Tour de Ski: Teichmann wins interval start

German Axel Teichmann claimed victory in the fourth leg of the Tour de Ski today in Nove Mesto (CZE). Swiss Dario Cologna maintained the tour overall lead finishing 15th.

German Axel Teichmann claimed victory in the fourth leg of the Tour de Ski today in Nove Mesto (CZE). Swiss Dario Cologna maintained the tour overall lead finishing 15th.

“I felt very comfortable today and I am very happy with this victory,” Teichmann says. “I am looking forward for tomorrow’s sprint race, my goal for the sprint is to reach the finals to get some bonus seconds for the overall lead in Tour de Ski.”

Teichmann won the classical technique race five seconds in front of Martin Johnsrud Sundby of Norway. In third place was Nikolay Chebotko (KAZ), 10,5 seconds behind the winner.

Cologna is now 16,3 seconds ahead of Vassili Rotchev (RUS) who took the 16th spot today. Teichmann is now in third.

On the womne’s side, Finland’s Virpi Kuitunen took the win in today’s interval start race. She finished 37.6 seconds ahead of teammate Anino-Kaisa Saarinen who finished second. In third was Norway’s Marti Bjoergen, 49.9 seconds behind the lead.

“This was a good day for me, it is not often when you can have a day like this,” Kuitunen says. “It was pure joy from the beginning to the end. From the start I felt great, I could use all the power to just glide and enjoy, the tracks were super and the audience was great.”

The win puts Kuitunen back in the overall-tour lead. Italian Arianna Follis, the leader after the yesterday’s event, finished 16th landing her in 6th place over all.

The tour stays in Nove Mestro tomorrow for the fifth stage, a mass start sprint race.

For full results and tour information click here.