2008–09 Tour de Ski

The Tour de Ski 2008/2009 ( Sponsors Name: Viessmann FIS Tour de Ski performance by Craft Sportswear) was an organized regularly in the context of cross-country skiing World Cup 2008/ 09 stage race. It was held at four different locations in three countries between 27 December 2008 and 4 January 2009.

In the women won the Finn Virpi Kuitunen which had already been the winner of the first Tour de Ski, before her compatriot Aino Kaisa Saarinen - and Slovenian Petra Majdič. In the men of the Swiss Dario Cologna won without a single stage victory - except handicap start - before Petter Northug of Norway and Axel Teichmann, who won in three separate stages.

For the first time the Tour de Ski took place in three countries actually. In the first two sweeps once each Nové Město na Moravě and Oberstdorf had to cancel the organization in the short term. Throughout the Tour de Ski women laid back, a distance of 60 kilometers, the men ran a total of 102 kilometers.

• 3.1 overall
• 3.2 overall level sprint
• 3.3 Nations Cup
• 3.4 stages 3.4.1 Oberhof ( Prologue )
• 3.4.2 Oberhof ( tracking)
• 3.4.3 Prague ( Sprint)
• 3.4.4 Nové Město na Moravě ( distance race)
• 3.4.5 Nové Město na Moravě ( Sprint)
• 3.4.6 Val di Fiemme ( distance race)
• 3.4.7 Val di Fiemme ( mountain tracking)

• 4.1 Statement
• 4.2 Women
• 4.3 Men

• 8.1 Itinerary
• 8.2 Effects on the World Cup

Advance

Cancel

Even immediately after the discharge 2007/ 08 Swedish coach criticized the unfavorable schedule of the Tour de Ski a year later. Only a few days after this should take place in Vancouver, the test runs for the 2010 Winter Olympics, so the athletes would remain little time to relax.

In December 2008, the cancellation of some prominent cross-country skiers were increasing. Johan Olsson, who had already won a World Cup race, wanted to intensive preparation for the Nordic World Ski Championships in 2009, Odd - Bjørn Hjelmeset did not work for health reasons at the start. Simen Østensen who had successfully participated in the first two sweeps, was just like Betty -Ann Nilsen Bjerkreim not nominated. Austrian Christian Hoffmann failed due to a mild flu also not start and was replaced by Martin Stockinger.

Unlike Tobias Angerer, who recovered in time from his flu, had to cancel because of a virus and the Swiss Laurence Rochat. Voluntary renounced Sprint specialist Ola Vigen Hattestad, until then overall World Cup leader, to participate, as he looked at the Tour de Ski as too strenuous. Last prominter failure was last year's winner Charlotte Kalla, who finally called off just before the start of the Tour de Ski because of a cold.

Forecasts

Since even before the Tour de Ski took place seven World Cup races, the FIS these athletes acted before the tour as favorites. The selected top favorites are marked with an asterisk (*), the favorite with a superscript one (1). All unmarked athletes were viewed as a challenger. Also stated in the last column, which placement of the runners actually achieved.

While most predictions came true with the women disagreed many advantages favorites in the men's line with the top 10 athletes. Especially defending champion Lukas Bauer did not meet the targets set up to expectations, but he also focused particularly on the Nordic Ski World Championships, which took place in 2009 with Liberec in his home country. Even the later tour winner Dario Cologna was in front of the stage race as a possible favorite, because he had distinguished himself in the first World Cup competitions as an allrounder and was second place in the overall World Cup. Axel Teichmann saw himself before the Tour de Ski is not a favorite, but took over after good results in the first race this role.

World Cup

In the seven World Cup races before the Tour de Ski, both among women than among men, some athletes had distinguished themselves, including those who had until then hardly have appeared.

In the women's Aino Kaisa Saarinen, was indeed already become World Champion Season 2007, however, she had only celebrated a single World Cup victory. However, in November and December 2008 she appeared more responsive than in previous years and secured with four podium finishes in the first five races and two other top ten results of the lead in the overall World Cup. Only eight points behind, followed by the Slovenian Petra Majdič, which had already been strong in previous years, but rather than sprint specialist. This season she had decided all three discharged to the start of the tour sprints for what they brought to the favorites position especially for the sprint. On the third and fourth place were with Marit Bjørgen and Virpi Kuitunen two established athletes.

