlete finished among the pursuit pack count for FIS points and overall Tour de Ski rankings, the overall place fails to reflect how fast they actually skied the course compared to their competitors.

Alayna Sonnesyn, who is now in 37th place for the Tour de Ski rankings, had the fifth fastest time of day among the women. If this was not a pursuit race, Sonnesyn would have been fifth overall, a career-best result and PR for the young American skier.

"I felt so good. I am very happy with the day! I gave it my all and I am proud of that," said Sonnesyn, post-race. "I hope I am ready for three more races, but looking back I am really proud of my pacing through this Tour and today's result exceeded my expectations. I am excited for more!"

Based on overall pursuit results, Diggins was eighth, Rosie Brennan was 13th, Julia Kern 17th, Sophia Laukli 30th and Alayna Sonnesyn 31st. However, digging deeper into individual times, Diggins won the day, Brennan was 10th, Kern sixth and Laukli eighth - noting that all five American women ranked within the top ten for the day. 

"I knew my body was fine the whole time; I just had to keep believing and trusting the plan. I finally had great skis and that's really what I needed. I was so grateful to our wax techs - to have the skis that I needed to have a competitive day," said Diggins. “But there are things that are more important than racing. I think being kind and being a good teammate is more important and I am proud to say that this is what I have been focused on this whole time throughout the Tour.”

For the men's overall pursuit result, the Americans packed the top 30. Ogden led the charge in 13th, Scott Patterson 17th, Hunter Wonders 19th, Gus Schumacher 26th, Zak Ketterson 55th, Finn O'Connell 56th, JC Schoonmaker 69th and Kevin Bolger 71st.

Yet, based on individual times, Patterson crossed the line in 4th place, Wonders 19th, Ogden 24th, Schumacher 26th, O'Connell 54th, Ketterson 61st, Schoonmaker 67th and Bolger 68th.

"It was good today. I was bib 29, but we caught the lead pack within three laps and then it turned into a cat-and-mouse game," said Patterson in a post-race reflection. "But, it turned out alright and I was right there in the mix. I am feeling good - the next two races will be fun and with my training and background, when people start getting tired, I start moving up the ranks, so I am excited for Val di Fiemme!"

Now, the team will travel to Val di Fiemme, Italy for the last three stages of the Tour de Ski. 

RESULTS
Women
Men

Start List Women

1. Jessie Diggins
2. Rosie Brennan
3. Julia Kern
4. Sophia Laukli
5. Alayna Sonnesyn

Start List Men

1. Ben Ogden
2. JC Schoonmaker
3. Scott Patterson
4. Hunter Wonders
5. Zak Ketterson
6. Gus Schumacher
7. Kevin Bolger
8. Finn O’Connell

TOUR DE SKI SCHEDULE 

Val Müstair, Switzerland 

Stage 1 - Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022: 1.5k freestyle sprint

Stage 2 - Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023: 10k classic pursuit 

Oberstdorf, Germany

Stage 3: Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023: 10k classic interval start

Stage 4: Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023: 20k freestyle pursuit 

Val di Fiemme, Italy 

Stage 5: Friday, Jan. 6, 2023: 1.5k classic sprint

Stage 6: Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023: 15k classic mass start 

Stage 7: Sunday, Jan 8, 2023: 10k freestyle final climb mass start 

HOW TO WATCH

All races will be LIVE with commentary on skiandsnowboard.live. 

