After his brother Emil won the ski sprints in Yanji and Changchun, Lukas Johansson took his top prize in the 5km distance race in Xiwuqi, Inner Mongolia. This was no novelty, as Lukas Johansson had won before in this traditional leg of the China Tour de Ski.
Petr Novak from the Czech Republic and local hero Ma Qinghua are the winners of the 2016 Vasaloppet China race over 50km in Changchun's Jingyuetan Park. The 3rd stage of this year's China Tour de Ski was run in sunny conditions and relatively mild temperatures of minus 8.
Sweden's Emil Johansson is the third skier in his family to win a stage in China Tour de Ski. On new year's day in Yanji, Jilin Province, Johansson sprinted faster than Czech Daniel Maka, while China's Qu Ying won the women's sprint in a tight sprint.
The upcoming 2016 China Tour de Ski stage race can once again sport a list of participants featuring world class skiers. Among the athletes are participants in national and world championships, and even in the Olympic Games.
Sweden's Robin Bryntesson at last lived up to his pre-race favourite status as he grabbed the bull by the horns in the final ski sprint in Nalati to take both the stage win and the China Tour de Ski title! USA's Peter Kling did not make it past the 1/4 final and ended second in the overall.
Warm and sunny conditions characteristed the Nalati distance race, stage 4 of the China Tour de Ski this year. Victory went to Norway's up-and-coming Petter Reistad in the men's race, whereas Man Dandan was an impressive first in the women's.
A windy Xiwuqi ski sprint saw an American victory today as Peter Kling beat overall leader Sun Qinghai with a clear margin. As both Bob Impola and Shang Jincai got eliminated in the 1/4 final, the Chinese ace now has a more comfortable lead. Man Dandan was the fastest woman.
In another impressive team performance, Sun Qinghai and Ma Qinghua grabbed the stage victory in the Xiwuqi distance race today, the second official stage of China Tour de Ski. As in Changchun, Chinese women occupied the entire podium leaving 2013 champion Lisa Svensson in their shadow.
No new victory for Anders Hoegberg in Changchun today, as his Swedish compatriot Bob Niemi Impola beat the odds and took the first official stage of the 2015 China Tour de Ski by outsprinting Chinese skier Shang Jincai by 1.8 seconds after 50km of classic style skiing around Jingyuetan Park. Another domestic athlete, Tang Jinle completed the podium of the 13th Vasaloppet China.
For the 3rd consecutive year, China Tour de Ski will cover all the northern parts of China, travelling from east to west. The tour will start out in Changchun, Jilin Province in northeast China before moving on to Xiwuqi in the province of Inner Mongolia. The last 2 stages will be held in Nalati, Xinjiang Province in the very western parts of China.