History on the Holmenkollen - Ragnhild Haga wins first women's 50km World Cup race
Double Olympic gold medallist Haga outsprinted fellow Norwegian Astrid Slind and USA's Jessie Diggins in the first contest since the FIS aligned World Cup cross-country skiing distances for men and women.
Cross-Country Skiing
Norway's Ragnhild Haga made history by taking the first women's FIS Cross-Country Skiing World Cup race over 50km in Oslo on Sunday (12 March).
The double Olympic gold medallist timed her sprint to perfection to win in 2:13:36.1, three-tenths ahead of team-mate Astrid Slind with USA's Jessie Diggins two-tenths further back.
Diggins was at the front of a lead group of 18 skiers, but made a rapid pit stop at halfway to change skis with most of her rivals following her.
Sweden's Moa Ilar and Victoria Carl of Germany missed the move, and Diggins and co soon closed the gap with Ilar dropping back and then Carl eventually losing touch.
Norway's Margrethe Bergane injected pace into proceedings before Diggins again hit the front to claim sprint bonus points with overall World Cup leader Tiril Udnes Weng right behind her.
Bergane kicked on again and the lead group was soon whittled down to seven with USA's Rosie Brennan and Finnish star Kerttu Niskanen unable to keep pace.
Diggins was momentarily left on the uphill section 2km from the finish, but she flew downhill to go into second as 35-year-old Slind made her victory bid.
The pair broke clear with Haga inside the last 400m as they entered the stadium, and it was the 32-year-old who just prevailed in a thrilling finish.
Haga, the 10km freestyle champion from PyeongChang 2018, wept tears of joy after claiming her first individual World Cup win since November 2017.
Weng was back in seventh with her lead over Diggins in the overall World Cup reduced to 87 points.
Results from Oslo Women's World Cup Mass Start 50km freestyle on 12 March 2023 (top 10):
- Ragnhild Gloeersen Haga (NOR) 2:13:36.1
- Astrid Oeyre Slind (NOR) +0.3
- Jessie Diggins (USA) +0.5
- Teresa Stadlober (AUT) +2.9
- Nora Sanness (NOR) +3.5
- Margrethe Bergane (NOR) +6.3
- Tiril Udnes Weng (NOR) +23.3
- Kerttu Niskanen (FIN) +1:31.0
- Patricija Eiduka (LAT) +1:31.2
- Eveliina Piiipo (FIN) +2:14.1
World Cup overall standings after Oslo Mass Start 50km on 12 March 2023
- Tiril Udnes Weng (NOR) 1635
- Jessie Diggins (USA) 1548
- Kerttu Niskanen (FIN) 1470
- Rosie Brennan (USA) 1309
- Frida Karlsson (SWE) 1220