Tour de Ski

The logo of the Tour de ski

The Tour de Ski (TdS) is a cross-country skiing event held annually since 2006 (2006/2007 season) in Central Europe, modeled on the Tour de France of cycling. Each Tour de Ski has consisted of six to nine stages, held during late December and early January in the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland. The prize money for the event amount to 1,055,000 Swiss francs (844,000 euros),[1] shared out on both men and women. Men's and women's events are held together on the same days, with the only difference being the distance skied.

History

Cross-country skiing had been through a period of renewal from the early 1980s, when the free technique was first introduced to the World Championships which led to a rush of new events, including pursuit skiing, sprint skiing and eventually long mass start races, to complement the old time trial or individual start style of skiing. The Tour is another such new event, and the idea has been reported to come from former Olympic gold medallist Vegard Ulvang.[2] Ulvang has also brought up the idea of a tour of the Barents Region, Tour de Barents, with races in Kirkenes (Sandnes) and Vadsø in Finnmark and Murmansk in Russia.[3]

Jürg Capol, FIS' chief executive officer for cross-country competitions, said that FIS originally wished to start the race in the Alps. However, as neither Austria or Switzerland were interested, the opening two races were to be held in Nové Město na Moravě in the Czech Republic.[4] A week before the Tour was due to start, FIS announced that snow conditions in Nové Město were not good enough, and cancelled the two races there.

Skiers from France,[5] Germany[6] and Norway, among others, said that the Tour de Ski was among their targets for the 2006–07 season, with Norwegian skier Jens Arne Svartedal claiming that the winner would have "extreme respect" for winning such an extreme race.[7]

After the first Tour, reactions among athletes were largely positive. Norwegian athletes said "it was a good concept",[8] German winner Tobias Angerer claimed the Tour "has a great future",[9] though many of the athletes expressed concern over the final climb up an alpine skiing hill both before and after the race.[10] The director of FIS' cross-country committee, Vegard Ulvang, said the finish would be in the same place next year, but the way up could be changed.[10] Ulvang also claimed that the Tour had been a success, and a "breakthrough for FIS"[11] Ulvang did, however, admit that there would have to be some changes, as up to a third of participants in the Tour have struggled with illness or injury after the competition.[12]

Newspaper comments were divided: in Expressen's opinion, the finish was the "most enjoyable competition seen in years,"[13] while Roland Wiedemann in Der Spiegel said this "should be the future of cross-country skiing".[14] Critical commentaries appeared in Göteborgs-Posten, criticising the fact that sprinters didn't have a chance in the overall standings,[15] and Wiesbaden Kurier, describing it as a reality show and a skiing circus.[16]

The next Tour was held between 28 December 2007 and 6 January 2008, in the Czech Republic and Italy.[9] Oberstdorf in Bavaria was originally scheduled to host two races, but cancelled as the German Ski Association could only arrange a race on 2 January.[17]

At a meeting in Venice, Italy, on 7 May 2009, TdS officials met with official from the Giro d'Italia road bicycle racing to learn from the stage race to further improve TdS competition for the 2009–2010 event.[18]

Race structure

Ranking

The overall results are based on the aggregate time for all events, as well as bonus seconds awarded on sprint and mass start stages.

The two sprint races carry bonus seconds for the finish, which are subtracted from the overall time.

In mass start competitions, intermediate points carry bonus seconds; 15 to the winner, 10 to number two, and 5 to number three. The same amount of seconds are awarded at the finish.

The final stage of the race includes heavy climb up to Alpe Cermis. The competitors start with the gaps they have from earlier stages, so the first one on the top is the overall winner.