Stage 5, Friday, Jan. 6, 2023
4:00 a.m. FIS Cross Country World Cup, Tour de Ski, 1.5k Classic Sprint, men's and women's, qualifiers, Val di Fiemme, Italy, streaming on skiandsnowboard.live
6:30 a.m. FIS Cross Country World Cup, Tour de Ski, 1.5k Classic Sprint, men's and women's, finals, Val di Fiemme, Italy, streaming on skiandsnowboard.live

Stage 6, Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023
5:45 a.m. FIS Cross Country World Cup, Tour de Ski, 15k Skate Mass Start, Women's, Val di Fiemme, Italy, streaming on skiandsnowboard.live
7:30 a.m. FIS Cross Country World Cup, Tour de Ski, 15k Skate Mass Start, Men's, Val di Fiemme, Italy, streaming on skiandsnowboard.live

Stage 7, Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023
5:00 a.m. FIS Cross Country World Cup, Tour de Ski, 10k Skate Mass Start Final Climb, Women's, Val di Fiemme, Italy, streaming on skiandsnowboard.live
6:45 a.m. FIS Cross Country World Cup, Tour de Ski, 10k Skate Mass Start Final Climb, Men's, Val di Fiemme, Italy, streaming on skiandsnowboard.live

It was the day for career bests for the U.S Cross Country Ski Team in the third stage of the Tour de Ski. It was a very warm and rainy afternoon in Oberstdorf, Germany, but Ben Ogden and Hunter Wonders still posted historic results in the 10k classic. Ogden finished sixth in 22:08.5 and Wonders 11th, respectively. Rosie Brennan led the women in 11th place, crossing the line in 25:53.8. 

With temperatures reaching nearly 40 degrees Fahrenheit and rain misting the completely man-made track, the U.S. Cross Country Ski Team found their speed and had five men and four women in the top 50. 

Ogden continued his strong showing on the Tour with a sixth-place result, cementing his best-ever distance result in a World Cup. Hunter Wonders, who finished 11th, also had a career-best individual result to end the day. Five U.S. men were in the top 50 with Gus Schumacher in 15th, Scott Patterson 29th and Zak Ketterson 38th. Norway's Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo won for the third time in a row, crossing the finish line in first with a time of 21:38.5 and will continue sporting the yellow bib in the next race. 

"It was a real treat out there today," said Ogden. "I just had unlimited energy, especially given it was the third race of the Tour... it was just a ton of fun. Each passing race I learn a little bit more about how to ski smart and today it really came together, and I got to sit in the leader chair so it was pretty awesome."

On the women's side, Rosie Brennan persevered through the confusing conditions and finished 11th among the strong and fast field of women. Julia Kern finished in 38th, Jessie Diggins 40th and rounding out the top 50 was Sophia Laukli in 44th. Frida Karlsson of Sweden was atop the podium in 24:53.3 and will dawn the yellow bib heading into the next stage. 

Continuing the streak of races, the Tour continues with the 20k skate pursuit kicking off tomorrow, Jan. 4th, on the same track in Oberstdorf. Watch LIVE on skiandsnowboard.live. 

RESULTS
Women's 10k classic
Men's 10k classic

Start List Women

1. Jessie Diggins
2. Rosie Brennan
3. Julia Kern
4. Sophia Laukli
5. Alayna Sonnesyn

Start List Men

1. Ben Ogden
2. JC Schoonmaker
3. Scott Patterson
4. Hunter Wonders
5. Zak Ketterson
6. Gus Schumacher
7. Kevin Bolger
8. Finn O’Connell

TOUR DE SKI SCHEDULE 

Val Müstair, Switzerland 

Stage 1 - Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022: 1.5k freestyle sprint

Stage 2 - Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023: 10k classic pursuit 

Oberstdorf, Germany

Stage 3: Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023: 10k classic interval start

Stage 4: Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023: 20k freestyle pursuit 

Val di Fiemme, Italy 

Stage 5: Friday, Jan. 6, 2023: 1.5k classic sprint

Stage 6: Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023: 15k classic mass start 

Stage 7: Sunday, Jan 8, 2023: 10k freestyle final climb mass start 

HOW TO WATCH

All races will be LIVE with commentary on skiandsnowboard.live. 

