Pellegrino Finishes Fourth in Classic Sprint at Tour de Ski in Val di Fiemme

Tour de ski: Pellegrino dreams of success but finishes fourth in sprint

Dream shattered at the last turn for Italian skier Federico Pellegrino, who finished fourth in the Classic Sprint in Val di Fiemme. On the revamped track ahead of the 2026 Olympics, the Valle d'Aosta native was leading but was overtaken in the final straight, finishing behind Norway's Johannes Klaebo and Even Northug. The third place went to Swedish skier Marcus Grate, with Pellegrino trailing by 1.43 seconds.

Now, the two-time Olympic silver medalist finds himself 8th in the Tour standings, 2 minutes 54 seconds behind Klaebo (2 hours 00 minutes 55 seconds) and faces competition from Edvin Anger (1 minute 35 seconds back), Erik Valnes (2 minutes 11 seconds), and others. Pellegrino's words highlight his competitive spirit despite setbacks: “I had a good qualifier and combined some luck in the quarters. In the final, I played my cards knowing the descent would be challenging.” While his performance showcases his competitive nature, he also reflects on the upcoming Olympic Games where conditions may vary significantly, urging preparation for unexpected challenges.

Meanwhile, in the women's competition, Switzerland's Nadine Faendrich won the Classic Sprint against Sweden’s Linn Svahn, with Norwegian Heidi Weng securing third place. In the overall Tour standings, Norway's Astrid Slind leads on the 19th Tour with a time of 2 hours 15 minutes 59 seconds, followed closely by compatriot Therese Johaug.

In addition to his race, a new Nordic skiing federation center was inaugurated in Lago di Tesero, signed by the federal president Flavi Roda, exemplifying the region's commitment to developing Nordic sports.