Karlsson (SWE) Tour de Ski champion as Claudel (FRA) claims first World Cup win
Jan 09, 2023·Cross-Country
Sweden's Frida Karlsson was crowned the women's 2022-23 Tour de Ski winner after protecting her overall tour lead in the 10km mass start free in Val di Fiemme, Italy, on Sunday.
Karlsson, who is the first Swede to win the title since Charlotte Kalla in 2008, suffered in the infamous final climb, where skiers have to race up an alpine skiing course with an incline of up to 28%, but could secure the victory 33.2 seconds before overall runner-up Kerttu Niskanen from Finland as Norway's Tiril Udnes Weng got the third place.
It was however France's Delphine Claudel who had the biggest grin on her face crossing the finish line. The 26-year-old flew up the steep climb to secure her first Coop FIS Cross-Country World Cup victory.
Claudel, who had finished third in the event in 2021 and 2022, went up the last kilometres head to head with last year's winner, Heidi Weng from Norway, but had more power left for the final sprint, beating the Norwegian by 20.2 seconds.
Sophia Laukli from USA finished third, earning her first World Cup podium spot. The 22-year-old had stayed in the back and was in sixth position with 800m left of the race. Then she switched gears, sprinted past Tiril Udnes Weng and Niskanen and ended her weekend in Val di Fiemme with a career-best result.
Karlsson had started the race with a 1:12 advantage down to second-placed Tiril Udnes Weng, 1:37 before Niskanen in third. She kept herself in the front of the pack for most of the race before taking the lead in the beginning of the steep uphill part.
Then there was suddenly little left in the tank for Karlsson, who had to dig deep to protect her overall lead as Niskanen and Tiril Udnes Weng went past her, starting to close their gap to the top spot. With her last strengths, the 23-year-old managed to finish in 15th place to claim the victory of the tour, becoming the second Swedish skier after Kalla to win it.
Overall World Cup leader Tiril Udnes Weng won the overall Tour de Ski points table at 130 points, Karlsson finished second with 102 and Lotta Udnes Weng gathered 76 points to claim the third place.
Karlsson and the rest of the cross-country circuit can look forward to some well-earned rest before the World Cup action continues on 21-22 January in Livigno, Italy.
Click here for full results from the women's 10km mass start free.
