Jessie Diggins opens Tour de Ski with first sprint win in three years

Jessie Diggins launched her bid for a third Tour de Ski title with a dramatic win on Saturday in the opening 1.4km freestyle sprint in Toblach, Italy.

“This was a huge surprise,” Diggins said after her first World Cup sprint victory in three years, a triumph that left the three-time Olympic medalist delighted and surprised. “I kind of thought I was getting old and not ready for another sprint win, so this was great.”

The victory was particularly special for Diggins, as Toblach was where she achieved her first career podium at a previous Tour de Ski.

Diggins timed her push to perfection and overtook Finland’s Jasmi Joensuu by 0.31 seconds in the final meters. Switzerland’s Nadine Faehndrich finished third.

The victory gives Diggins a seven-second lead heading into Sunday’s 15km classic mass start, the second stage of the Tour. In addition to her yellow starting number, she also earned the sprint leader’s bib as the current overall World Cup leader.

The U.S. cross-country team showed depth with eight athletes advancing to the sprint heats. In the men’s race, Ben Ogden impressed with sixth place, despite breaking pole in the final.

“This course has memories for me,” said Ogden, looking back on last year’s podium finish in Toblach. “I skied smart, kept my nerves under control and stayed confident.”

Norway’s Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, seeking a record-breaking fourth Tour de Ski title, dominated the men’s sprint to win by 0.4 seconds. Frenchman Lucas Chanavat and Swiss Janik Riebli completed the podium.

The Tour de Ski, a series of seven stages and nine days modeled on the Tour de France that spans the new year, continues on Sunday.