Diggins celebrates on the Alpe Cermis

Originally published in sportschau.de on January 04, 2026

Tour de Ski: Diggins celebrates on the Alpe Cermis

Status: 04.01.2026 16:30

Jessica Diggins may celebrate again: the US skier has won the Tour de Ski overall classification for the third time. On Sunday (04.01.2026) she defended her comfortable lead by finishing second on the final uphill stage to Alpe Cermis in Val di Fiemme.

Diggins already won the Tour de Ski in 2021 and 2024 and at 34 years old secured the overall title once more. On the final climb she kept control of her large advantage in the general classification and by placing second preserved a lead of 2:17.7 minutes over Austria's Theresa Stadlober in the final standings. Diggins announced that this was her last Tour de Ski and that she will retire after the season.

Stage and day

The fastest on the gruelling climb to the Alpe Cermis was Norway's Karoline Simpson‑Larsen, who crossed the line 8.8 seconds ahead of Diggins. Heidi Weng, also from Norway, completed the day’s podium (+14.4 seconds). The Swedish sprinter Maja Dahlqvist won the intermediate sprint on the course.

German performance

Best German on the final stage was Helen Hoffmann, who finished tenth on the day (1:37.8 behind). Hoffmann, 23, said afterwards that she had started the race surprisingly far back but managed to motivate herself on the climb and move forward: "Just keep running," she said. German coach Peter Schlickenrieder praised her fight and mental strength. Hoffmann finished as the best German in the overall Tour de Ski classification in 13th place, 5:43 minutes down on Diggins. Katherine Sauerbrey was the second‑best German overall in 19th (+6:32.8).

Race notes

Diggins had set a strong tempo in the early part of the race and split the field, but on the transfer to the 3.5‑km final climb (420 m vertical) the pack closed up again. A leading group of five including Diggins formed and she kept her overall lead under control. With 1.5 km to go she dropped a little behind Heidi Weng and Simpson‑Larsen but fought back and overtook Weng again in the final metres to secure second on the stage and the overall win.

Men's final: Johannes Høsflot Klæbo won the men's Tour de Ski overall; the men's final climb winner is linked in the original coverage.
Full results and live ticker are available on the event pages.

Reporter: Raphael Crass