Jessie Diggins Wins Tour de Ski Opener

Jessie Diggins opened the 2024 Tour de Ski with a victory in the freestyle sprint in Toblach, Italy, marking her first World Cup sprint win in three years. She finished the 1.4km race 31 hundredths of a second ahead of Finland's Jasmi Joensuu and claimed her 23rd World Cup victory overall. Diggins, who is wearing the yellow bib as the World Cup leader, expressed surprise at her sprint success, noting that she had previously focused on distance events. The Tour de Ski, which features seven races over nine days, continues with a 15km classic mass start on Sunday. Diggins is the first American to win the Tour, having claimed the title twice in 2021 and 2024. This event, regarded as one of the ultimate tests in cross-country skiing, showcases the endurance and tactical skills of its competitors.