Record holders

Overall winners

 Justyna Kowalczyk (POL) 4 (2009/2010, 2010/2011, 2011/2012, 2012/2013)

 Dario Cologna (SUI) 3 (2008/2009, 2010/2011, 2011/2012)

 Martin Johnsrud Sundby (NOR) 2 (2013/2014), (2014/2015)

 Lukáš Bauer (CZE) 2 (2007/2008, 2009/2010)

 Virpi Kuitunen (FIN) 2 (2006/2007, 2008/2009)

 Alexander Legkov (RUS) 1 (2012/2013)

 Charlotte Kalla (SWE) 1 (2007/2008)

 Tobias Angerer (GER) 1 (2006/2007)

 Therese Johaug (NOR) 1 (2013/2014)

 Marit Bjørgen (NOR) 1 (2014/15)

Most overall wins in a row

 Justyna Kowalczyk (POL) 4 (2009/2010, 2010/2011, 2011/2012, 2012/2013)

 Dario Cologna (SUI) 2 (2010/2011, 2011/2012)

 Martin Johnsrud Sundby (NOR) 2 (2013/2014, 2014/2015)

Winner list

Men

Year Overall Sprint cup
1st 2nd 3rd
2007  Tobias Angerer (GER)  Alexander Legkov (RUS)  Simen Østensen (NOR)  Tor Arne Hetland (NOR)
2008  Lukáš Bauer (CZE)  René Sommerfeldt (GER)  Giorgio Di Centa (ITA)  Petter Northug (NOR)
2009  Dario Cologna (SUI)  Petter Northug (NOR)  Axel Teichmann (GER)  Tor Arne Hetland (NOR)
2010  Lukáš Bauer (CZE)  Petter Northug (NOR)  Dario Cologna (SUI)  Petter Northug (NOR)
2011  Dario Cologna (SUI)  Petter Northug (NOR)  Lukáš Bauer (CZE)  Dario Cologna (SUI)
2012  Dario Cologna (SUI)  Marcus Hellner (SWE)  Petter Northug (NOR)  Dario Cologna (SUI)
2013  Alexander Legkov (RUS)  Dario Cologna (SUI)  Maxim Vylegzhanin (RUS)  Petter Northug (NOR)
2014  Martin Johnsrud Sundby (NOR)  Chris Jespersen (NOR)  Petter Northug (NOR)  Martin Johnsrud Sundby (NOR)
2015  Martin Johnsrud Sundby (NOR)  Petter Northug (NOR)  Evgeniy Belov (RUS)  Petter Northug (NOR)

Women

Year Overall Sprint cup
1st 2nd 3rd
2007  Virpi Kuitunen (FIN)  Marit Bjørgen (NOR)  Valentina Shevchenko (UKR)  Virpi Kuitunen (FIN)
2008  Charlotte Kalla (SWE)  Virpi Kuitunen (FIN)  Arianna Follis (ITA)  Virpi Kuitunen (FIN)
2009  Virpi Kuitunen (FIN)  Aino-Kaisa Saarinen (FIN)  Petra Majdič (SLO)  Petra Majdič (SLO)
2010  Justyna Kowalczyk (POL)  Petra Majdič (SLO)  Arianna Follis (ITA)  Petra Majdič (SLO)
2011  Justyna Kowalczyk (POL)  Therese Johaug (NOR)  Marianna Longa (ITA)  Justyna Kowalczyk (POL)
2012  Justyna Kowalczyk (POL)  Marit Bjørgen (NOR)  Therese Johaug (NOR)  Justyna Kowalczyk (POL)
2013  Justyna Kowalczyk (POL)  Therese Johaug (NOR)  Kristin Størmer Steira (NOR)  Justyna Kowalczyk (POL)
2014  Therese Johaug (NOR)  Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen (NOR)  Heidi Weng (NOR)  Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen (NOR)
2015  Marit Bjørgen (NOR)  Therese Johaug (NOR)  Heidi Weng (NOR)  Marit Bjørgen (NOR)

