World Cup season dominated by Kuitunen and Angerer
Sat, Mar 31, 2007 - By FIS
The Viessmann FIS World Cup Cross-Country 2006/2007 came to an end in Sweden last week. At the Royal Sprint - held for the fourth time in front of the Royal Palace in Stockholm (SWE) - Petra Majdic (SLO) and 21-year-old Mickael Devjatiarov (RUS) took the top spots. For Devjatiarov jun., the son of the 1988 Olympic Champion, it was his career-first World Cup win.
In the winter’s last individual races on Saturday in Falun, Marit Bjoergen (NOR) finished the season like she started it – with a victory. She won the pursuit in the finish sprint ahead of Katerina Neumannova (CZE) who claimed the 48th World Cup podium in her 143rd and final World Cup start. 18-year-old Therese Johaug (NOR), the surprise bronze medalist in the 30km race in Sapporo, set the pace for much of the race and was rewarded with her first World Cup podium place.
In the men’s final race, Tobias Angerer (GER) celebrated his 10th World Cup victory. The relay victories on Sunday went to Germany (ladies) and Norway (men).
Virpi Kuitunen, 2nd in Stockholm and 28th in the Falun pursuit, won all the big titles this season, beginning with her victory in the inaugural Viessmann FIS Tour de Ski, three gold medals in Sapporo and all three FIS World Cup titles, the overall, distance and sprint. With her eight World Cup wins and four 2nd place finishes, she also topped the ladies’ prize money rankings with CHF 288’500. Marit Bjoergen (NOR), who finished 2nd in the overall rankings, earned CHF 160’000.
The men’s overall and distance World Cups were won by the Tour de Ski winner Tobias Angerer (GER) who took both titles for the second time in a row. With four wins and another four podium places, he also won the men’s prize money rankings with CHF 197’750. Alexander Legkov (RUS), 2nd in the overall rankings, netted CHF 114’000. Jens Arne Svartedal (NOR), the 2007 World Champion in sprint, claimed the sprint World Cup crystal globe, his first after he finished second in 2002 and 2004.
16 nations, one short of the all-time record set last season, achieved Cross-Country World Cup podium appearances this season, a record twelve of them had at least one victory. The Nations’ Cup was won by Norway with 16 season victories and 44 podium places, followed by Finland with 23 and Germany with 17 podium finishes. 117 ladies and 171 men scored World Cup points while 24 nations collected points in the Nations’ Cup.
Viessmann FIS World Cup Cross-Country 2006/2007 champions
Overall ladies: Virpi Kuitunen (FIN)
Overall men: Tobias Angerer (GER)
Distance ladies: Virpi Kuitunen (FIN)
Distance men: Tobias Angerer (GER)
Sprint ladies: Virpi Kuitunen (FIN)
Sprint men: Jens Arne Svartedal (NOR)
Nations’ Cup overall: Norway
Nations’ Cup ladies: Finland
Nations’ Cup men: Norway