Cross Country Skiing
Shortest Tour de Ski ever — Johannes Høsflot Klæbo dislikes the trend
December 31, 2025 / NRK
Johannes Høsflot Klæbo and other top cross‑country skiers criticize this season’s greatly shortened Tour de Ski, saying stages have become too short and less challenging. Organisers cite sustainability, equality and the upcoming Milano‑Cortina Olympics as reasons for the reduced distance and travel, but athletes and experts urge FIS to restore a tougher, more prestigious tour format.
Jessie Diggins dominates the heat mass-start at the Tour de Ski and extends her overall lead
December 31, 2025 / L'Équipe
At the Toblach stage of the Tour de Ski Jessie Diggins won the new heat mass-start format convincingly, claiming her second victory of the season and increasing her lead in the Tour standings. American teammate Gus Schumacher had earlier won the men’s heat mass-start; Léonie Perry was the top French finisher in fourth.
Diggins dominates Toblach 5km to take control of Tour de Ski
December 31, 2025 / FIS (fis-ski.com)
Jessie Diggins (USA) won the women’s 5km Heat Mass Start Free in Toblach to take charge of the shortened 2025–26 Tour de Ski, adding to an already strong mid‑Tour sequence. The race — a new 5km format with a punchy climb — saw Diggins pull away on the final ascent to claim her 27th World Cup victory, with Emma Ribom and Moa Ilar rounding out the podium.
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Lars Heggen back on the podium in Tour de Ski — new format draws strong criticism: “Silly”
December 31, 2025 / Eurosport
The article reports that 20-year-old Norwegian Lars Heggen finished third in the innovative group-heat 5 km free stage at the Tour de Ski in Toblach, his second podium of the event. The new heat-based format — four separate heats with final rankings decided by time — has drawn criticism from athletes (including Simen Hegstad Krüger and Jules Chappaz) who call it unfair, while some commentators and FIS defend it as adding international diversity to results.
Schumacher handles the heat to win new 5km race
December 31, 2025 / FIS
Gus Schumacher won the new 5km Freestyle Mass Start at the Toblach stage of the 2025/26 Tour de Ski, prevailing in a time-trial style race run as four heats. Young Norwegian Lars Heggen and Austria's Benjamin Moser joined Schumacher on the podium, while Johannes Høsflot Klæbo—despite pre-race nerves—finished well down the timesheets and retained his overall Tour lead.
Mogren on the new format: "Unfair — but exciting"
December 31, 2025 / Sveriges Radio (Radiosporten)
Radiosporten reports that Tour de Ski introduces a new third-stage format: a 5 km freestyle where athletes are split into four heats and each skier's finish time counts toward the overall standings. Swedish expert Torgny Mogren calls the change risky and "unfair", but admits it also adds excitement to the competition.
Heidi Weng thinks of Ebba Andersson and Frida Karlsson when she hears the word ‘fiasco’
December 31, 2025 / SVT Sport
Norwegian veteran Heidi Weng, 34, says she refuses to accept the label “fiasco” after a difficult start to the Tour de Ski. She points to Swedish skiers Ebba Andersson and Frida Karlsson as examples of athletes who can recover — noting they performed poorly earlier but peaked at world championships — and will start tomorrow’s 20 km classical pursuit close behind them.
Frida Karlsson explains the bloody images
December 31, 2025 / SVT Sport
During a rest day in the Tour de Ski Frida Karlsson injured herself during an evening training session and posted bloody images on social media. In an interview with SVT Sport she downplays the wound, and also reflects on a disappointing 52nd place in the new 5 km mass-start heats format.
Iivo Niskanen proposes change to Tour de Ski after new ‘heat’ format sparks criticism
December 30, 2025 / Yle
Yle reports on a new, experimental race format used in the Tour de Ski where 5 km races are run as timed heats (multiple mass-start heats with results by time). Finnish skiers including Iivo Niskanen, Lauri Vuorinen, Joni Mäki and Martin Löwström Nyenget comment; Niskanen calls the format artificial and suggests trying the Alpe Cermis climb in classic technique. The story includes the Toblach/Val di Fiemme schedule and TV info.
Russian coach at centre of Tour de Ski confusion — car and parking permit now under scrutiny
December 30, 2025 / Yle
The article describes controversy around Russian coach Yegor Sorin’s presence at the Tour de Ski. CAS overturned FIS’s blanket ban on Russian/Belarusian athletes, some Russians received neutral status and are competing, but Sorin — who coaches several Russians including Saveli Korosteljov and Aleksandr Bolshunov — has no neutral accreditation. Reports say he used a vehicle with a neutral-athlete parking permit; FIS later revoked the permit and is investigating.
Moa Ilar on the new Tour format: “Will be much based on luck”
December 30, 2025 / Sveriges Radio (Radiosporten)
Swedish skier Moa Ilar comments on a new Tour de Ski stage format introduced mid-tour: a 5 km freestyle where skiers are divided into four heats and times count toward the overall standings. Ilar, currently fifth overall after two of six stages, says she has mixed feelings and thinks the format will put more emphasis on luck.
Tough races for Eric Rosjö and Truls Gisselman — chasing Olympic spots: “Bitter”
December 30, 2025 / SVT Sport
At the Tour de Ski stage in Toblach the Swedish men had a difficult day in the 10 km classical race, jeopardising their push for the remaining Olympic quota places for Milano–Cortina 2026. Eric Rosjö and Truls Gisselman expressed disappointment after underperforming in a race that is crucial for Sweden’s final OS selections.