– Frida’s Tactical Blunder – VG

After Karlsson was in the lead for much of the race, Diggins ran away from teammate Rosie Brennan and the Swede. It was a tactical win for Diggins, who was completely exhausted in goal.

– Jessica made a smart run. Frida uses a lot of energy and takes the initiative. So the other two get what they want. It was a small tactical mistake by Frida, says Marit Bjørgen, as an expert on TV 2. She reminds us that this is Karlsson’s first Tour and that everyone must learn.

Anders Blomquist on SVT talks about the same thing on the Swedish broadcast:

– I think he throws a lot. Either you have to feel strong, or I think you should let others go a bit.

The same applies to Johanna Ojala in SVT’s “Winter Studio”:

– I think I could have let the Americans go. It would have saved energy if it had been cold.

Linn Svahn came out first and was in the lead for about two miles before Frida Karlsson took the lead. These two and Americans Jessica Diggins and Rosie Brennan stayed together for a while, but after just over three miles, Svahn had to let go. Karlsson was in front and the Americans chose to lie behind her.

In the last round, Rosie Brennan took the lead and hoped to get a hatch. But then Diggins walked away from the other two with about a kilometer to go. The American finally beat Brennan by 5.7 seconds and Karlsson 10.7 seconds.

– I don’t know where I got it from. I thought for each round that “now I let go”. But I managed to keep up to date, says Diggins in the FIS interview.

– We have a very good American team, where everyone supports each other.

Svahn won both Friday’s sprint and the 10km. Joint start on Saturday, the first two races of this edition of the Tour de Ski.

Before Sunday’s race, Slovenia won with its penalty appeal against Anamarija Lampic in the sprint. Thus, Linn Svahn started 19 seconds ahead of Jessica Diggins, and not 13 as was the case before Lampic won the appeal. Frida Karlsson started 20 seconds behind Svahn.

The Ski Tour continues in Toblach in two days.