Högberg won the first stage of Tour de Ski China

2008-12-29

Anders Högberg, from IFK Umeå won the first stage of the ski tour which started off with a sprint competition in Inner Mongolia. There was no one who could threaten Högbergs victory in yesterday’s race.

 

–  “I am of course very satisfied. This is a series of competitions that I really want to win, because it’s so special to compete in China”,

says Anders Högberg.

 

Anders Högberg, from IFK Umeå won the first stage of the ski tour which started off with a sprint competition in Inner Mongolia. There was no one who could threaten Högbergs victory in yesterday’s race.

–  “I am of course very satisfied. This is a series of competitions that I really want to win, because it’s so special to compete in China”,

says Anders Högberg.

Tour de Ski China consists of a sprint and a distance race in Inner Mongolia,a sprint in Changchun where also the Chinese Vasaloppet

takes place on Jan 2. The final stage goes in Shangri-la, bordering to Tibet. During Monday, Tour de Ski China continues with a 5 km

race at the same venue as the first race.

Taking the lead right away

Defying snow and wind and a temperature of minus 10 degrees centigrade, most of the people in Inner Mongolias Xiwuqi town had gone out to see the competition. They saw a superior Anders Högberg both in the quarter final, semi finals and the final itself, where only number two – Johan

Edin- had the power to go after Högberg.

–  “I am also really pleased with today’s competition. This is the first time I am competing in China, what an experience!”, Johan said after the

race.

Now Anders has the possibility of making quite a big amount of money in China. Yesterday, the price money for the stage victory was 10.000 Chinese Yuan. There still remains 4 stages to see who becomes the total winner in the men’s and women’s competitions. The prize check for a total victory is set to 50.000 Yuan.

Results

Cross Country Skiing

Xiwuqi, Tour de Ski China, Stage 1, Sprint:

Men:1) Anders Högberg, Sweden, 2) Johan Edin,Sweden 3) Asgeir Årdal Mandelid, Norway 4) Sun Qinghai, China

Women: 1) Man Dandan, China 2) Sandra Gredig, Switzerland, 3) Lotta Puttonen, Finland, 4) Song Bo, China

Xiwuqi, Tour de Ski China, Stage 2, Long Distance:

Men: 1) Anders Högberg, Sweden 2) Fredrik Persson, Sweden, 3) Remi Damevin, France  4) Asgeir Årdal Mandelid, Norway

Women: 1) Li Hongxue, China  2) Li Xin, China  3) Song Bo, China  4) Sandra Gredig, Switzerland

Click here for the full result lists of stage 1 and 2 of Tour de Ski China