The overall classification of the gentlemen had with Ola Vigen Hattestad on a cross country skier, who won his only points in sprints, where he had it won in all three races. However Hattestad did not take as a pure sprint specialist participated in the Tour de Ski, so that the young Swiss Dario Cologna offered the chance to lead in the overall World Cup. The U23 World Champion had collected only a few points in the preseason and was therefore regarded as a surprise. To his good position in the World Cup helped him especially the all-rounder; even though he had only reached the podium, were already 208 points to his credit. Tor Arne Hetland With third place followed by another sprinter, distance runners and Fourth binned Johan Olsson renounced the tour start. Petter Northug in fifth had strongly shown in the season, especially in the distance races, in the Vorwintern he was also been successful in the sprint.

Overall World Cup stands before the Tour de Ski

Venues and race

Germany Oberhof:

• December 27: Prologue, free technology, single start, 2.5 km ( women) and 3.75 km (men).
• December 28: Chase, classic, handicap Start *, 10 km ( women) and 15 km (men).

Czech Republic Prague:

• DECEMBER 29: Sprint, free technique, mass start, 1 km ( women and men).

Czech Republic Nové Město na Moravě:

• December 31: distance races, classic, 10 km ( women) and 15 km (men).
• January 1: sprint free technique, mass start, 1 km (women and men ) ..

Italy Val di Fiemme:

• January 3: distance races, classic, mass start, 10 km ( women) and 20 km (men).
• January 4: mountain tracking, free technology, handicap Start *, 9 km ( women) and 10 km (men).

(* ) Handicap Start: This race will be started in the order of the current general classification, that is, the / the leader first. The start interval is derived from the difference of the total time between starters of all previously completed races.

Results

Total

A summary score based on the cumulative times of all seven tour stages. In sprint competitions while the qualifying time will be considered. Furthermore bonus seconds will be deducted from the last time, before it was added to the total time. Bonus seconds will be awarded in both sprint stages as well as in distance - stages.

For the Appreciation of the Tour de Ski four times the number of points according to FIS points system will be awarded to the top 30 athletes. These points are counted only for the overall World Cup.

First, the Germans Axel Teichmann and Claudia Nystad conquered as a prologue winner, the leader's jersey. Nystad lost on the second stage, a pursuit race after the prologue time, already in the first kilometers. From the six-strong leading group favorites now could put the Finn Virpi Kuitunen to the top of the overall standings. In the men this succeeded the Swiss Dario Cologna, who took the lead a few seconds before Teichmann. While Cologna as good sprinter 's jersey also defended the first sprint race in Prague, Kuitunen fell far behind, leaving the overall management of the Italian Arianna Follis. This, in turn, lost again Kuitunen the distance race in Nove Mesto na Moravě a lot of time, so the Finn and winner of the Tour de Ski 2006/ 07 sat back to the top. Cologna, however, succeeded this time to assert his leadership, although he lost to Axel Teichmann half a minute.

In the second sprint Aino Kaisa Saarinen - could conquer the jersey in the women as they better placed as Kuitunen. Cologna defended the tip again by reaching the final in this competition. Also in the mass start race in Val di Fiemme, the Swiss kept held the overall lead, but he only had one good half a minute ahead of his closest pursuer Axel Teichmann. For the third time Virpi Kuitunen went with the ladies back in front after they had secured some bonus seconds. On the last stage, finally, the two leaders at the top claiming, with Cologna clear Kuitunen won rather scarce.

Overall results after seven races:

Total Balance sprint

For the sprint bonus seconds awarded all counted. Since this could be achieved even at intermediate sprints during the mass start race, not only pure sprinters had the chance to win this championship. A maximum of 225 bonus seconds were reached in four races. Also refer to the following table:

In the prologue took over with Claudia Nystad and Axel Teichmann the winners of their respective races the top. Since at the same time classified in the women's competition Petra Majdič and Justyna Kowalczyk in third place, both received five bonus seconds. After the first sprint of Prague the jerseys of the leaders went to the two winners Arianna Follis and Tor Arne Hetland, who had been credited for 60 seconds each. While Hetland still in the overall standings remained further behind, Follis also took over the top there, so Claudia Nystad, who had collected a total of 57 bonus seconds the second most, was allowed to wear the jersey on the fourth stage.

