Sports

Bjornsen blazes in Tour de Ski prologue

Anchorage skier Sadie Bjornsen is off to a fast start in the demanding Tour de Ski.

Bjornsen, a member of the 2014 Winter Olympics team, placed seventh in the three-kilometer prologue race, the first of seven races that will take World Cup skiers to three countries in nine days.

Saturday in Oberstdorf, Germany, Bjornsen led a strong showing by the American women, who landed three skiers in the top 15. Anchorage's Kikkan Randall, a four-time Olympian, was the fourth American in 22nd place.

"I felt like I was going today," Bjornsen said in a release from the U.S. Ski Team.

She said it rained Friday, but lower temperatures on race day improved conditions on the hilly course.

Victory went to Norway's Marit Bjoergen, whose time of 7 minutes, 53 seconds gave her a 10-second win over teammate Heidi Weng.

Bjornsen clocked 8:12 to edge teammate Liz Stephen of Vermont, who was eighth in 8:12.9. Jessie Diggins of Minnesota was 14th in 8:15.1 and Randall, the World Cup's three-time reigning sprint champion who has struggled in early races this season, finished in 8:20.5.

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"I was happy to find my body in a good place today," Randall said in an email. "I felt like I paced the 2 laps well, skied with solid technique and worked up a nice dose of lactic acid. I've been light on race starts this season and every race now will help me sharpen my race form."

Switzerland's Dario Cologna won the men's 4-K race in 9:54.2. Simi Hamilton of Colorado led the U.S. men by placing 26th, and Anchorage's Erik Bjornsen, Sadie's brother, was the next American in 48th place.

Skiers will remain in Oberstdorf for a Sunday pursuit race before moving to Switzerland, where they will compete in a freestyle sprint in Val Mustair on Tuesday.

After that they travel to Italy for distance races Wednesday and Thursday in Toblach and then head to Val di Fiemme, Italy, for races Saturday and Sunday.

Though grueling, Randall called the Tour a highlight of the season. Bjornsen, who is having her best season ever, said it's a challenge to balance so much traveling and racing in such a short span.

"I'm trying to think of it like spring series," she said. "You have to be a professional rester as well as a professional racer. There isn't any time for any extra nerves or wasted anything."

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