American cross-country skiing legend Jessie Diggins has powerfully sharpened her Olympic prospects by securing a dominant victory in the gruelling Tour de Ski for the third time. The triumph, sealed on Sunday in Italy, marks a pivotal moment in what the 34-year-old has announced will be her final season of elite competition.
A Commanding Victory on the Final Climb
Entering the sixth and final stage—a brutal 10km ascent of the Alpe Cermis—with a commanding lead of 79 seconds, Diggins skied a tactically astute race. She finished second on the day, just 8.9 seconds behind stage winner Karoline Simpson-Larsen of Norway. This was more than sufficient to secure the overall title with a cumulative time of 2 hours, 11 minutes, and 26.1 seconds.
Diggins’ final margin of victory was an emphatic 2 minutes and 17.7 seconds over Austria’s Teresa Stadlober, with Norway’s Heidi Weng completing the podium a further 13.9 seconds back. The event concluded in Val di Fiemme, the very venue set to host cross-country skiing at next month’s Milan Cortina Winter Games.
An Unmatched American Legacy
This latest win adds to Diggins’ previous Tour de Ski crowns from 2021 and 2023. In the two-decade history of the prestigious multi-stage event, modelled after cycling’s Tour de France, she remains the only American, male or female, to ever win the overall title. Her consistent excellence is further highlighted by third-place finishes in 2019 and last year.
The Tour de Ski is renowned as the ultimate test of all-round prowess in the sport, demanding excellence in both classic and freestyle techniques across sprint and distance races over eight punishing days. Diggins’ performance showcased the hallmark qualities of her career: remarkable endurance, tactical discipline, and unshakeable consistency.
Peak Form for a Farewell Season
Diggins, from Afton, Minnesota, announced in November that the 2025-26 World Cup season would be her last. This victory, bolstered by three stage wins and multiple podiums this campaign, positions her perfectly for a final Olympic bid. She enters the Games in Milan Cortina as one of the clear favourites for a medal.
On the men’s side of the Tour de Ski, Norwegian superstar Johannes Høsflot Klæbo made history by claiming a record fifth title. Despite a 12th-place finish in the final stage, he defended his overall lead comfortably, leading an all-Norwegian podium ahead of Mattis Stenshagen and Harald Østberg Amundsen.
Diggins’ indomitable spirit and latest triumph not only solidify her legendary status in the sport but also set the stage for a dramatic and potentially golden finale to her illustrious career at the upcoming Winter Olympics.
