LENZERHEIDE, Switzerland/December 31, 2017  (AP)(STL.News) —Three-time Olympic champion Dario Cologna won his first cross-country ski World Cup race on home snow in Switzerland on Sunday, and rose to second place in the Tour de Ski standings.

Cologna was just 0.6 seconds faster than Alexey Poltoranin of Kazakhstan in a 15-kilometer classic event. Third-place Martin Johnsrud Sundby of Norway trailed 13.1 behind Cologna.

Norway finished 1-2 in the women’s 10-kilometer classic, and Ingvild Flugstad Oestberg extended her Tour de Ski lead with victory by more than 25 seconds over Heidi Weng.

Sadie Bjornsen of the United States was third, 42.2 behind Oestberg, earning the Anchorage resident her third podium result of the season.

Oestberg also leads from Weng in the Tour de Ski standings after two of seven stages in the holiday week event. Bjornsen is now fourth, trailing 10 seconds behind teammate Jessica Diggins.

Cologna moved up to second in the men’s Tour de Ski standings which are led by Sergey Ustiugov of Russia, who placed 10th in Sunday’s distance race.

The Tour de Ski continues Monday in Lenzerheide with freestyle pursuit races over 15 kilometers for men and 10 kilometers for women.

By Associated Press , published on STL.NEWS by St. Louis Media, LLC (JS)

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