Cross Country Skiing
Good news: Sweden gets one more men’s cross-country Olympic quota spot
December 29, 2025 / Sveriges Radio (Radiosporten)
The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) has awarded Sweden an additional men’s cross-country skiing quota place for the 2026 Winter Olympics. This brings Sweden to a full men’s squad of eight skiers, matching the already-secured eight for the women (men had previously been guaranteed seven). William Poromaa, Edvin Anger, Alvar Myhlback, and Anton Grahn are already selected, meaning three of four sprint berths are filled while distance spots remain more open.
Slind tames tricky Toblach track to win 10km Classic
December 29, 2025 / FIS - International Ski Federation
Astrid Oeyre Slind won the 10km Interval Start Classic in Toblach, mastering an icy, undulating course to claim her fourth World Cup victory. The race saw notable absences from Jonna Sundling and Therese Johaug; Teresa Stadlober and Jessie Diggins rounded out the podium challengers, while several favourites struggled with wax and tactics. The event is part of the Tour de Ski, which continues with a 5km Heat Mass Start Freestyle in Toblach.
Stenshagen beats Klaebo to Toblach 10K to show Norway power
December 29, 2025 / FIS
Mattis Stenshagen claimed his first FIS Cross‑Country World Cup victory by winning the 10km Interval Start Classic in Toblach, finishing ahead of countryman Johannes Høsflot Klæbo. The result — part of a strong spell for several young Norwegians — intensifies competition inside Norway for places at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics.
Klaebo beaten by Stenshagen in Tour de Ski stage 2; France’s Shely cracks top 15
December 29, 2025 / L'Équipe
Norway’s Mattis Stenshagen earned his first World Cup win in the 10 km classic individual start at Toblach, edging overall leader Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, with Emil Iversen third for a Norwegian sweep. France’s Théo Shely finished 13th after stepping up from the FESA Cup, while Hugo Lapalus and Jules Chappaz placed 16th and 20th respectively. In the women’s 10 km classic, Astrid Øyre Slind won ahead of Teresa Stadlober and Kerttu Niskanen, as Jessie Diggins took over the overall lead.
Cross-country: Alvar Myhlback and William Poromaa’s disappointment: “The worst there is”
December 29, 2025 / SVT Sport
Sweden’s Alvar Myhlback and William Poromaa struggled in the men’s 10 km classic at the Tour de Ski stop in Toblach. Myhlback finished 58th, nearly two minutes behind winner Mattis Stenshagen, while Poromaa placed 24th about one minute back; both expressed frustration but said quitting the Tour is not an option, and Poromaa admitted he feels Olympic pressure after a slow start to the season.
Cross-country in Toblach: German men face Olympic qualification doubts
December 29, 2025 / Sportschau (ARD)
Germany’s men struggled again on Stage 2 of the Tour de Ski in Toblach, with Florian Notz only 28th and Friedrich Moch down in 66th over 10 km classic, putting Olympic qualification in jeopardy for most of the team. Norway’s Mattis Stenshagen won the stage, while overall leader Johannes Høsflot Klæbo already holds a 53-second advantage after two stages. Janosch Brugger was 29th on the day and is the best German in the overall Tour standing at 29th; only Notz is currently assured of an Olympic berth.
Tour de Ski: Strong Rydzek stays on overall podium
December 29, 2025 / SPORT1
Germany’s Coletta Rydzek finished 15th in the women’s 10 km classic on stage two of the Tour de Ski, preserving third place in the overall standings after her sprint runner‑up on day one. Astrid Øyre Slind won the stage ahead of Teresa Stadlober and Jessie Diggins, with Diggins taking the overall lead. Olympic champion Katharina Hennig (listed as Hennig Dotzler) placed 10th and met the Olympic qualification standard; Katherine Sauerbrey was 16th and Pia Fink 21st.
After the Olympic allocation: “I don’t see eight men who can perform at that level”
December 29, 2025 / Sveriges Radio - Radiosporten
Sweden has been allocated eight men’s quota spots in cross‑country skiing for the 2026 Winter Olympics, up from the seven previously guaranteed. Despite the extra place, expert Torgny Mogren doubts there are eight Swedish men capable of delivering at Olympic level and questions whether more athletes should be added to the selection.
Tour de Ski Toblach: Hennig Dotzler hits Olympic standard, Rydzek impresses again
December 29, 2025 / Sportschau
Astrid Øyre Slind won the women’s 10 km classic in Toblach, edging Teresa Stadlober by seven seconds, with Jessie Diggins third. Germany’s Katharina Hennig Dotzler finished 10th to meet the German Olympic selection standard, while Coletta Rydzek followed up her sprint podium with a career‑best 15th over 10 km; head coach Peter Schlickenrieder praised a strong team performance with six Germans in the top 30.
Tour de Ski: Lars Heggen rebuked by experts and coach — fires back after breakthrough podium
December 28, 2025 / NRK Sport
Norway’s 20-year-old Lars Heggen earned his first World Cup podium in the Tour de Ski sprint opener in Toblach, finishing second behind Johannes Høsflot Klæbo and ahead of Oskar Opstad Vike. Despite praise, Heggen was criticized by NRK experts and sprint coach Arild Monsen for easing up before the finish in his quarterfinal; Heggen insisted it was a calculated move. Klæbo lauded Heggen’s rise but warned against repeating his own 2018 Ruka mistake, while Monsen called Heggen a ‘full-blooded’ skier with a big future.
Cross-country skiing: Drone camera appears over Swedish skiers during Tour de Ski sprint
December 28, 2025 / SVT Sport
During the Tour de Ski sprint opener, a drone-mounted camera followed the athletes around the entire course, drawing reactions from Sweden’s Moa Ilar and Moa Lundgren. Ilar noticed the drone when others were racing, while Lundgren welcomed the technology for the comprehensive course views it provides to spectators and teams. Both said they didn’t hear it while competing.
Tour de Ski opens in Toblach: Joensuu puzzled after semi, Vuorinen’s rare qualifying exit; Klæbo and Skistad win sprints
December 28, 2025 / Yle
Tour de Ski began in Toblach with freestyle sprints and mixed results for Finland. Jasmi Joensuu qualified third and reached the semifinals but slipped to 11th, suspecting equipment issues on the downhills; Jasmin Kähärä missed the semis by one hundredth. On the men’s side, Lauri Vuorinen suffered a rare qualifying elimination, while Johannes Høsflot Klæbo won for his 102nd World Cup victory and Kristine Stavås Skistad took the women’s final amid early crashes.