Follis won the second sprint in Nove Mesto na Moravě and defended his lead significantly, as Hetland with his second place. Despite the double success in the sprints of the Italian failed to victory in the sprint, because Petra Majdič on the penultimate stage in the intermediate sprints have secured 35 bonus seconds and so Follis held at six seconds in the standings at a distance. Hetland, however, managed at the last stage with Zeitbonifikationen the defense of the jersey by itself moreover won fifteen seconds. Second was here the Swiss Dario Cologna.

Overall results after four races:

Nations Cup

For the national rankings, the two best male and female athletes of a nation be counted for each stage.

Overall results after seven races:

Stages

In pursuit competitions with handicap start the pure life is used to determine the stage of profit, so the finish does not have to be identical to the result of each stage. At each stage, 30 participants were awarded World Cup points for the best. These points were received both in the overall World Cup as well as in the discipline ratings. Prerequisite for the preservation of the World Cup points was the completion of all stages of the Tour de Ski.

Oberhof ( Prologue )

The start of the Tour de Ski 2008/2009 was marked on home turf by the German competitors. Claudia Nystad succeeded after moderate season opener unexpectedly her third victory in a World Cup competition. She referred the Italian sprint specialist Arianna Follis to second place. The third place was shared by the Mitfavoritinnen for this year's overall winner Petra Majdič and Justyna Kowalczyk.

In the men's race was dominated by Axel Teichmann. The Oberhofer referred by a margin of eight seconds the Swiss Dario Cologna clearly in second place. The Norwegian Petter Northug, Cologna was like an early contender this tour, came in third place.

Note: BS = bonus seconds

Oberhof ( tracking)

The race was started in the distances that had arisen in the prologue (handicap start), with the bonus seconds were considered. In the women, several groups formed in the front, most of the favorites were. Claudia Nystad rapidly fell back from the tip and could not keep up with the favorite group as well. In front the group of six to Virpi Kuitunen, Marit Bjørgen, Justyna Kowalczyk, Arianna Follis, Aino Kaisa Saarinen - and Petra Majdič long time remained quite compact before Majdič had to demolish a few kilometers from the finish. Just before the finish also got Kowalczyk, Follis and Saarinen slight residue of a few seconds. Virpi Kuitunen took over almost the overall lead ahead of Marit Bjørgen, less than ten seconds behind even the three fallen athletes. Only Majdič received a larger residue, which was just under half a minute.

On the men's Dario Cologna ran his 13 -second deficit to Axel Teichmann to already few kilometers after the start. These two cross-country skiers now formed a leadership group that held the distance to the very great persecutor of the field, always at about 25 seconds. Before the finish, took off Cologna scarce five seconds of Teichmann and thus conquered the top of the overall standings. Behind the Sami Jauhojärvi and Devon Kershaw placed on the third and fourth place.

Note: In this table, only the time is called, which reached the respective athlete on the tracking path and not the times of their arrivals. As the results, however, were quite close to each other in the prologue, the difference between these two results is not very clear.

Prague ( Sprint)

As in World Cup sprints first started all the runners in a personalized way past the prologue. The thirty athletes who had there needs the shortest time, qualified for a five quarterfinals à six starters. So it went in the knockout system on to the finals, where women and men six skiers took to the start. The places 7 to 12 were determined in the B-final. After that, the athletes were scheduled to receive their final results bonus seconds that have been deducted from the total time.

Already in the prologue of the men retired with Axel Teichmann of the second in the overall standings by then. In women, failed with the wearer of the red shirts, Virpi Kuitunen, a favorite early in the quarter-finals. After Dario Cologna was excreted in the men, no athlete from Germany, Austria or Switzerland qualified for the men's final. For women, this succeeded the German Claudia Nystad, however, rushed there and as the lead in the sprint could not defend, which was acquired by the winner Arianna Follis. Also in the men sat with Tor Arne Hetland the winner of the sprint to the top. In the overall classification of the ladies Kuitunen fell far behind, also took over the leadership Follis. Despite the semi-final at the front Dario Cologna, however, claimed in the men.

Note: The list is after the final sprint, so the achieved bonus seconds sorted. In addition, the prologue time is included in the overall standings, this is noted in the time column.

Note: BS = bonus seconds

Nové Město na Moravě ( distance race)

The distance race was the only addition to the prologue, which was run individually, that is, at fixed intervals of one-half or one minute.

