Viessmann FIS Tour de Ski performance by Craft Sportswear in Oberhof, 2 stage, Prologue, 2nd January 2009 

Justyna Kowalczyk is the new Tour leader

In the second race of the Tour de Ski, a handicap start race over 10km classic, Justyna Kowalczyk took the victory and is now as well in the red bib of the Tour de Ski leader. The Polish athlete finished the today’s race 2,8 seconds ahead of Aino Kaisa Saarinen from Finland. The third place took Kristin Stoermer Steira (NOR), 5,7 seconds behind the winner. The inrun of todays race is as well the new Tour de Ski overall standing.

In the tight race, the winner of yesterday’s race Petra Majdic couldnd’t follow the leading group and finished as 10th in the race with a gap of 35,7 seconds to Kowalczyk. But the Slovenian athlete is still in the lead of the Tour Sprint ranking.

With the today’s victory, Justyna Kowalczyk is now as well in the lead of the overall World Cup ranking ahead of Marit Bjoergen (NOR) who is not competing in this year’s Tour de Ski.

The third stage in the Tour de Ski will take place tomorrow in Oberhof with a sprint in the classical technique. This race format was never in the schedule of the Tour de Ski.

Weather:  cloudy, sometime some light snowfall,  -7,6° C
Snow Conditions: hard packed
Spectators: 5.000