Stage 4, Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023
5:15 a.m. FIS Cross Country World Cup, Tour de Ski, 20k Skate Pursuit, men's, Oberstdorf, Germany, streaming on skiandsnowboard.live
8:15 a.m. FIS Cross Country World Cup, Tour de Ski, 20k Skate Pursuit, women's, Oberstdorf, Germany,  streaming on skiandsnowboard.live

Stage 5, Friday, Jan. 6, 2023
4:00 a.m. FIS Cross Country World Cup, Tour de Ski, 1.5k Classic Sprint, men's and women's, qualifiers, Val di Fiemme, Italy, streaming on skiandsnowboard.live
6:30 a.m. FIS Cross Country World Cup, Tour de Ski, 1.5k Classic Sprint, men's and women's, finals, Val di Fiemme, Italy, streaming on skiandsnowboard.live

Stage 6, Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023
5:45 a.m. FIS Cross Country World Cup, Tour de Ski, 15k Skate Mass Start, Women's, Val di Fiemme, Italy, streaming on skiandsnowboard.live
7:30 a.m. FIS Cross Country World Cup, Tour de Ski, 15k Skate Mass Start, Men's, Val di Fiemme, Italy, streaming on skiandsnowboard.live

Stage 7, Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023
5:00 a.m. FIS Cross Country World Cup, Tour de Ski, 10k Skate Mass Start Final Climb, Women's, Val di Fiemme, Italy, streaming on skiandsnowboard.live
6:45 a.m. FIS Cross Country World Cup, Tour de Ski, 10k Skate Mass Start Final Climb, Men's, Val di Fiemme, Italy, streaming on skiandsnowboard.live

Rosie Brennan led the U.S. Cross Country Ski Team in the second stage of the Tour de Ski in Val Mustair, Switzerland, taking seventh place in the 10k classic pursuit. Ben Ogden was the top U.S. man in 18th place.

"I had a strong race today," Brennan said in a post-race interview. "I’m not sure I’ve ever done a pursuit start after a sprint so I wasn’t sure how that would unfold especially on a short 2.5km at altitude with very gradual climbing. The altitude and gradual climbing played to my strength and I was able to settle into a steady pace and pick people off. I made up some good ground early but in the later part of the race, the leaders turned it up a notch so my overall time didn’t make up quite as much ground as I had hoped but there were lots of good signs and a race I am very happy with."

Julia Kern continued her strong showing at the Tour, snagging 12th, and Jessie Diggins was 30th. Rounding out the women, Sophia Laukli was 50th and Alayna Sonnesyn 53rd.

Behind Ogden, Hunter Wonders was 53rd, Zak Ketterson 57th, Scott Patterson 59th, Gus Schumacher 62nd, Finn O'Connell 70th, Kevin Bolger 85th and JC Schoonmaker 88th.

The Tour de Ski now packs up to head to Germany, for a 10k classic and a 20k skate pursuit in Oberstdorf. The stage race continues on Tuesday, Jan. 3.

Tour de Ski Explained

The Tour de Ski is back! Each year, to begin period two of the FIS Cross Country World Cup circuit, a grueling race series takes athletes to three countries in less than ten days and includes seven different races. Based on the format of the Tour de France bike series, the Tour de Ski spans nine days, with seven stages of the competition and the overall winner dawns the yellow bib. 

For the past few years, the Tour de Ski has begun in Switzerland and historically concludes less than 10 days later with the infamous final climb up the Italian slope of Alpe Cermis. While the Tour de Ski races are considered FIS Cross Country World Cups with the standard point scoring system, the overall standings are decided based on time. But, the week is not just focused on individual performances - there is a team angle too. The best times of the two best athletes per gender, per country, are added together for the team competition. 

In 2020, Jessie Diggins won the Tour. Proving herself to be an all-around skier, winning in both sprint and distance races, Diggins is looking forward to the week but taking it one race at a time. After her 40th-place result in stage one, Diggins is only looking forward. "I think it's important to realize you don't know what is going to happen in every race. But now, I am going to focus on rest, recovery, food, hydration and all the things that are important in having a good Tour," said Diggins, post-race. "I am going to focus on moving forward and am excited for the 10k tomorrow!" 

