CROSS-COUNTRY:

XC: Bjoergen soars again, Kershaw 13th in France

Dec. 18, 2010

LA CLUSAZ, France — While Marit Bjoergen clinched another victory in 15-kilometer mass-start cross-country World Cup race Saturday, Canadian Devon Kershaw fought to a solid 13th-place finish on the men's side in the 30 km.

There were three Canadians in the top 25. Ivan Babikov challenged with the leaders in the middle part of the race before settling for 16th, and Alex Harvey tied for 24th with Kris Freeman of the U.S.
 
Maxim Vylegzhanin of Russia was the winner in a photo finish with Petter Northug of Norway. Alex Legkov of Russia was .4 seconds back in third.

Bjoergen, the overall World Cup leader, finished in the final sprint just 1 second ahead of Justyna Kowalczyk of Poland. The third spot went to Kristin Steira from Norway, 10.9 seconds behind the winner.

Bjoergen has won every World Cup race thus far this season. Saturday, she quickly opened up a gap on the rest of the start field. Only Kowalczyk and  Steira could keep up with Bjoergen. The trio skied together the whole race and increased the gap on group of chasers led by Arianna Folllis and Marianna Longa, both from Italy.

On the second-to-last uphill, Steira made an attack, but the group was not split and on the final hill Kowalczyk tried her luck, but Bjoergen followed her until the final straight, where Bjoergen showed her strength and claimed her 42nd World Cup win.

Bjoergen has 760 points in the overall World Cup ranking. Kowalczyk is second with 539 World Cup points and Follis third with 414 points.

“I’m very happy,” Bjoergen said. “It is amazing. I have 42 victories, as Bente Skari, and I will hopefully beat her. I felt great. My skis were excellent and my shape was very good today. I am also happy for Kristin to be on the podium. She attacked in the uphill in the last lap as well as Kowalczyk and I had to fight hard. We created quite fast a gap on the rest of the field.”  S-Magazine