In Dresden, the team sprint changed for the first time after every 650 meter lap, so that the overall distance remained unchanged, but each runner was used six times. The tactics of the Swedish favorites Maja Dahlqvist and Linn Svahn were already clear in the run-up: Maja Dahlqvist increased the pace early and ensured that the duo was able to break away easily. It was the same in the final where Dahlqvist picked up the pace on lap seven. Her partner Linn Svahn slowed down again after the change, but after Dahlqvists started again in lap nine she also kept the speed high, so that the lead was already relatively clear. In Maja Dahlqvist's last lap, however, the Swedes left their strength somewhat, so that the strong Swiss women were the only ones to close the gap through Laurien van der Graaff. Now Linn Svahn and Nadine Fähndrich were fighting for victory, followed by Sweden II and Norway I for third place. Linn Svahn ran her entire final lap from the beginning until Nadine Fähndrich pushed next to her on the home stretch. They moved closer and closer to the finish line and in the end decided 0.09 seconds in favor of the Swede. "It was our strategy to increase the pace on my last three laps to give Linn a good start," said Maja Dahlqvist. Her team-mate Linn Svahn added: "It is nice that Sweden II is also on the podium. It is a great atmosphere in a city sprint, especially when the sun comes out. We often do good races when the sun is shining. " Evelina Settlin and Linn Sömskar narrowly prevailed against Julie Myhre (NOR, Fischer ***) and Maiken Caspersen Falla (NOR, Fischer ***) in the final sprint, so that the Norwegians remained without a podium today. The Americans Julia Kern (USA, Fischer **) and Sophie Caldwell (USA) took fifth place ahead of the Russians Nina Dubotolkina (RUS) and Hristina Matsokina (RUS, Fischer ***).
In the men's team sprint final, the pace was slow for a long time. Pål Trøan Aune (NOR, Fischer ***) increased the pace in the ninth round and he and his colleague Eirik Brandsdal (NOR, Fischer ***) were always at the top on the next two laps. With a perfect last change, Norway I, represented by Håvard Solås Taugbøl (NOR) and Sindre Bjørnestad Skar (NOR, Fischer ***), took the lead and set a high pace, followed by France's Lucas Chanavat and Eirik Brandsdal. On the home stretch, Sindre Skar and Lucas Chanavat fought head-to-head for the victory, which the French duo Renaud Jay and Lucas Chanavat ultimately secured. For France it was the first World Cup victory in a team sprint. Since Skar ran out of steam in the finish sprint, the Swedes Marcus Grate and Johan Häggström moved into second place. The Russian Gleb Retivykh, in a team with Andrey Krasnov, also snaked past the Norwegian, who was only fourth before Norway II. Surprisingly, the Italians were already among the defeated on Pellegrino's penultimate round, so that Stefan Zelger (ITA, Fischer ***) and Federico Pellegrino (ITA) could not get past sixth.
* = Fischer skis
** = Fischer skis and bindings
*** = Fischer skis, bindings and boots
