The victory in the 4^th stage of the FIS Tour de Ski – the Prague sprint – took Natalia Korosteleva (RUS) and Emil Joensson (SWE).

Natalia Korosteleva (RUS) finished on the 1,2km course on Strahov ahead of the Norwegian Celine Brun-Lie and Alena Prochazkova (SVK). Aino Kaisa Saarinen (FIN) took the fifth place and overtake with that Justyna Kowalczyk (POL), who finished today 19th ,  in the Tour overall ranking. Saarinen is leading now with 24,9 seconds ahead of Kowalcyzk and Petra Majdic has a gap to Saarinen of 29,7 seconds.

In the sprint Tour ranking Petra Majdic (SLO) is 13 seconds ahead of Natalia Korosteleva, who took today her first victory on a World Cup level. Aino Kaisa Saarinen is third.

In the men’s race, Emil Joensson was clearly the strongest. He won the Prologue and was also always ahead in his heats. In the final ,Joensson beat his team mate Markus Hellner and the Norwegian Simen Oestensen. Joensson is now also leading the Tour overall ranking with a 43, 8 seconds to Markus Hellner. Currently third is Simen Oestensen 44,3 seconds behind Joensson, who will leave the Tour and not be at the start at the following stages.

The Tour de Ski is still quite tight, so far eight to races are still in 1 min. Also the Tour favourites Petter Northug (NOR) and Axel Teichmann (GER), who both didn’t qualify for the finales today, are among the top eight as well the Tour de Ski winner from last year, Dario Cologna (SUI).

In the Tour Sprint standing, Emil Joensson is 12 seconds ahead of Teodor Peterson (SWE). On third position is Simen Oestensen.

The Viessmann FIS Tour de Ski performance by Craft Sportswear will continue after the first rest day on Wednesday, 6^th with the 5^th stage, a distance race from Cortina to Toblach (for the men) and Tre Cime to Toblach (ladies):   

Weather:  cloudy -4° C
Snow Conditions: soft
Spectators: 5.500 

from www.fiscrosscountry.com