Nadine Fähndrich is the Swiss asset for the Tour de Ski which starts on Saturday at Val Müstair in Graubünden. The 27-year-old from Lucerne is one of the favorites in the 2 sprints and aspiring to a place in the top ten of the final general classification.
Nadine Fähndrich has just won the sprint World Cup twice. This both in classic style and skater step. As several Swedish sprinters have left the Tour de Ski aside, including one of the dominatrixes at the start of the season Emma Ribom, the chances of winning for the Lucernoise have increased once more for Saturday.
The Tour de Ski starts this weekend in Val Müstair with a sprint race and a classic 10 km race. The other stations for the 7 events until January 8 are Oberstdorf and Val di Fiemme, where the legendary climb of Alpe Cermis will be climbed, which will give a definitive face to the general classification.
To the extent that Fähndrich manages to push her limits over the long distances, she will be able to improve on her 11th place in the general classification of January 2021. The best result of a Swiss woman on the Tour de Ski is still the prerogative of Nathalie von Siebenthal with 2 ranks of 8th in 2017 and 2018.
The fight for the final victory should turn into a duel between the Swedish Frida Karlsson and the American Jessie Diggins. Russian Natalia Nepryaeva cannot defend her title due to the boycott imposed on the Russians.
A top-15 for Baumann?
For the men, a result quite different from a third victory in the Tour de Ski for Johannes Hösflot Klaebo would come as a big surprise. The general classification should also be largely dominated by the Norwegians. Complete founder, the Grison Jonas Baumann can realistically aim for the top-15.
res/it
