Milan, Italy – U.S. Ski Team teammates Kikkan Randall and Jessie Diggins combined in a hard fought battle to take second in the women’s team sprint at the FIS Cross Country World Cup on Sunday in downtown Milan. It was Diggins’ first podium in only her third World Cup start and her very first team sprint, and the second number two spot of the weekend for Randall, who was runner-up in the individual event on Saturday. Sweden won the women’s competition, with Canada’s team of Perianne Jones and Chandra Crawford in third.

Diggins, of Afton, Minn., skied a very strong final leg, handing off to Randall to anchor with the World Cup leader holding off Canada for second at the line, as Sweden took the win. On her second hand-off in the finals, a Swedish skier cut off Diggins coming into her hand-off to Randall, sending her sprawling. Randall came back for the tag before sprinting back to the pack.

“The exchange zone was really close coming off the final turn so it was always hard to lineup for your teammate. Everyone was coming in so fast and together that it was hard to navigate without collisions,” Randall explained. “I think another skier cut right in front of Jessie just before the tag. I was already accelerating, thinking we were about to have an awesome tag, when I felt Jessie crash into me. I didn’t feel the hand to body contact though so I had to stop and go backwards towards her. She fell again as we tagged but we got the right contact this time and I had to charge after the pack which had already turned the corner.”

“Today was the first time I’ve been in a team sprint,” added Diggins. “I asked Kikkan and my other teammates how it worked, what you did in the breaks and trying to learn how my body would feel. In warmup, Kikkan and I practiced some exchanges. And we talked about tactics like trying to stay at the front but not leading. Everyone helped me prepare.”

Russia took the victory in the men’s sprint. The U.S. men’s team of Simi Hamilton and Andy Newell finished 19th.

The FIS Cross Country skiing World Cup now heads to Otepaa, Estonia for a classic sprint and 15k/10k classic.

“I’m looking forward to going to Estonia this weekend,” said Diggins. “I’ve been there twice, including Junior Worlds last year, so it will be cool to go there with some familiarity.”

RESULTS
FIS Cross Country World Cup
Milan, Italy – Jan. 15, 2012
Team Sprint

Women:

Men: