Jessie Diggins won the Tour de Ski last season and has given herself the best possible start to defend her title. The 33-year-old has already shown that she masters all distances by winning both the initial sprint and Sunday's mass start over 15 kilometers in classical style.
The women skied four laps on a 3.75-kilometer loop and no one was able to break away from the field up front.
Seven skiers were in the lead group far into the final lap, and then everything spoke in favor of Diggins, as the sharpest sprinter in the company.
First in classical
Diggins won ahead of Kerttu Niskanen, Finland, and Astrid Øyre Slind, Norway, and was extra pleased to be able to tick off a milestone in her career.
This was the first time I ever won a race in classical style in the World Cup. This was a big day for me, she says to Viaplay.
Heidi Weng, Silje Theodorsen, and Therese Johaug made sure it was Norwegian on the fourth, fifth, and sixth places.
Seventh place went to Ebba Andersson, the best Swedish skier. Andersson had nothing to say about it in the end and finished seven seconds behind Diggins.
Afterwards, the Swedish star made no secret of the feeling that many competitors had better skis.
Up the hill it was good enough, but on the other parts of the track I had to fight pretty hard to keep up with those around me. It wasn't 100 percent, she says diplomatically.
I'm happy I managed to get in (towards the goal), considering the conditions.
Yellow card
After the race, it was announced that Ebba Andersson and Therese Johaug had each received a yellow card for skiing in one of the track's two diagonal zones. This means they risk being disqualified if they commit another rule violation during the tour.
Linn Svahn finished ninth and Moa Ilar twelfth. A total of six Swedish skiers remain in the tour, as Johanna Hagström dropped out after just one race due to cold symptoms.
In the men's race, Johannes Høsflot Klæbo did the same as Jessie Diggins – and won for the second day in a row. Edvin Anger was pleased to sprint in to a fifth place behind four Norwegians, on better skis than the Swedish women.
"PB" with almost ten places on distance, you have to be satisfied with that. We had really good stuff under our feet, the waxers deserve praise, he says to Viaplay.
William Poromaa finished tenth.
After two of seven stages, women:
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Jessie Diggins, USA.
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Kerttu Niskanen, Finland, +38 seconds.
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Astrid Øyre Slind, Norway, +1.09.
Swedes:
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Ebba Andersson, +1.20.
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Linn Svahn, +1.34.
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Moa Ilar, +1.48.
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Märta Rosenberg, +2.33.
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Moa Lundgren, +3.29.
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Maja Dahlqvist, +3.54.
Men:
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Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, Norway.
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Richard Jouve, France, +34 seconds.
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Federico Pellegrino, Italy, +36.
Swedes:
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Edvin Anger, +38.
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William Poromaa, +1.18.
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Jens Burman, +1.30.
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Gustaf Berglund, +1.30.
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Truls Gisselman, +1.33.
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Oskar Svensson, +1.56.
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Eric Rosjö, +2.08.
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Marcus Grate, +4.04.
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Emil Danielsson, +5.05.