As the rules state, if an athlete does not start or complete a race, they are eliminated from the Tour. For the U.S. team, five women and eight men will compete throughout the week.

Women

1. Jessie Diggins
2. Rosie Brennan
3. Julia Kern
4. Sophia Laukli
5. Alayna Sonnesyn

Men

1. Ben Ogden
2. JC Schoonmaker
3. Scott Patterson
4. Hunter Wonders
5. Zak Ketterson
6. Gus Schumacher
7. Kevin Bolger
8. Finn O’Connell

RESULTS
Women's 10k classic pursuit
Men's 10k classic pursuit

TOUR DE SKI SCHEDULE 

Val Müstair, Switzerland 

Stage 1 - Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022: 1.5k freestyle sprint

Stage 2 - Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023: 10k classic pursuit 

Oberstdorf, Germany

Stage 3: Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023: 10k classic interval start

Stage 4: Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023: 20k freestyle pursuit 

Val di Fiemme, Italy 

Stage 5: Friday, Jan. 6, 2023: 1.5k classic sprint

Stage 6: Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023: 15k classic mass start 

Stage 7: Sunday, Jan 8, 2023: 10k freestyle final climb mass start 

HOW TO WATCH

All races will be LIVE with commentary on skiandsnowboard.live. 

Stage 3, Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023
5:45 a.m. FIS Cross Country World Cup, Tour de Ski, 10k Classic Interval Start, men's, Oberstdorf, Germany, streaming on skiandsnowboard.live
8:45 a.m. FIS Cross Country World Cup, Tour de Ski, 10k Classic Interval Start, women's, Oberstdorf, Germany,  streaming on skiandsnowboard.live

Stage 4, Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023
5:15 a.m. FIS Cross Country World Cup, Tour de Ski, 20k Skate Pursuit, men's, Oberstdorf, Germany, streaming on skiandsnowboard.live
8:15 a.m. FIS Cross Country World Cup, Tour de Ski, 20k Skate Pursuit, women's, Oberstdorf, Germany,  streaming on skiandsnowboard.live

Stage 5, Friday, Jan. 6, 2023
4:00 a.m. FIS Cross Country World Cup, Tour de Ski, 1.5k Classic Sprint, men's and women's, qualifiers, Val di Fiemme, Italy, streaming on skiandsnowboard.live
6:30 a.m. FIS Cross Country World Cup, Tour de Ski, 1.5k Classic Sprint, men's and women's, finals, Val di Fiemme, Italy, streaming on skiandsnowboard.live

Stage 6, Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023
5:45 a.m. FIS Cross Country World Cup, Tour de Ski, 15k Skate Mass Start, Women's, Val di Fiemme, Italy, streaming on skiandsnowboard.live
7:30 a.m. FIS Cross Country World Cup, Tour de Ski, 15k Skate Mass Start, Men's, Val di Fiemme, Italy, streaming on skiandsnowboard.live

Stage 7, Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023
5:00 a.m. FIS Cross Country World Cup, Tour de Ski, 10k Skate Mass Start Final Climb, Women's, Val di Fiemme, Italy, streaming on skiandsnowboard.live
6:45 a.m. FIS Cross Country World Cup, Tour de Ski, 10k Skate Mass Start Final Climb, Men's, Val di Fiemme, Italy, streaming on skiandsnowboard.live

Julia Kern finished 11th in the Stage 1 freestyle sprint of the FIS Tour de Ski Saturday to lead four U.S. athletes into the top 30 in Val Mustair, Switzerland.

Kern qualified sixth, and racing in the second quarterfinal - fastest heat of the day - finished second to advance to the semifinals. In the semifinal round, Kern led early in the race against a stacked field that included the top three finishers on the day - Nadine Faehndrich of Switzerland, Maja Dahlquist of Sweden, and Lotta Udnes Weng of Norway - but a late crash dashed her hopes of advancing to the finals.

