The second Tour de Ski comes down to today's stage, which takes the racers out of the fabled ski stadium at Val di Fiemme (site of two world championships), down part of the course of the 70km Marcialonga ski marathon, and then up, up, up the Alpe Cermis, a brutal slope which accounts for about a third of the total race distance today. The course on the Alpe is like a giant slalom in reverse: the recares slowly, painfully pick their way up the hill, traversing the steepest pitches, hairpinning around gates, seeing those ahead and those behind the whole way. Though this is only the second year up the Alpe, it's already become a famous (and infamous) part of international nordic skiing lore, as difficult in its own way as the 90km Vasaloppet race in Sweden or the men's 4x10km relays at the Olympics or world championshiops.
men's final climb
start Lukas Bauer (Czech Republic) holds the advantage in today's Stage 8 of the second Tour de Ski. Wearing the golden bib of the overall leader in the TdS, he'll start first, 1:50 ahead of second-placed Tord Asle Gjerdalen (Norway), who in turn starts 34 seconds ahead of speedy Italian Pietro Piller Cottrer. 57 more racers will start over the following half-hour in this pursuit-style race, but few have a chance of catching Bauer, who is an excellent freestyle (or skate) skier. While Bauer should finish the grueling climb up Alpe Cermis first and take his first Tour de Ski championship, there should be quite a bit of movement behind him, though. I tip Piller Cottrer to catch Gjerdalen and take second in the overall standings. Further down, I expect another great Italian skater, Giorgio di Centa, to pass quite a few of those starting ahead of him, and possibly even push onto the podium along with Bauer and Piller Cottrer.
2.5km This first time check comes as the racers start a flat stretch along part of the course of the famous Marcialonga ski marathon, which will take them to the bottom of the climb. Bauer has extended his leads over Gjerdalen and Piller Cottrer, who are still running 2 and 3 (about 30 seconds apart), while Norwegian Tor Arne Hetland, a great skater, has already caught his countryman Jens Arne Svartedal, who started on position and seven seconds ahead. If he's feeling it, and if anyone ahead falters, Hetland could well make the podium, too.
6.5km The lead racers are now on the mountain, and the top six places are exactly as they were on the starting line. Svartedal has caught back up to Hetland, and they're now traveling together along the horrible serpentine course up the Alpe. The biggest mover on the day so far is Bauer's teammate Martin Koukal, who has moved up from 11th place to 8th, 3:25 down. For his part, Bauer is only stretching out his lead over Gjerdalen and Piller Cottrer.
7.4km Partway up the climb, we're seeing more jockeying for positions. Bauer is out front, but Piller Cottrer is now just two seconds down to Gjerdalen. And behind, di Centa has moved up from sixth to fourth, 32 long seconds out of third. He's moving with Hetland and Petter Northug (with whom he had a shoving match after a sprint race earlier this week). Svartedal is fading back down the field.
8.2km di Centa has put in a huge move in the last 800 meters, vaulting from fourth and 3:02 back of Bauer to second and 2:48 down! It's almost impossible to think he'll catch Bauer, but he has dropped Hetland and Northug, blown past Piller Cottrer, and now gone in front of Gjerdalen, who's trying to hang with him. Piller Cottrer is running fourth, six seconds behind Gjerdalen and eight behind di Centa.
9.1km di Centa has solidifed his hold on second. Though he still trails Bauer by nearly three minutes here on the mountain, he now has ten seconds on Gjerdalen. And Gjerdalen is in big danger, too: he leads German Rene Sommerfeldt by just two seconds at this time check! The German has moved up from ninth to fourth, and looks to be gunning for that last podium spot. Piller Cottrer has faded down the field; unless he has something saved up for the last, worst bit of climbing, he won't be on the podium with di Centa.
finish Incredible! Bauer wins, sealing his dominance of the second Tour de Ski, but 2:47 behind him there is of all things a sprint finish, which Rene Sommerfeldt wins, taking second by three-tenths of a second over Giorgio di Centa. Amazing! Gjerdalen fades to take fourth, Hetland holds steady in fifth, and German Franz Goering moves up six places to finish sixth. Poor Piller Cottrer - he dropped four places and winds up seventh.
women's final climb
start Finland's Virpi Kuitunen, the defending Tour de Ski champion, will start first today, holding a slim 40 second advantage over the surprising young Swede Charlotte Kalla. Russian Olga Rotcheva, who made a late run into the upper reaches of the TdS standings, will start third, 1:26 down; home-country favorite Arianna Follis, who had been ranked as high as first earlier in the tour, will start fourth, 1:36 behind Kuitunen. It's from this group that we'll probably see the podium spots emerge, though if Pole Justyna Kowalczyk (fifth, 2;19 down) can rally from her terrible performance yesterday, she might challenge as well. But the race is going to be a battle between Kalla, an excellent skater, and Kuitunen, a wily veteran who has had a tough time with freestyle events this year. I think Kalla will take it, with Kuitunen in second and Follis, powered by the Italian crowds, in third.
1.5km Kuitunen is off fast, trying to enlarge her gap to Kalla before they hit the mountain. She's garnered an additional three seconds already. Behind, everyone is running at or near their starting spots and times.
5.5km The racers are on the mountain, but the gap is still growing: Kuitunen is up 54 seconds on Kalla. Behind, Follis has passed Rotcheva, though just barely; the pair is traveling together up the hill at 1:34 behind Kuitunen - 40 seconds behind Kalla.
6.4km Kalla has started to pull back some time, cutting Kuitunen's lead by 11 seconds in 900 meters. Rotcheva has reasserted herself, moving back ahead of Follis and dropping the Italian. Rotcheva is now 1:13 behind Kuitunen, 25 seconds behind Kalla. Could she move up further? Further down the hill, Ukrainian racer Valentina Shevchenko, a fast skater, is moving up well: she is in sixth after starting in twelfth. Shevchenko skied the third-fastest final climb last year, so she's dangerous on this hill. A podium for her this year?
7.2km Shevchenko moves up another spot to fifth, and is now fifty seconds out of third place. But above her, Kalla is slashed Kuitunen's lead to ribbons, and trails by just 1.4 seconds - a matter of a few powerful strides! Is the Finn blowing up? Has Kalla put out too much too early? They have only about 1800 meters to go!
8.1km - After following Kuitunen for seven minutes (playing a head game of epic proportions?) Kalla takes the lead just before this time check with a big burst, using a V2 stroke to pass and instantly drop Kuitunen! (video) The difference in their strides is enormous: Kalla looks relatively fresh, stepping well up the hill, while Kuitunen looks utterly spent, barely lifting her feet. Within a matter of 25 meters, Kalla took a 3.2 second lead. And behind, Rotcheva is within 30 seconds of Kuitunen, with Follis right behind! 900 meters to go, up some of the worst pitches on the mountain.
finish Kalla wins! (video) She destroyed Kuitunen at the top of the hill, and takes the win by 36 seconds! It must have been heartbreaking for Kuitunen to be passed so decisively and so late in the climb! Almost as excitingly, Arianna Follis went past a fading Rotcheva and powered her way to third, 53 seconds behind Kalla. Shevchenko continued to move up right to the finish line, winding up fourth. Rotcheva fell from third to fifth. What a race for Kalla! She calmly saved herself for the worst part of the climb, and then dramatically showed everyone on the mountain who is the best racer in the Tour de Ski - and maybe in the world right now.