Claudia Nystad took the prologue of the Tour de Ski cross country series in her former hometown of Oberhof by 1.1 seconds over Italian Ariana Follis. Slovene Petra Majdic and Pole Justyna Kowalczyk tied for third with World Cup leader Aino Kaisa Saarinen back in eighth place.

Claudia Nystad took the prologue of the Tour de Ski cross country series in her former hometown of Oberhof by 1.1 seconds over Italian Ariana Follis. Slovene Petra Majdic and Pole Justyna Kowalczyk tied for third with World Cup leader Aino Kaisa Saarinen back in eighth place.

"I am happy to win," Nystad told the DPA, "but now come the more difficult races."

The men's slightly longer prologue (3.7k vs 2.8k) also went to a German as Axel Teichmann powered over the hilly course for an 8.2 second margin over Swiss Dario Cologna. Norway's Petter Northug was third, 13 seconds back.

The Canadian men had a decent day with Devon Kershaw in fifth and George Grey ninth. The U.S. had no entries.

The Tour de Ski covers seven stages at four sites with the overall winner gaining 400 World Cup points and $119,500.