Tour de Ski: Bauer, Kuitunen win opening CL races
NOVE MESTO NA MORAVE, Czech Republic — Lukas Bauer of the Czech Republic and Virpi Kuitunen of Finland won the opening races of the Tour de Ski on Friday.
NOVE MESTO NA MORAVE, Czech Republic — Lukas Bauer of the Czech Republic and Virpi Kuitunen of Finland won the opening races of the Tour de Ski on Friday.
Bauer covered the unusual 4.5-kilometer classical style race in 11 minutes and 15.6 seconds to beat Germany's Axel Teichmann by 1 second. Odd-Bjorn Hjelmeset finished third in 11:18.9.
Kuitunen, the defending tour champion, was fastest in the women's 3.3 kilometer classical style in 9:22.8, edging compatriot Aino Kaisa Saarinen by 0.7 seconds.
Poland's Justyna Kowalczyk was third, 1.9 seconds back.
This is the second edition of the Tour de Ski, after its inauguration last year. The tour includes eight races, and the overall time winner gets 400 World Cup points.
The tour continues Saturday with men's and women's freestyle pursuit races.
NOVE MESTO NA MORAVE, Czech Republic — Results Friday from a World Cup cross-country ski meet, the first of the eight-race Tour de Ski.
| Men |
|---|
| 4.5 kilometers, classic |
1. Lukas Bauer, Czech Republic, 11 minutes, 15.6 seconds.
2. Axel Teichmann, Germany, 1.0 second behind.
3. Odd-Bjorn Hjelmeset, Norway, 3.3.
4. Sami Jauhojaervi, Finland, 3.5
5. Mats Larsson, Sweden, 4.9.
6. Jens Arne Svartedal, Norway, 5.6
7. Dmitry Liashenko, Russia, 8.5.
8. Anders Sodergren, Sweden, 10.6.
9. Tor Arne Hetland, Norway, 12.8.
(tie) John Kristian Dahl, Norway, 12.8.
| Tour de Ski Standings |
|---|
| (After 1 of 8 events) |
1. Lukas Bauer, Czech Republic, 11 minutes, 0.6 seconds.
2. Axel Teichmann, Germany, 6.0 seconds back.
3. Odd-Bjorn Hjelmeset, Norway, 13.3.
4. Sami Jauhojaervi, Finland, 18.5.
5. Mats Larsson, Sweden, 19.9.
| Women |
|---|
| 3.3 kilometers, classic |
1. Virpi Kuitunen, Finland, 9:22.8.
2. Aino Kaisa Saarinen, Finland, 0.7 seconds behind.
3. Justyna Kowalczyk, Poland, 1.9.
4. Marit Bjorgen, Norway, 6.1.
5. Seraina Mischol, Switzerland, 13.0.
6. Julia Ivanova, Russia, 14.4.
7. Charlotte Kalla, Sweden, 14.5.
8. Olga Rotcheva, Russia, 14.8.
9. Valentina Shevchenko, Ukraine, 15.3.
10. Therese Johaug, Norway, 15.8.
| Tour de Ski Standings |
|---|
| (After 1 of 8 events) |
1. Virpi Kuitunen, Finland, 9:07.8.
2. Aino Kaisa Saarinen, Finland, 5.7 seconds behind.
3. Justyna Kowalczyk, Poland, 11.9.
4. Marit Bjorgen, Norway, 21.1.
5. Seraina Mischol, Switzerland, 28.0.
About the Author: Pete Rugh