"I felt really great today and my skis were ripping fast," Kern said. "In the quarterfinal, I felt strong and skied pretty well, but in the semifinal, I had some trouble closing the gap. Overall I'm pretty happy about the day but hungry for more as I'm tired of being the semifinal queen."

Rosie Brennan qualified 14th and advanced to the heats. She finished third in the quarterfinals and 14th on the day. "Having struggled with sprinting this year, I didn't have too many expectations," Brennan said. "I found my first hint of sprint feelings in my quarterfinal, but was also very disappointed with how I skied the last corner. So some good, some bad, made for an average day to start my Tour. I hope I can make up some time in the distance races moving forward. Tomorrow will certainly be a bit of a wild day with a short course and fast conditions so we'll see what happens out there."

In the men's race, Ben Ogden and JC Schoonmaker qualified fourth and 21st respectively. In the quarterfinal heats, Ogden broke a pole right out of the start, but thanks to a quick replacement pole handoff by coach Matt Whitcomb, he not only chased down the pack but took the lead over the top of the first climb. However, burning those early matches cost him down the stretch. Ogden finished 13th on the day with Schoonmaker in 26th. 

On a special note...Finn O’Connell had his World Cup debut Saturday, finishing 67th.

Up next, a 10k classic pursuit for both men and women. Catch all the action LIVE on skiandsnowboard.live.

Tour de Ski Explained

The Tour de Ski is back! Each year, to begin period two of the FIS Cross Country World Cup circuit, a grueling race series takes athletes to three countries in less than ten days and includes seven different races. Based on the format of the Tour de France bike series, the Tour de Ski spans nine days, with seven stages of the competition and the overall winner dawns the yellow bib. 

For the past few years, the Tour de Ski has begun in Switzerland and historically concludes less than 10 days later with the infamous final climb up the Italian slope of Alpe Cermis. While the Tour de Ski races are considered FIS Cross Country World Cups with the standard point scoring system, the overall standings are decided based on time. But, the week is not just focused on individual performances - there is a team angle too. The best times of the two best athletes per gender, per country, are added together for the team competition. 

In 2020, Jessie Diggins won the Tour. Proving herself to be an all-around skier, winning in both sprint and distance races, Diggins is looking forward to the week but taking it one race at a time. After her 40th-place result in stage one, Diggins is only looking forward. "I think it's important to realize you don't know what is going to happen in every race. But now, I am going to focus on rest, recovery, food, hydration and all the things that are important in having a good Tour," said Diggins, post-race. "I am going to focus on moving forward and am excited for the 10k tomorrow!" 

As the rules state, if an athlete does not start or complete a race, they are eliminated from the Tour. For the U.S. team, five women and eight men will compete throughout the week.

Women

1. Jessie Diggins
2. Rosie Brennan
3. Julia Kern
4. Sophia Laukli
5. Alayna Sonnesyn

Men

1. Ben Ogden
2. JC Schoonmaker
3. Scott Patterson
4. Hunter Wonders
5. Zak Ketterson
6. Gus Schumacher
7. Kevin Bolger
8. Finn O’Connell

RESULTS 

Stage 1 Freestyle Sprint
Men
Women

Overall (after one stage)
Men
Women

TOUR DE SKI SCHEDULE 

Val Müstair, Switzerland 

Stage 1 - Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022: 1.5k freestyle sprint

Stage 2 - Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023: 10k classic pursuit 

Oberstdorf, Germany

Stage 3: Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023: 10k classic interval start

Stage 4: Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023: 20k freestyle pursuit 

Val di Fiemme, Italy 

Stage 5: Friday, Jan. 6, 2023: 1.5k classic sprint

Stage 6: Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023: 15k classic mass start 

Stage 7: Sunday, Jan 8, 2023: 10k freestyle final climb mass start 

HOW TO WATCH

All races will be LIVE with commentary on skiandsnowboard.live. 

