January 4, 2009 (Val di Fiemme, Italy) – Canada’s Ivan Babikov has won the final 11km Stage 7 at the Tour de Ski. For the final stage on Sunday the top 34 men started the pursuit-style race with the time they are back from the leader. Then bibs 35 and higher all started together 6 minutes later (Babikov was bib 43).

As a result Babikov has won his first World Cup race that ended with a 4km uphill climb. In second today behind Babikov by just 1.5 seconds was Germany’s Tom Reichelt, and in third just 3.2 seconds back from the leader was Giorgio Di Centa of Italy.

“I am so thrilled and totally couldn’t believe it when I was standing on top of the podium,” said Babikov following the awards ceremony, who added he nearly didn’t race today because of an illness rolling through the team. “Our entire men’s team has been sick and yesterday was so hard for us, but I have been looking forward to this uphill climb all year and told myself to pass as many skiers as I could today.”

The victory puts Babikov in some prestigious company. The only other Canadian male to win a World Cup cross-country ski race is Pierre Harvey who made three trips to the top step of the podium. Babikov’s previous best finish was a fourth-place result at the Alberta World Cup in Canmore, Alta. in 2005. “A World Cup win is something you dream of,” said Babikov, who is a gritty, tough skier that specializes in long distances and challenging climbs. “Our team has been so strong throughout this tour and I am just so happy to be a part of a great team. I have been waiting for this final day and glad it happened.”

Switzerland’s 22-year-old Dario Cologna stamped his title as the Tour de Ski’s overall champion easily holding off his nearest competitors to win the overall by just under a minute over Petter Northug (Nor) who took second and Germany’s Axel Teichmann who claimed 3rd overall in the final standings. Earlier during the Tour when asked who would win the overall Teichmann replied, “If I don’t then I think it will be Cologna.”

For his performance today Norway’s Petter Northug moved up into 2nd in the overall. Unlike the women’s race nine of the top 10 men in the overall were in the top 10 today. Canada’s Devon Kershaw staved off the sickness that hit the Canadian men’s team to finish a strong 22nd today and 21st overall in the Tour which should place him in the top-30 red group for World Cup points.

“I’m done and to finish is a big step forward for me,” said Kershaw, who failed to complete the Tour at his first two trips to the Tour de Ski. He was in seventh spot overall heading into the final weekend. “It is obviously disappointing to get sick and that put me back in the standings, but I had some great results and collected a bunch of World Cup points so it was important for me to finish. Ivan was the man today and I’m very happy for him.”

Kuitunen Wins Overall
Despite placing 21st in today’s final 9km stage Hill Climb at the Tour de Ski Finland’s Virpi Kuitunen hung on to win the overall with a time of 2:06:41.4, claiming the title by only 7.2 seconds over her teammate Aino-Kaisa Saarinen. After nine days and 2+ hours of racing the top three women were just 34.5 seconds apart. Petra Majdic’s (Slo) 16th place performance today was enough for her to take third overall in the Tour and she also wins the Sprint Jersey for her efforts.

Canada’s Sara Renner was 22nd today dropping her to 15th in the overall standings. It was an incredible performance by Renner who has shown she is back and will be a force to be reckoned with for the rest of the season and heading towards 2010. Norway’s Marit Bjoergen who stated before the Tour that she wanted nothing less than a podium spot after the nine days of racing ended up 10th overall.

Youngster Therese Johaug and Kristin Stoermer Steira handily won today’s 9km final stage known as the Hill Climb for it’s 4km final climb up to the finish. Johaug won with a time of 35:07.7 just nine seconds ahead of Steira. In third was Ukraine’s Valentine Shevchenko around 44 seconds off the lead time.

Stage 7 results men
Stage 7 results women
Overall men
Overall women

Results (brief)

Men
1. Ivan Babikov (Can) 33:51.2
2. Tom Reichelt (Ger) 33:52.7
3. Giorgio Di Centa (Ita) 33:54.4
4. Matti Heikkinen (Fin) 34:03.2
5. Lukas Bauer (Cze) 34:06.4

22. Devon Kershaw (Can) 35:11.8

Women
1. Therese Johaug (Nor) 35:07.7
2. Kristin Stoermer Steira (Nor) 35:16.4
3. Valentina Shevchenko (Ukr) 35:52.0
4. Justyna Kowalczyk (Pol) 35:54.8
5. Evgenia Medvedeva (Rus) 36:02.3

22. Sara Renner (Can) 37:37.6

Overall

Men

1. Dario Cologna (Sui) 2:56:05.4
2. Petter Northug (Nor) + 59.0
3. Axel Teichmann (Ger) +1:02.8
4. Giorgio De Centa (Ita) + 1:22.2
5. Vassili Rotchev (Rus) +1:31.0

21. Devon Kershaw (Can) + 3:55.3
36. Ivan Babikov (Can) + 7:05.1

Women

1. Virpi Kuitunen (Fin) 2:06:41.4
2. Aino-Kaisa Saarinen (Fin) + 7.2
3. Petra Majdic (Slo) + 34.5
4. Justyna Kowalcyzk (Pol) + 1:21.1
5. Marianna Longa (Ita) + 1:36.5

15. Sara Renner (Can) + 4:51.7