Val di Fiemme, Italy – The U.S. Ski Team’s Kikkan Randall and Kris Freeman continued their march through the Tour de Ski on Saturday. Despite wax challenges in a rainy, wet round seven of the eight stage Tour de Ski. Anchorage, Alaska’s Randall was 27th and Freeman, of Andover, N.H., 38th in a mass start classic technique race in Val di Fiemme, Italy.nTour leader Justyna Kowalczyk won the women’s 10k. In the men’s 20k, Norway’s Petter Northug edged by Tour leader Dario Cologna of Switzerland by 1.8 seconds. Northug, however, won several strategic bonus sprints to move with 1:18 of the tour leader with one stage remaining.

Temperatures just above freezing and a cold rain made it a tough day for skis.

“We had a rough day waxing,” said U.S. Ski Team Cross Country Head Coach Chris Grover. “Kris (Freeman) was ready to have a good race but we made a critical last minute error on waxing – there’s no other way to get around it. It really took him out of it in a place where’s he had some success.”

The 20k classic was perfectly suited to Freeman, but he struggled from the start with his skis.

“Kikkan didn’t feel 100% on her game today and we also didn’t hit a home run with her skis,” added Grover. “But that’s the ebb and flow of the Tour. On a given day, people are moving up and moving down. It’s all about managing your energy day to day.

Heading into the final event, Grover was happy with the Team’s debut in the Tour. “Overall it’s been a really good experience for us. We’ve never made it this far through the tour. And everyones healthy! That’s not been the case for a lot of athletes on a lot of teams. We’ve had good prepartion and living conditions.”

OFFICIAL RESULTS
Tour de Ski
Val di Fiemme, Italy – Jan. 8, 2010
Stage Seven

Men 15k
1. Petter Northug, Norway, 57:17.2
2. Dario COlogna, Switzerland, 57:19.0
3. Devon Kershaw, Canada, 57:19.4

Women 10k
1. Justyna Kowalczyk, Poland, 30:27.6
2. Therese Johaug, Norway, 30:33.9
3. Marianna Longa, Italy, 31:23.3