Stage 2, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023 (Happy New Year!) 

6:00 a.m. FIS Cross Country World Cup, Tour de Ski, 10k Classic Pursuit, women's, Val Mustair, Switzerland, streaming on skiandsnowboard.live

7:00 a.m. FIS Cross Country World Cup, Tour de Ski, 10k Classic Pursuit, men's, Val Mustair, Switzerland, streaming on skiandsnowboard.live

Stage 3, Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023

5:45 a.m. FIS Cross Country World Cup, Tour de Ski, 10k Classic Interval Start, men's, Oberstdorf, Germany, streaming on skiandsnowboard.live

8:45 a.m. FIS Cross Country World Cup, Tour de Ski, 10k Classic Interval Start, women's, Oberstdorf, Germany,  streaming on skiandsnowboard.live

Stage 4, Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023

5:15 a.m. FIS Cross Country World Cup, Tour de Ski, 20k Skate Pursuit, men's, Oberstdorf, Germany, streaming on skiandsnowboard.live

8:15 a.m. FIS Cross Country World Cup, Tour de Ski, 20k Skate Pursuit, women's, Oberstdorf, Germany,  streaming on skiandsnowboard.live

Stage 5, Friday, Jan. 6, 2023

4:00 a.m. FIS Cross Country World Cup, Tour de Ski, 1.5k Classic Sprint, men's and women's, qualifiers, Val di Fiemme, Italy, streaming on skiandsnowboard.live

6:30 a.m. FIS Cross Country World Cup, Tour de Ski, 1.5k Classic Sprint, men's and women's, finals, Val di Fiemme, Italy, streaming on skiandsnowboard.live

Stage 6, Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023

5:45 a.m. FIS Cross Country World Cup, Tour de Ski, 15k Skate Mass Start, Women's, Val di Fiemme, Italy, streaming on skiandsnowboard.live

7:30 a.m. FIS Cross Country World Cup, Tour de Ski, 15k Skate Mass Start, Men's, Val di Fiemme, Italy, streaming on skiandsnowboard.live

Stage 7, Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023

5:00 a.m. FIS Cross Country World Cup, Tour de Ski, 10k Skate Mass Start Final Climb, Women's, Val di Fiemme, Italy, streaming on skiandsnowboard.live

6:45 a.m. FIS Cross Country World Cup, Tour de Ski, 10k Skate Mass Start Final Climb, Men's, Val di Fiemme, Italy, streaming on skiandsnowboard.live

On a beautiful bluebird day in Davos, Jessie Diggins claimed her 14th World Cup victory and made her mark in the history books by becoming the most decorated American cross country skier in history.

Standing atop the podium with Diggins was teammate Rosie Brennan, who was third, right behind Ingvlid Flugstad Oestberg of Norway. 

With her 14th World Cup victory, Diggins, a three-time Olympian, moved into second in the overall World Cup standings and continues to chase the overall World Cup title - the crystal globe, which she won in the 2021 season.

In the individual start freestyle race, Diggins started in the 27th position in a field of 49 skiers. Throughout the 20k, she never ventured far from third place, going between first and third through every kilometer marker and ultimately winning the race once all skiers crossed the finish line. 

"Wow! What a day! Once again, super thank you to the team, we had some really awesome skis," Diggins told us. "I felt really good today. I was able to bounce back really well from the sprint day the day before and I felt like I could push really hard. I just raced as hard as I could until I got to the finish line, which was really cool. I was just trying to ski my own race and ski as smart and as powerful as I could. This win means a lot, as it breaks an American record for the number of World Cup wins which is super exciting and fun!" 

On the women's side, the American's had a solid day of racing, with all women in the top 50 scoring World Cup points. Brennan was third, Sophia Laukli was 17th, Alayna Sonnesyn in 26th and Lauren Jortberg in 39th. 