For women, there were initially frequent changes in the fastest times before the the favorites came. Virpi Kuitunen fallen by Sprint in the overall standings, sat at each intermediate measurement point a new personal best, which eventually was below the previous more than a minute. Your competitors also lost a lot of time on the Finn, but kept the rest of the field is also clearly at a distance. Kuitunens wife Aino - Kaisa Saarinen country, overall World Cup leader, was at the finish nearly 40 seconds behind the leading Italierin Arianna Follis far even for one minute and 45 seconds. Kuitunen took over despite their residue before the race significantly the overall lead back.

In contrast to woman competition, the men's race was scarce. Surprisingly initially went the internationally less successful Kazakh Nikolai Tschebotko in the lead, which he held for long. Only Axel Teichmann, who had already won the prologue and how Kuitunen had fallen back in the sprint, undercutting as first favorite Tschebotkos default. Martin Johnsrud Sundby Previously Tschebotkos time had improved, but the Norwegian was five seconds behind Teichmann. After more favorites had been concerns residue, the Russian Vasily Rotschew was the last measurement point a Zwischenbestzeit translated. Rotschew, for a long time had been traveling together with Teichmann, but lost on the last three -kilometer round still about half a minute on the Germans. Dario Cologna also did not manage to its time, but verteigte the overall lead. For the Kazakhs Tschebotko ultimately achieved third place was his best so far successful World Cup result.

Nové Město na Moravě ( Sprint)

In the second sprint the rules of the first were. Since the course in Nove Mesto was rated much heavier than the distance of Prague City and also lay between the two sprints, the distance races over 9 or 15 km, also the distance runners figured out chances for a placement. In fact, qualified for both the ladies and the men's all the favorites for the quarter- finals. Also this took place in the women with the exception Justyna Kowalczyks without favorites failures while had to end his race in the men's Axel Teichmann, also the Finn Sami Jauhojärvi.

In the semifinals, failed in the women's overall leader Virpi Kuitunen, so that especially her compatriot Aino Kaisa Saarinen - offered the opportunity to take the lead. For men and Eldar Rønning Vasily Rotschew failed in the semifinal, Dario Cologna, however, able to advance to the finals, so he was able to extend his lead. In the B final won Sweden's Anna Haag and Rotschew. The final of the ladies began when Magda Genuin with their particularly well-stated skis took the lead. At the finish line it was finally passed by her teammate Arianna Follis, the so triumphed in the second sprint. Genuin also fell back behind the new overall leader Saarinen and Slovenian Petra Majdič and finished fourth.

In the final of the men were three of the six starters Norwegians. Petter Northug, otherwise known to attack in most races only on the home stretch, drove the Sprint as well as the previous rounds from the front. Nikolai Tschebotko who had qualified again after his first podium place on the eve of the finals, as well as Dario Cologna fell back a little. A triple triumph of Norwegians prevented only Cristian Zorzi, who placed himself in the victory Northugs in third place. Tor Arne Hetland kept thanks to his second place the lead in the sprint, just as Arianna Follis.

Note: BS = bonus seconds

Val di Fiemme ( distance race)

This competition was the only mass start of the entire Tour de Ski, which means that all participants started at the same time and the distances in the target were added to the total time. There were three and six points at each of which the first three athletes were given 15, 10 and 5 bonus seconds. These were received in the sprint.

In the women's race over 10 kilometers Virpi Kuitunen succeeded the victory, the Finn sat so for the third time back to the top of the overall standings. In addition, Kuitunen secured additionally 40 bonus seconds, with which they goal for the lead on their hardest Aino Kaisa Saarinen pursuer to 32 seconds. Petra Majdič that was in this race and second in the standings to third parties, also collected 35 bonus seconds. Thus, she won the sprint ahead of Arianna Follis, who had indeed triumphed in two special sprints, on the penultimate stage but missed out.

The first laps in the 20 -kilometer men's race was marked by constant attacks, so that the bonus seconds distributed to many athletes who returned were partially in the standings even further. After these attacks had been repelled from the great main draw, sprinted especially the two front runners Dario Cologna and Axel Teichmann to time bonuses. On the last lap Cologna tried once more to stand out from Teichmann, the German but was brought up by his teammate Jens Filbrich back to the front group and eventually took the final sprint his third stage victory. Behind it placed the Finn Sami Jauhojärvi and the Kazakh Nikolai Tschebotko, which already achieved his second podium result at the Tour de Ski. Cologna was two seconds behind Teichmann Fourth, although lost through the intermediate sprints twenty bonus seconds on the Germans, but retained the lead in the overall standings. Also in the sprint classification changed at the top of nothing, this Tor Arne Hetland defended.

