Czech skier Michal Novák shone at the start of the 17th Tour de Ski in Val Müstair with a fourth place overall in the sprint.
“Today was beyond expectations. I didn’t even imagine such a start to the Tour. It’s fantastic, I’m really excited. It’s the best position of my career, with the garage just a short distance away,” Novak beamed.
The 26-year-old native of Karlovy Vary was in the final for the first time and improved on his World Cup best. His best double so far has been fifth in the 15 kilometer races in Ruka and Lillehammer.
Norwegian favorite Johannes Hösflot Klaebo won ahead of Italian Federico Pellegrino and fellow Norwegian Sindre Björnestad Skar. Novák lost 3.39 seconds to Klaeb, 1.20 seconds separated him from the podium.
The Czech representative presented himself with excellent performances right from the start of the sprint. He finished fifth in qualifying, advanced from second place in the quarterfinals and then won the semifinal match.
In the final he held from the start in second place behind the Frenchman Lucas Chanavat. He entered the final round in the same position. In it, however, the trio of Klaebo, Pellegrino and Skar surpassed him. Eventually, Novák even repulsed an attack by the Frenchman Richard Jouve.
“In the final, Chanavat really pushed me. I didn’t want to lose my position so that he wouldn’t block me around the crossbar. That would have slowed me down a lot,” Novák explained.
“I tried to hold my ground. Uphill my legs already hurt a lot and I didn’t have the momentum. I lost a lot there. Now I’m a little sorry, but that’s what they say after the race. Fourth place is fantastic”, repeated the Czech rider.
Kateřina Janatová finished seventh in the women’s sprint, also a career best. She started the sprint seventh in qualifying and finished second behind Lotta Udnes Weng in the quarterfinals. However, in the semifinals, the Jilemnica native wasn’t enough for World Cup star Tiril Udnes Wengová and another Norwegian, Anna Kjersti Kalvaaová.
“I rode very well. The skis supported me and the serve was also successful. We will see in the Tour. I hope I have enough strength,” commented Janatová in the opening part.
The winner was the Swiss Nadine Fähndrich, who dominated the third consecutive sprint. The Swedish Maja Dahlqvist was second, the Norwegian Lotta Udnes Weng third.
Tereza Beranová did not follow up on sixth place in the World Cup in Beitostölen and was eliminated in the quarterfinals. Kateřina Razýmová, returning after a maternity break, did not qualify for the preliminary heats and finished in 51st place.
SP Race and cross-country Tour de Ski in Val Müstair (Switzerland) – free sprint (1.5 km):
Men: 1. Klaebo (North.) 3:00.98, 2. Pellegrino (It.) -0.18, 3. Skar (North.) -2.19, 4. Novák (CZ) -3.39, 5. Jouve -3.41, 6. Chanavat ( both Fr.) -28.66, …66. Fellner (Czech Republic) eliminated in qualifying.
Current Tour standings (after 1 of 7 stages): 1. Klaebo 1:54, 2. Pellegrino -7, 3. Novák -16, 4. Skar -17, 5. Chanavat -19, 6. Jouve -23, …63. Fellner -1:15.
Current SP order (after 11 out of 32 races): 1. Golberg (Nord.) 786, 2. Klaebo 682, 3. Pellegrino 557, 4. Holund (Nord.) 455, 5. Musgrave (Brit.) 442, 6. Jouve 438, …8. Novák 402, 64. Černý 110, 94. Šeller (both Czech Republic) 56, 133. Fellner 12.
Women: 1. Fähndrich (Switzerland) 3:23.56, 2. Dahlqvist (Sweden) -0.47, 3. LU Weng -0.62, 4. TU Weng (both Nor.) -2.35, 4. Karlssonová (Sweden) -3:39, 6 Kalvaaová (North.) -7.95, 7. Janatová eliminated in the semifinals, …20. Beranová eliminated in quarterfinals, 51. Razýmová (all Czech Republic) eliminated in qualifying.
Current Tour standings (after 1 of 7 stages): 1. Fähndrichová 2:22, 2. Dahlqvistová -11, 3. LU Wengová, 4. TU Wengová both -17, 4. Karlssonová -19, 6. Kalvaaová -21, 7. Janatová -32, …22. Beranová -1:02, 51. Razýmová -1:15.
Current SP order (after 11 out of 32 races): 1. TU Weng 925, 2. Diggins (USA) 738, 3. Pärmäkoski (Fin.) 639, 4. Karlsson 632, 5. Fähndrich 626, 6. Hennig (Germany) 541, …35. Beranová 191, 39. Janatová 175, 71. Antošová 72, 107. P. Nováková 8, 111. A. Nováková (all of the Czech Republic) 6.
