Cross Country Skiing
Cross-country: Team boss Anders Byström: Not certain Sweden will use all Olympic quota places
January 02, 2026 / SVT Sport
Sweden has earned eight men's quota places for cross‑country at the 2026 Olympics but team leader Anders Byström says it is not guaranteed the country will fill them. Selection also depends on the Swedish Olympic Committee's requirement that athletes show results and form indicating they could contend for at least a 12th place.
Team-mates praise Moa Ilar after Tour de Ski podiums
January 02, 2026 / SVT Sport
Sweden’s Moa Ilar has produced a breakthrough Tour de Ski, taking multiple World Cup podiums including a 2nd place in the 20 km pursuit in Toblach and sitting second overall in both the Tour and the World Cup standings. Her teammates — including Frida Karlsson and others — praised her performances and celebrated her rapid rise this season.
Vilma Nissinen compares Vantaa to Mogadishu — Ski federation rejects comment, athlete apologises
January 02, 2026 / Yle
Finnish cross-country skier Vilma Nissinen caused controversy after comparing Vantaa’s Hakunila area to Mogadishu in a post-race interview during the Tour de Ski. The Finnish Ski Association disavowed the remark, stressed it does not tolerate racism, and Nissinen issued a public apology; Vantaa’s mayor and local partners also criticised the comparison.
Cross‑country: Calle Halfvarsson knocked out immediately in Finland
January 02, 2026 / SVT
Veteran Swedish sprinter Calle Halfvarsson was eliminated early at the Scandinavian Cup sprint in Vanda, Finland, failing to reach the quarterfinals and falling further behind in his preparations for the 2026 Olympics. The race was won by Jesper Persson (men) and Sofia Henriksson (women); fellow Swedish Olympic hopeful Oskar Svensson also failed to advance from qualifying.
Norwegian star Kristine Stavås Skistad warned again after Tour de Ski incident
January 02, 2026 / SVT Sport
The article reports that Norwegian skier Kristine Stavås Skistad received her third yellow card of the season after the 20 km pursuit stage in the Tour de Ski for double-poling in a technical zone. The warning means another yellow would lead to exclusion from the remainder of the Tour; the piece also recounts her earlier disqualification and red card incidents this season and includes reactions from Skistad and links to related interviews.
Tour de Ski — Teresa Stadlober third in 20 km pursuit
January 01, 2026 / krone.at
Teresa Stadlober took third place in the 20 km classical pursuit in Toblach during the Tour de Ski, finishing behind Jessica Diggins (USA) and Sweden's Moa Ilar. With the result Stadlober moves onto the Tour podium overall and praised her team's equipment and morale despite feeling near her physical limit.
Frida Karlsson on her crisis: “I just want to leave this place”
January 01, 2026 / SVT Sport
Sweden’s Frida Karlsson describes a deep loss of form during the Tour de Ski, calling Toblach a place she wants to leave after several disappointing stages. Despite moving up to 10th in the 20 km classical pursuit she remains frustrated and will continue racing with the Olympics about a month away.
Former national-team skier Ari Luusua returns to competition immediately after ban — to race in Scandinavia Cup
January 01, 2026 / Yle
Former Finnish national-team sprinter Ari Luusua will return to international competition as soon as his suspension ends, racing for his new club Tampereen Yritys in a Scandinavia Cup 10 km freestyle event in Vantaa. Luusua’s ban for substances detected in a 2021 sample ends 3 January 2026; he previously placed ninth in a World Cup classic sprint in Ruka (2016).
Jessie Diggins wins the pursuit in Toblach at the Tour de Ski
January 01, 2026 / L'Équipe
American Jessie Diggins, leader of the World Cup overall standings, won the 20 km pursuit stage in Toblach on Day 2 of the Tour de Ski and kept the race leader's position in the general Tour standings. She finished ahead of Sweden's Moa Ilar and Austria's Terese Stadlober; Léna (Léonie) Perry was the top French finisher in 33rd place.
Klaebo dominates again — wins 20 km pursuit in Toblach at Tour de Ski
January 01, 2026 / Sportschau (WDR)
Norway’s Johannes Høsflot Klæbo won the 20 km pursuit in Toblach — his 103rd World Cup victory — extending his lead in the Tour de Ski overall standings after four stages. Mattis Stenshagen was second, Sweden’s Edvin Anger took third ahead of Federico Pellegrino; Janosch Brugger was best German in 25th and Florian Notz moved up in the overall standings.
Kristine Stavås Skistad finished last in the pursuit — slow 20 km at Tour de Ski
January 01, 2026 / SVT
Norwegian sprint specialist Kristine Stavås Skistad finished 69th — last of 69 — in the 20 km pursuit stage of the Tour de Ski in Val di Fiemme, some 14 minutes behind winner Jessie Diggins. Skistad said she felt she ‘‘had never skied before’’ and her coach indicated she and teammate were saving energy for the upcoming sprint on the Olympic course.
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Reacts to Kristine Stavås Skistad's tactics in Tour de Ski: 'Could never have done something like that'
January 01, 2026 / Eurosport
Report from the fourth stage (20 km) of the 2026 Tour de Ski. The story highlights Kristine Stavås Skistad's surprisingly slow finish that drew criticism, while Julie Bjervig Drivenes and Heidi Weng delivered strong performances — Drivenes placing 9th and Weng posting the best stage time. Jessica Diggins won the women's stage by a large margin.