December 18, 2010 (La Clusaz, France) – Petter Northug (NOR) is back. In a nail-biting finish, Russia’s Maxim Vylegzhanin claimed his first World Cup win and kept Northug at bay by the closest of margins – 0.1 second. After missing a number of early season World Cup starts due to illness, the Norwegian powerhouse stamped his name on the podium in the La Clusaz 30km freestyle mass start this morning with only the tiniest of cracks still showing in his armor.

Northug played out a near-perfect strategy, starting calmly and biding his time in the mid-20s, letting Lucas Bauer (CZE) and others do the work. As the race progressed, he moved with apparent ease through the ranks, planting himself firmly in the top 10 for the last fifth of the race.

When Russians Alexander Legkov and Vylegzhanin, who were at the front for most of the race, started pushing the pace with about 4km to go, Northug was happy to let them. He sat in the lead pack, which consisted of Legkov, Vylegzhanin, Bauer, Anders Soedergren (SWE), and Dario Cologna (SUI) until the final kilometer before hacking their 5-second lead to bits and executing his now patented charge for the line, swinging wide and making for the finish like a man possessed.

Perhaps he waited a bit too long before shutting the door. Maybe he picked the wrong lane when rounding the final corner into the finish, or he might still be a little sick… either way, today Vylegzhanin was just that much stronger and barely held him off for the victory, with Legkov relegated to third.

“I’m very satisfied with my result today,” said Vylegzhanin to FIS XC after the race, “I claimed my first World Cup victory and it is amazing. The course here is really tough and you have to work hard all the time. Tomorrow (Sunday) I will be the finish man of the Russian relay and I hope we can get another good result.”

Back on the podium Northug has his sights on more. “I’m happy I made it on the podium today and came back. I’ve had very good training over the past weeks and I feel my shape has been rising. I would like to win Tour de Ski and hope I will be among the best.”

Canadians Devon Kershaw and Ivan Babikov had solid results as well, both landing squarely in the top-20. Babikov was in the top 5 or 6 as the race unfolded with Kershaw not far behind. They were both skiing well, each taking turns in the top 10  throughout the race until the final few kilometers. When the pace kicked up at towards the finish, only the top 10 managed to hold on, with Kershaw finishing 13th and Babikov close behind in 16th.

Kershaw said he was satisfied with his 13th place, but would have liked to be able to stick with the leaders. “La Clusaz is a hard course, with tough climbs each lap – uphill skating is not my strongest suit but I feel like I’m good shape and my training has been going well so I was cautiously optimistic,” said Kershaw.

With today done, he’s already thinking about the relay tomorrow in anticipation for the one in Oslo. “We’re experimenting a bit tomorrow, putting Lenny (Valjas) out in the lead spot. It’s important to have a fast starter. I’m second, Ivan [Babikov] is third and Alex [Harvey] is the anchor.”

Babikov was happy to be up with the leaders again. “I felt good today racing with the top guys but I had some cramps near the end and fell back. It’s a tough race at this altitude but I’m satisfied and feel healthy and look forward to more racing. We’ll see how tomorrow goes.”

American Kris Freeman had a fine first half skiing with the lead group hovering near the top 10 but also fell off the pace in the latter part and joined Alex Harvey (CAN) as they skied to a 24th place photo-finish. Noah Hoffmann (USA) finished in 47th.

“I had a solid day but wouldn’t hang my hat on it,” said Freeman after the race. “I was up front and doing ok until about 15km – then Bauer attacked and the lead group splintered. I’d like to be in the position of creating the dynamic rather than reacting to it.”

While he’s over his cold he did lose some training time and felt he may have used too much energy in the first part of the race – he Alex [Harvey] struggled in the latter part. “We suffered together,” said Bird. “I can do better than 25th.”

Freeman, who’s a diabetic, said today’s race was his best sugar balance ever in a 30km. The work he and his coach Zach Caldwell have been doing this summer, experimenting with his insulin dosages since his problems at the Olympics, “has been paying off.”  He’s looking forward to training in Davos with Andy Newell and Kikkan Randall in preparation for the Tour de Ski. “It’ll be my first Christmas in Europe.”

“Kris skied a fine race today as well, though clearly a notch down from where he can be,” said US coach Matt Whitcomb. “He did a great job regulating his blood sugar levels, and when push came to shove he just wasn’t quite there today but I think he’ll be okay with the result.”

“It was a very hard and long skate race at altitude – not his best event – yet clearly not a chink in the armor. Today was the end of a very solid racing block for Kris.  I know he is eager for a training camp in Davos over Christmas, and is excited for the Tour de Ski.”

Canadian head coach Justin Wadsworth was happy with his team’s performance today. “Everyone’s pretty satisfied with today,” said Wadsworth. “We’re not jumping up and down as though we won a medal, just lots of solid improvements from the guys, so it’s good.”

“Devon and Alex, these guys can ski pretty much anything now. Any race, any technique, you name it and they can ski it well,” he continued.

Wadsworth said he wasn’t surprised that the field didn’t spread out during the race.

“The race played out pretty much like we thought. It would get stretched out and then come back together, probably a little more than usual with the sprint bonuses, but we didn’t think anyone would really be able to break away.”

The next big goal after tomorrow’s relay is the Tour de Ski. “We’re all really excited about that, there’s been lots of great training.  Ivan’s really starting to come around to form, and Devon had that big training block in Livigno just before Davos.”

Full results HERE.