Bjoergen wins 18th world title as Norway's women complete sweep

The Norwegians laid down a marker ahead of next year's Winter Olympics as they claimed the top four places with strong team tactics on the final sprint of the 30km event.

On the top step was Bjoergen who took her record 18th career gold medal — and fourth of the 2017 World Championships — in 1:08:36.8 hours, 1.9 seconds ahead of Heidi Weng, who needed a photo finish to beat Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen into third place.

Jessica Diggins of the United States was the top non-Norwegian in fifth, a place behind Ragnhild Haga.

No country had won all women's cross-country gold medals at a single World Championships since Russia in 1997, when there were only five on offer, rather than the current six.

Sportsbeat 2017