Note: BS = bonus seconds

Val di Fiemme ( mountain tracking)

As in previous years, the decision of the Tour de Ski fell on the Final Climb Val di Fiemme. The Ladies Handicap race over nine kilometers started on the initially flatter terrain so that Virpi Kuitunen goal for her lead on the pursuer Aino Kaisa Saarinen - to six kilometers to more than 50 seconds. The third-ranked Petra Majdič lost initially also time to Kuitunen, then did, however, together with Saarinen. Together the two pursuers overtook more than half a minute on the Finn at the top on before again could not keep pace and Majdič Saarinen fell from her. Nevertheless Kuitunens succeeded compatriot on and overtake the leader, at the last split 900 meters before the finish was Saarinen 3.4 seconds before the last year's runner. Unlike last year, where Kuitunen had to win her rival Charlotte Kalla, she managed this time nor the return to the top. Now it was no longer possible Saarinen to keep Kuitunen, so they triumphed for the second time in the Tour de Ski. About half a minute after the winner was Petra Majdič the finish, then Justyna Kowalczyk of Poland, the Italian Marianna Longa and the Norwegian Therese Johaug, the feed with the best running time of the day from 11th place to sixth place. Other hand, a bad day got Johaugs teammate Marit Bjørgen, which lost six places and fell back from fourth to tenth. Overall, they had lost on the nine kilometers almost four minutes Johaug. Also a strong race completed Kristin Steira Størmer that by how Johaug still classified in the top 10.

For men, the leader Dario Cologna was the race as Kuitunen quickly, jumping to Axel Teichmann grew up at the beginning of the rise from 35 seconds to a minute. Behind a three-member group had assembled, which consisted of the Russian Vasily Rotschew and the two Norwegians Eldar Rønning and Petter Northug. This group in turn had more than one minute ahead of the one big chase group of ten athletes. Already during the first 500 meters of the increase Rønning dropped from Rotschew and Northug and was overtaken by the underlying group. From this Giorgio Di Centa deposed, who ran a strong race until then and also Cologna had taken a few seconds. Teichmann was 1.5 kilometers from the finish on the Alpe Cermis and a half minutes behind Cologna and ten seconds ahead of Rotschew and Northug. While the leading Swiss in the final kilometer had a calming projection, Teichmann kept his scarce time pad ten seconds, the two pursuers. With only ten to twenty seconds behind this was followed by two Italians di Centa and Pietro Piller Cottrer and the Frenchman Jean -Marc Gaillard. Shortly after the last time point measured Rotschew Northug could not stand, even though the latter successfully launched as a sprinter rather. While Rotschew was quickly overtaken by Giorgio Di Centa, Northug came up to Axel Teichmann and sprinted it to the finish line. The Norwegians had to be eventually been 59 seconds behind Dario Cologna, who won the Tour de Ski confidently without getting on a single stage Fastest. Di Centa came in fourth place, behind Rotschew, Gaillard and Piller Cottrer. Although last year's winner Lukas Bauer of the Czech Republic ran from rank 19 to eleventh place before, but still missed more than two minutes behind Cologna the top 10. However, the fastest of the day was surprisingly the Canadian Ivan Babikov which thereby however, in the overall standings hardly benefited and classifying with just over seven minutes behind the 36th place. Just 1.5 seconds slower than Babikov was Tom Reichelt, who finished the Tour de Ski as 29.

Note: In this table, only the time is called, which reached the respective athlete on the tracking path and not the times of their arrivals. The finish is in accordance with the final result of the Tour de Ski.

Note: BS = bonus seconds

World Cup points

This list shows the athletes are listed, the 2008/2009 were after the Tour de Ski on the first ten ranks in the overall standings. To this end, the points are before and after the Tour de Ski and called the placings in the individual steps. The latter points were awarded according to the following pattern.

In the overall standings of the Tour de Ski the best 30 athletes also still got four times the normal number of World Cup points of the FIS points system, the winner got to say their 400, the second 320, and so on ...

