Italy end weekend in Toblach (ITA) on top with first relay victory in 17 years

The host nation got a perfect end to the COOP FIS Cross-Country World Cup competitions in Toblach, Italy, as Federico Pellegrino led his team to a win in the men’s 4×7.5km relay classic/free on Sunday.

Dietmar Noeckler, Francesco De Fabiani and Simone Dapra had made sure to keep Italy in the game in the first three legs before 32-year-old Pellegrino sealed the deal with a strong finish.

Crossing the line 0.6 seconds before Sweden (Eric Rosjoe, Calle Halfvarsson, Johan Haeggstroem, Edvin Anger) and Norway I (Sjur Roethe, Didrik Toenseth, Simen Hegstad Krueger, Harald Oestberg Amundsen), Italy claimed their first relay victory since January 2006 to end three days of action in Toblach in the best possible way.

Sweden were awarded the second place in a photo finish as Norway I, without the overall World Cup leaders Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo and Paal Golberg, got the last podium spot.

”The goal was defence, to stay there (in the race),” Noeckler said, having made sure Italy were in the top three after the first two 3.75km laps around the course.

”We know that with Pellegrino in the last leg we have maybe one of the best finishers and thanks to the whole team, (we got a) victory for us and for the whole Italian team.”

Norway II’s Erik Valnes started the race at a furious pace, handing over to Hans Christer Holund in with a 11.4-second lead. In the second leg, however, Finland’s Iivo Niskanen showed why he will be up there fighting for medals at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Planica, Slovenia, later this month.

Niskanen drove the field until Holund had lost his gap as the seven top teams were within six seconds of each other coming into the two freestyle legs.

”When Iivo attacked I tried really hard,” De Fabiani said.

He handed over to Dapra only 0.6 second behind leading Sweden.

”It was really difficult in the last uphill and at the end we were the first, so yes, I did a great leg and I’m really happy about this.”

Norway I made a strong push in the third leg as Krueger earned his team an advantage of 4.3 seconds to the rest of the field. When Dapra exchanged to Pellegrino, Italy were in seventh place, 6.8 seconds behind the leaders.

The Italian two-time Olympic medallist got himself a comfortable spot behind Sweden’s 20-year-old Anger, who took charge of the anchor leg. Sprint Specialist Pellegrino had reason to be confident he could beat the rest of the field coming into the final stretch of the race.

”The plan was to wait for the great job that my teammates did and they did it, and to feel if the skis were as good as always, and they were. My legs too, and then I know that with this track and on this snow I can be one of the best,” Pellegrino said.

”I only thought about staying together with the strongest team in the world, and then to be the strongest.”

With a 300m left of the final lap, Pellegrino switched gears and got himself a five-metre lead to Anger and Amundsen. The veteran made no mistake and could celebrate the win with the rest of the quartet in front of the home South Tyrol.

Pellegrino thinks his team can to repeat the feat at the world championships starting in 17 days, despite the legs in Planica being 10km rather than 7.5km.

”We know that the relay with four legs of 7.5k is a different sport to the relay with four legs of 10k, but we are ready,” Pellegrino said.

”Now we have time to recover and plan it well before Planica and then we want to be part of the game and try our best, as today. And why not reach the first (world championship) podium in the relay since a lot of time (ago)?”