Hagen doubles up in Ramsau with dominant Gundersen win

Ida Marie Hagen (NOR) completed a dominant weekend in Ramsau with victory in Saturday’s women’s Gundersen, securing her third win in four Viessmann FIS Nordic Combined World Cup competitions this season and stretching her overall lead.

Starting the 5 km cross-country in sixth place, 1:19 behind 18‑year‑old jumping leader Ingrid Laate (NOR), Hagen quickly moved through the field. By halfway she had passed Laate and closed to within 6.7 seconds of Alexa Brabec (USA). Early on lap two she surged past Brabec and powered away to win in 14:41.9, 18.7 seconds clear. Defending overall champion Nathalie Armbruster (GER) finished third after starting 1:17 back, a strong rebound from her collapse in Friday’s Mass Start.

The triumph was Hagen’s fifth consecutive Ramsau win since December 2023 and her 20th individual World Cup victory, extending her overall standings lead to 60 points over Brabec and 90 over Katharina Gruber (AUT). Lisa Hirner (AUT) placed fourth with Gruber fifth.

In the HS98 Normal Hill round earlier, Laate again led the field with a massive 96.5 m jump after lowering the gate from 25 to 22. Brabec produced 93.0 m for 123.7 points to start 1:06 down, while Armbruster’s 89.5 m left her 1:17 back. Heta Hirvonen (FIN) jumped 91.0 m for fifth on the hill, and Hagen’s 90.5 m had her in sixth and 1:19 behind before she overturned the deficit on the tracks.

With the planned Schonach World Cup weekend (3–4 January) cancelled due to poor snow and warm weather, the women’s tour resumes in Otepää, Estonia, with three competitions from 9–11 January.

The podium: 1) Ida Marie Hagen (NOR), 2) Alexa Brabec (USA), 3) Nathalie Armbruster (GER).