Explanation

• Place: The placement of the rotor in the World Cup after the Tour de Ski
• Name: The name of the athlete
• 1-7: The score obtained from the first seven normal World Cup races
• 8-14: The placements and points at the Tour de Ski competitions with links to the individual competitions
• Total: The placement in the overall standings and the associated score
• Points: The total number of points in the World Cup after the Tour de Ski
• Comments In the second stage were World Cup points after the finish, not awarded after the race result.
• The list is sortable: the list by clicking on a column header sorts by that column, double clicking reverses the sorting order. By clicking on multiple columns in succession can achieve any desired combination.

Women

Ratings in the itinerary

The table shows the leaders in their respective standings after each stage.

Prizes

Reporting

In 59 countries, including Germany, the sports channel Sport Euro took over the live broadcast of the Tour de Ski. This commentary commentator Stephane Franke and expert Viola Bauer for German-speaking viewers. Including that of public service broadcasters ARD and ZDF are submitted in addition to Euro Sport in Germany alternately partly live reports, some records of the Tour de Ski. When ZDF moderated Yorck Polus (excluding experts), the reporter was Peter Leissl, at ARD reported Jens -Jörg Rieck as a reporter of the stages. Due to the good performance of athletes from Switzerland and Dario Cologna before Tour de Ski is also the Swiss station SF two decided for reporting to the Tour de Ski. Here, some races should live, others are transferred to records. Overall, the final was shown live on the final climb to Alpe Cermis of twelve television stations.

Hindsight

Itinerary

The result of the women ultimately little surprised because Virpi Kuitunen had become First and Second already in the first two sweeps. The Finn himself said that this success was better for them than the previous ones because they have more to fight for victory. Your wife Aino - Kaisa Saarinen country remained generally satisfied with second place behind Kuitunen, even though she was " a little disappointed " directly after the tour.

For men, Dario Colognas victory came while unexpected, but was ultimately safely. The national media took the success of a Swiss in the considered rather as a fringe sport discipline cross-country skiing as the greatest success for more than 20 years; 1988 Andrew Green fields had won the Olympic bronze medal over 50 kilometers. Also, the Tour winner himself expressed satisfaction, however, as a major goal he gave the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Petter Northug, Cologna was like only 22 years old, said, Cologna and he will be " in the future often fight each other ." In the media also was of an incipient eternal duel of the question. The winner of the sprint, Tor Arne Hetland, was how Axel Teichmann delighted with the outcome of the Tour de Ski. The bottom line for the German men's team drew the German national coach Jochen Behle, the satisfaction with the services of male athletes, especially about the Axel Teichmann, was found.

Overall, media and certified trainer of the Tour de Ski, a positive development, but Jochen Behle Before criticized the division of runners who had strengths in a classic style and in the sprint. The Norwegian Vegard Ulvang, one of the developers of the Tour de Ski, however, saw a sign in the second rank of the Freestyle runner Petter Northug of men that the mixture between races of different styles right. On the final day of the Tour de Ski also their future was announced; because it had become well established and FIS president Gian- Franco Kasper was convinced of the stage race, it will continue until at least 2013. In this period, always Oberhof will also form the start of the tour and Val di Fiemme, including Final Climb the tour end. In addition, cities from Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Germany and the Czech Republic applied for further stages.

Impact on the World Cup

As expected, changed by assigning the maximum achievable 750 World Cup points (of which 400 alone for the win ) the overall standings of the World Cup clearly. The Leading up to that of men, Ola Vigen Hattestad, fell back by his non-attendance at the 13th position, by contrast, athletes such as Jean -Marc Gaillard or Vasily Rotschew improved significantly by their good tour placement. Not so much changed the classification of the ladies; there managed Virpi Kuitunen despite their victory not taking over the top, at the Kaisa Saarinen Aino still remained. Best athlete without tour participation was initially Charlotte Kalla than 19

A total of 400 points in the women's World Cup effected at the top bit, here won Justyna Kowalczyk (Tour Fourth ) before Petra Majdič (Tour third parties). The two Finns Saarinen and Kuitunen fell back to the third and fourth places. Unlike it was in the men where Dario Cologna long maintained the lead before Petter Northug went back to the top of the penultimate World Cup. However Cologna secured at the World Cup finals victory in the World Cup, so with the men for the third time in a row after Tobias Angerer and Lukas Bauer of the Tour de Ski winner also became the overall World Cup winner. While Ola Vigen Hattestad could still collect a lot of World Cup points and win the Sprint Cup, the overall World Cup but he had a good third behind Cologna and Northug great.