The first A to B race in the FIS Tour de Ski, the winners and also the new Tour leaders were Petter Northug (NOR) and Arianna Follis (ITA).

Petter Northug won a three-man sprint finish to claim the fifth stage of the Tour de Ski from Cortina D'Ampezzo to Toblach. He took the victory after this tough race over 36 km on his birthday 0,4 seconds ahead of last year's Tour de Ski winner Dario Cologna (SUI). Markus Hellner from Sweden took the third place, 0,8 seconds behind Northug.

The exciting race mixed up the Tour de Ski ranking a bit. Northug reclaimed the lead while Cologna is now on second place. Hellner is now on third position while still Jena Marc Gaillard (FRA), Matti Heikkinen (FIN) and Axel Teichmann (GER) have still good chances to be on the podium in the Tour de Ski. So far between Northug and Teichmann are only 22,3 seconds gap.

In the Sprint Tour ranking, Simen Oestensen (NOR) took over the lead with 1:24min while Markus Hellner is second in this ranking with 1:22min.

"It was a very tough race for me today. I tried to stay in th first group but I could not make it. In the overall Tour de Ski standing I have lost too much time and my goal now is to go for the Sprint Bib and win the Tour de Ski sprint ranking." said Simen Oestensen (NOR). Oestensen is the FIS Tour de Ski Sprint Leader

"It was a tough race. Tougher than I had expected. First 20 km was uphill. It was not steep but it was long. On the top I actually felt quite tired. The downhill afterwards was quite demanding as well as I had to work almost the time to maintain the speed. I tried to stay in the group with Dario (Cologna) and Markus (Hellner). It was a very special race going from Cortina to Toblach. It was exciting to go the tunnel, bridges, long uphill then long donwhil and last 3,3 km. It was also special as the first 20 km were uphil and the last 15 km downhill." added Petter Northug jr. (NOR). Northug regained the Overall Tour de Ski Leader bib.

Arianna Follis took the home victory in Toblach

Arianna Follis (ITA) was able to made a home victory in Italy on the 17 km long course from Tre Cime to Toblach in a time of 34:34.8min. She won after an amazing finish on the last 400m 3,4 seconds ahead of Petra Majdic (SLO). The Polish top athlete Justyna Kowalcyk took the third place 4,1 seconds behind Follis. The inrun of today's race is also the new Tour overall standing. In a good tactical race of Follis, Majdic and Kowalcyzk, which all worked together to caught up Aino Kaisa Saarinen, Majdic was the first who was attacking for the victory. About 2,5 km ahead of the finish, Majdic increased her speed and made a gap to Follis and Kowalczyk, but on the last uphill Follis contered and claimed victory in the rebuild stadium of Toblach.

After the fast race, it seems that only four female athletes have chances to take the overall victory: Follis, Majdic, Kowalczyk and as well Saarinen (27,6 seconds behind Follis). In the sprint ranking Majdic is still leading with 1:55min and Saarinen is in the runner up position with 1:36min.

Petra Majdic - Sprint leader
"I am very happy about my 2 nd place. It went better than I anticipated. We cooperated very well with Arianna. We wanted to ski as fast as possible to catch Aino Kaisa. I had good overview what is going behind me. After the start I was afraid that Kristin Steira will be fast and will try to catch us but it did not happen. I had a few words with Arianna before the start in Cortina. We have known each other a long time and we did not have to discuss long our tactics. I was feeling very strong like never before on the Tour. Therefore I decided to attack after having gone through the stadium. However, I started my attack one uphill too early and the other girls were hanging behind. Arianna had more energy in th finish. I am very happy for her that she won on her home soil."

Arianna Follis - Tour leader
"I am extremely about my victory. It is the first race of Tour de Ski in my home country and I won. I am also excited that I wear the Overall leader bib. On the other hand I realize that Tour de Ski will finish on Sunday on Alpe Cermis and there are still races to go. It was a nice new thing the start and finish in different places. It brings along though some logistical challenges for our team. Tomorrow it will a bit more difficult as the race in classic style and I am not so strong as in free technique."

Tomorow an invidual start competition over 5 km (ladies) and a 10km (men) in classical style will take place as the 6th stage of the Tour de Ski in Toblach.

FIScrosscountry.com
Wednesday 6 January 2010