Elise Tyldum, Norway and Fabio Pasini, Italy have taken over the leader bibs in the Tour de Ski China after winning the second stage in Changchun.
Elise Tyldum, Norway and Fabio Pasini, Italy have taken over the leader bibs in the Tour de Ski China after winning the second stage in Changchun.
Today Elise Tyldum outsprinted the rest of the athletes in the sprint race in Changchun.
– I can not believe it, I can not believe that I have won the race, says Elise Tyldum after winning 100 meters ahead of Barbara Moriggel, Italy.
Elise Tyldum thinks that this might be a breakthrough.
– I am in the shape of my life here in Asia and I think that the Tour de Ski China is an amazing adventure.
Solfrid Braathen who won the first stage in Shangri-La was third today. Best from Sweden was Ida Olsson who placed 6th.
– I do not think that I have performed better in a sprint race before. This was really good and the tough course fit me well, says Ida Olsson.
Fabio Pasini placed second after Peter Larsson in Shangri-La but today was he the fastest one and won the race ahead of Fredrik Bystroem, Sweden. It was hard racing all the way over the finish line and Fabio was just ahead of Fredrik.
– This was a good answer to my training and I almost made it to the top of the podium, says Fredrik Bystroem who also has been selected to compete for Sweden at the world cup in Canada within three weeks.
How come you race this fast?
– I have stayed healthy and I have had the opportunity to train well. I also feel strong mentally. Hopefully I can race even faster in Canada.
Fredik Bystroem made it to the final after a photo finish against Bjoern Lind, Olympic Champion 2006, in the semi-final.
Gustaf Berglund was second best from Sweden and placed 4th Bjoern Lind ended up at eight place. Peter Larsson, the winner in Shangri-La, placed 12th.
Elise Tydlum is the women’s overall leader after two of four stages. Fabio Pasini is the men’s overall leader.
The Tour de Ski China continues on Wednesday with the third stage. Then it is time for the Chinese Vasaoppet, with a distance of 50 km.
Tour de Ski China
Results sprint women: 1) Elise Tyldum, Norway 2) Barbara Moriggel, Italy, 3) Solfrid Braathen, Norway, 4) Léna Pichard, Switzerland, 5) Yuanyuan Liu, China, 6) Ida Olsson, Sweden, 7) Li Huo, China, 8) Anna-Karin Stroemstedt, Sweden, 9) Song Bo, China, 10) Therese Carlsson, Sweden, 11) Lena Jensen, Norway, 12) Lydia Weydahl, Norway, 13) Libo Wang, China, 14) Esther Bottomley, Australia, 15) Sandra Haglund, Sweden,
Results sprint men: 1) Fabio Pasini, Italy, 2) Fredrik Bystroem, Sweden, 3) Kent-Ove Clausen, Norway, 4) Gustaf Berglund, Sweden, 5) Qinghai Sun, China, 6) Ville Verkama, Finland, 7) Jari Joutsen, Finland, 8) Björn Lind, Sweden, 9) Jinle Tang, China, 10) Fredrik Persson, Sweden, 11) Magnus Myhr, Sweden, 12) Peter Larsson, Sweden, 13) Erik Bakkefjord, Norway, 14) Mikko Maaranen, Finland, 15) Han Dawei, China, 16) Liang Gao, China.