After 37 World Cup podiums Heidi Weng has finally won her first individual World Cup competition.  Weng held off her teammate Ingvild Flugstad Oestberg on the final meters of the ladies' 10 km mass start competition on stage 7 of the FIS Tour de Ski in Val di Fiemme, Italy. With bonus seconds collected on the course and at the finish with second place, Oestberg stretched her Tour lead over Therese Johaug (NOR) to 38.7 seconds heading into the final stage.  Johaug finished third on the stage +6.2 seconds off the lead.  

Finland's Krista Parmakoski skied with the front the Norwegian trio for most of the competition but fell off over the kilometers to take 4th place +17.4 seconds back of Weng.  With her strong result today Parmakoski moved up into 6th place in the overall Tour standings. Charlotto Kalla of Sweden struggled in the middle portion of the competition but rebounded in the end to finish in 5th place and maintain her 4th place position in the overall standings.  

______________________________

ATHLETE QUOTES 

Heidi Weng, NOR
I cannot believe it, it is so crazy and hard to describe it. I was the best today and I still cannot believe it. Today I followed Ingvild’s track in the last uphill. I had stiff legs in the downhills. I was just focused on the finish.

Ingvild Flugstad Östberg, NOR
It was another good day for me. I tried to be smart, tactical. Heidi was very fast in the last 200m. I am really happy for Heidi to win her first World Cup. It was little bit difficult with the skis. I am very proud to be on the podium on all of the Tour de Ski stages. I would not believe before the Tour I could lead before the last stage by almost 40 seconds.

Therese Johaug, NOR
A podium is good. Heidi and Ingvild were better than me. I am happy to be third place. It will be very tough race tomorrow. I know Ingvild can be fast on the climbs too. I have good memories about this hill but I have to have a good day tomorrow.

______________________________ 

 OFFICIAL RESULTS

LADIES - 10 km classic mass start

1. WENG Heidi 1991 NOR 29:16.3
2. OESTBERG Ingvild Flugstad 1990 NOR +0.8
3. JOHAUG Therese 1988 NOR +6.2
4. PARMAKOSKI Krista 1990 FIN +17.4
5. KALLA Charlotte 1987 SWE +55.1

 Complete results are available HERE. 

OVERALL TOUR STANDINGS

1. OESTBERG Ingvild Flugstad NOR 2:06:41.3
2. JOHAUG Therese NOR +38.7
3. WENG Heidi NOR +2:26.7
4. KALLA Charlotte SWE +6:46.0 
5. NISKANEN Kerttu FIN +6:47.7

Complete overall TOUR standings are available HERE. 

Source: fis-ski.com