It was a nice showing for the American men. Gus Schumacher lead the charge in 18th, with Ben Ogden right behind in 22nd. For Schumacher, his top 20 finish marks his best distance result in Davos. But, at the end of the day, the Norwegian men were on top, taking the first six spots with Simen Hegstad Grueger crossing the line in 42:12.3 minutes. 

"It was really validating of my plan to start the season less sharp than in the past because it's gotten better every week and the trend is always something I like to look at for how the training is going," said Gus Schumacher in a post-race reflection. "I am really stoked to train a little now and bring the momentum to the tour because today felt really solid. I was skiing really smoothly and my energy and technique felt good, so I'm happy with it!"

Similar to the women, all U.S. men were in the top 50, with all athletes adding more World Cup points to their tally. Hunter Wonders was 33rd, Scott Patterson 38th and Zak Ketterson 43rd. 

Now, the team will rest, enjoy the holidays and prepare for the Tour de Ski! 

RESULTS

Women's 20k 

Men's 20k 

On sun-splashed Swiss day, Jessie Diggins led the U.S. Cross Country Team with a second-place finish at Davos's FIS World Cup Cross Country freestyle sprint.

"It was a beautiful, sunny day and I feel like this might have been the third weekend in a row where Team USA had the most passionate fans," Diggins said. "I'm pretty sure half of Landgrove (Vermont) was out there as well as some other special guests...and it was a really cool atmosphere!"

Rosie Brennan was the top U.S. qualifier in sixth, with Diggins in seventh. Diggins and Brennan both raced in the first heat of the quarterfinals, with Diggins setting the early pace and finishing second to advance to the semifinals. Brennan, unfortunately, was a distant third and did not advance. 

"I did not have the day I was hoping for today," Brennan said. "I am really struggling to find my power and speed in sprinting which has been frustrating for me. My fall and early season has been marred by illness and I think that has made it difficult for me to find all my gears. I am healthy now and my base fitness still feels good so I am looking forward to tomorrow. It was a great day for ski racing and Davos does a great job at hosting races. Even without my best today, this is still one of my favorite places to race."

Julia Kern, who qualified ninth, advanced to the semifinals, finishing third in quarterfinal heat two and advancing as a Lucky Loser. 

In the semifinal heat, Diggins fought for her line on the two-lap course and snuck into the finals, finishing third and advancing as one of two Lucky Losers. Kern, meanwhile, finished fifth in the first semi-final heat, finishing 10th on the day, for her third individual World Cup top 10 of the season.

In the finals, Diggins, Switzerland’s Nadine Faehndrich, Sweden’s Johanna Haegstroem and Norway’s Tiril Udnes Weng came off the second climb and into the fast downhill altogether. Fighting for positioning on the inside, Diggins took a clear shot to the finish, lunging to the line to nip Weng and Haegstroem for the second podium spot. Faehndrich crossed the line 0.24 seconds ahead of Diggins to win her second-straight World Cup sprint. Haegstroem was third.

"My strategy was to tuck in behind either Tiril or Nadine, and I just sort of ended up skiing the inside line," Diggins said. "I just took a sharp inside lane, just tried to stay calm and ski with a lot of power into the finish."

For the U.S. Men, Ben Ogden, Kevin Bolger, and JC Schoonmaker all qualified for the heats. Ogden skied aggressively and was in contention, sitting second at the top of the climb on lap two, but got tripped up on a pole from Sweden’s Johan Haeggstroem and fell. Bolger and Schoonmaker each finished fifth in their respective heats.

Italy’s Frederico Pelligrino edged Norway’s Johannes Klaebo for the victory, with Lucas Chanavat of France in third.Ogden was XX, Bolger XX and Schoonmaker was 

Alayna Sonnesyn qualified for her first sprint heats, finishing fifth in heat three and settling for 24th on the day for her first top-30 World Cup result. 

Up next, a 20k freestyle Sunday in Davos.

RESULTS
Women’s freestyle sprint
Men’s freestyle sprint