At the top of the field, Simen Hegstad Krüger (NOR) and Sjur Røthe (NOR) raced the first few kilometers together, but were well aware that their chasers were getting closer and closer, who started 17 to 34 seconds later. After four kilometers, the group led by Alexander Bolshunov (RUS) reached the leading duo and the Russian initially rested a bit until he took the lead again at the end of the second lap. Over the next few kilometers, Pål Golberg (NOR) tried several times to break away from the group, which was always thwarted. His last attack shortly before the finish was his most successful: Bolshunov tried again to close the gap and came very close on the home stretch - but the Norwegian was able to gain the victory just before the Russian and thus the lead in the Ski Tour ranking. Third place went to Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget, who started 11th with 34 seconds back. With the fastest net time, he achieved his first podium outside of a handicap race. Hans Christer Holund (NOR, Fischer ***) finished fifth. Martin Johnsrud Sundby (NOR, Fischer ***) lost the connection one lap before the end and finished seventh. After a kinky first race, Iivo Niskanen (FIN, Fischer ***) started a great catch-up from 27th place and did a lot of leadership in the chasing group, which included Dario Cologna (SUI, Fischer ***) and Erik Valnes (NOR, Fischer ***), who also always stayed in the front positions. In the final sprint, the Norwegian showed his sprint qualities and secured eighth place ahead of Niskanen and Cologna.
Despite her big lead of 46 seconds, Therese Johaug looked extremely nervous at the start: Normally nobody can catch up with her, but the heavy snow that had started since the men's race probably worried the Norwegian. Completely unfounded, as it quickly turned out - there didn't seem to be any big wax differences. Already in the first few kilometers Therese Johaug was able to extend her lead over the chasing trio with Ebba Andersson (SWE, Fischer ***), Ingvild Flugstad Østberg and Heidi Weng. Johaug's lead, who played the snow plow for three laps, melted over the last two kilometers to 57 seconds, only running the third fastest time of the day (only five seconds slower than Lampic and Karlsson). On the last climb, Ebba Andersson attacked and was the first into the descend, but both Norwegians passed her in the stadium and the Swede had no energies left. Heidi Weng, who was skiing in third position in the group for the entire race, took second place in the finish sprint ahead of her compatriot and Ebba Andersson, who missed the podium.
Frida Karlsson (SWE, Fischer ***) again started out very fast from the beginning after finishing 19th yesterday and soon took the lead in the group from fifth place. In the final sprint she was overtaken by all the athletes in her group and finished 13th. For her the Ski Tour is now over as planned. In the end, three athletes escaped slightly outside the stadium, including Anamarija Lampic (SLO, Fischer ***), who again proved to be the group's strongest sprinter after another strong distance race. Teresa Stadlober (AUT, Fischer ***) took seventh place. Natalia Nepryaeva (RUS, Fischer ***), who feels a little sick, but decided to continue the Ski Tour after the first stage, came in twelfth ahead of Karlsson.
=> 10km C Pursuit Östersund (SWE)
* = Fischer skis
** = Fischer skis and bindings
*** = Fischer skis, bindings and boots
