The third stage of the tour took place over 20 kilometers of freestyle with individual starts in Italian Toblach.
Distance skier Ebba Andersson was seen as the big blue-yellow hope beforehand, but already after 2.1 kilometers, the 27-year-old was out of the tight battle. Andersson was unrecognizable and was a whole 2 minutes and 38 seconds behind winner Astrid Øyre Slind at the finish line, in 33rd place.
"Lousy race"
I think I'm working for every meter out there and doing my best. I'm sticking to the plan I set up beforehand, and yet it's such a lousy race, says Andersson to Viaplay.
She is asked if it's due to the skis.
I have no idea. I don't feel like talking about equipment either. I really don't know why it's going so slowly for me today, says Andersson.
Therese Johaug finished second on the stage – 3.3 seconds behind Øyre Slind – and led with Andersson.
Ebba doesn't belong in 33rd place. She's much better than that. I feel that Ebba is frustrated with her form, says Therese Johaug to Viaplay.
Instead, Moa Ilar became the best Swedish skier, finishing eighth. Ilar was 58 seconds behind the winner at the finish line.
It was really nice to get such a good result, says Moa Ilar to Viaplay.
Linn Svahn finished 21st (+1.56), Moa Lundgren 25th (+2.08), and Märta Rosenberg 46th (+3.26).
American Jessie Diggins – winner of last season's Tour de Ski – had started this year's edition with two straight stage wins, but struggled in the tracks during the third. Diggins finished sixth and retained the overall lead in the tour, although it has decreased.
Finland's Kerttu Niskanen finished third on the stage, shadowing Diggins in the overall standings.
Dahlqvist ill
Only five Swedish women started the third stage. On New Year's Eve, Maja Dahlqvist announced that she would drop out of the Tour de Ski due to cold symptoms, and earlier, Johanna Hagström had broken off for the same reason.
New Year's Day will see the Tour de Ski continue with 15 kilometers of pursuit, based on the times from the third stage.
After three stages out of a total of seven, women: 1) Jessie Diggins, USA, 2) Kerttu Niskanen, Finland, +22 seconds, 3) Astrid Øyre Slind, Norway, +32, 4) Therese Johaug, do, +41, 5) Heidi Weng, do, +1.17, 6) Moa Ilar, Sweden, +2.09.
Other Swedish women: 12) Linn Svahn +2.54, 16) Ebba Andersson +3.21, 31) Moa Lundgren +5.00, 34) Märta Rosenberg +5.23.
Men: 1) Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, Norway, 2) Harald Østberg Amundsen, do, +16 seconds, 3) Ben Ogden, USA, +54, 4) Simen Hegstad Krüger, Norway, +56, 5) Edvin Anger, Sweden, +1.07, 6) Andrew Musgrave, Great Britain, +1.11.
Other Swedish men: 12) William Poromaa, +1.57, 26) Jens Burman, +2.29, 31) Gustaf Berglund, +2.50, 41) Truls Gisselman, +3.39, 50) Oskar Svensson, +4.20, 51) Eric Rosjö, +4.23, 73) Marcus Grate, +7.20, 77) Emil Danielsson, +8.13.