Most wins in stages Tour de Ski

MEN
Lp. Name Victories
1.  Petter Northug (NOR) 13
2.  Lukáš Bauer (CZE) 5
3.  Axel Teichmann (GER) 4
3.  Dario Cologna (SUI) 4
4.  Eldar Rønning (NOR) 3
5.  Emil Jönsson (SWE) 2
5.  Tor Arne Hetland (NOR) 2
5.  Nikołaj Moriłow (RUS) 2
5.  Alexey Poltoranin (KAZ) 2
WOMEN
Lp. Name Victories
1.  Justyna Kowalczyk (POL) 14
2.  Marit Bjørgen (NOR) 11
3.  Therese Johaug (NOR) 9
4.  Virpi Kuitunen (FIN) 7
5.  Petra Majdič (SLO) 6
6.  Arianna Follis (ITA) 4
7.  Charlotte Kalla (SWE) 3
8.  Kristin Størmer Steira (NOR) 2
8.  Kikkan Randall (USA) 2

Most successful countries

# Country 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th
1  Norway 4 11 7 5 5 3 3 3
2  Poland 4 0 0 1 0 0 1 0
3   Switzerland 3 1 1 1 0 0 0 0
4  Finland 2 2 0 5 1 2 1 2
5  Czech Republic 2 0 1 0 1 2 0 2
6  Russia 1 1 1 0 4 0 2 2
7  Germany 1 1 1 0 0 5 1 2
8  Sweden 1 1 0 1 2 0 3 2
9  Slovenia 0 1 1 0 0 2 0 0
10  Italy 0 0 4 2 2 0 2 3
11  Ukraine 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0
12  Canada 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 0
13  France 0 0 0 0 1 2 1 0
14  USA 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0

State after the disqualification of Johannes Dürr (Austria).

See also

References

  1. ↑ , from fiscrosscountry.com.
  2. ↑ (Norwegian) Ny æra for langrenn, Dagsavisen, 25 November 2006.
  3. ↑ (Norwegian) Tour på Nordkalotten, langrenn.com, published 24 November 2006.
  4. ↑ (Norwegian) Jürg Capol snakker om Tour de Ski, langrenn.com quoting Le Matin, 20 November 2006.
  5. ↑ (German) Interview mit Vincent Vittoz (FRA) zur Tour de Ski, from xc-ski.de, retrieved 19 December 2006.
  6. ↑ (German)langläufer angerer gewinnt in la clusaz, from dpa, retrieved 19 December 2006.
  7. ↑ (Norwegian) Tour-favoritter i kø, Tor Kise Karlsen, ANB, published 10 November 2006.
  8. ↑ (Norwegian) –Utrolig godt fornøyd, Karin Harstensen, Østlandets Blad, 9 January 2007.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 (German) "Tour de Ski hat große Zukunft", ZDF, retrieved 9 January 2006.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 (Norwegian) Ulvang varsler Tour-endringer, Nettavisen, retrieved 9 January 2007.
  11. ↑ (Norwegian) Ulvang: - Touren en suksess, NTB, retrieved from vg.no, 9 January 2007.
  12. ↑ (Norwegian) Ulvang varsler Tour-endringer, ANB-NTB, retrieved 29 January 2006.
  13. ↑ (Swedish) Tomas Pettersson: Dags att flytta Tour de ski till Sverige - nu, Expressen, retrieved 9 January 2007.
  14. ↑ (German) Jubel über die Tour der Leiden, by Roland Wiedemann, Der Spiegel, retrieved 9 January 2007.
  15. ↑ (Swedish) Upplägget måste förändras i Tour de Ski, Göteborgs-Posten, retrieved 9 January 2007.
  16. ↑ Ski-Zirkus, Rolf Lehmann, Wiesbaden Kurier, retrieved 9 January 2007.
  17. ↑ (Norwegian) Dropper Tour i Tyskland, Kim Nystøl, NRK, published 30 November 2007, retrieved 9 December 2007.
  18. ↑ FIS-Ski.com 14 May 2009 article on 7 May 2009 meeting between Tour de Ski and Giro d'Italia officials in Venice. - accessed 16 May 2009.

External links

Coordinates: 59°57′50″N 10°40′04″E / 59.96389°N 10.66778°E