Bjoergen wins record seventh World Cup

The Norwegian didn't start well in Holmenkollen and at the 20km mark it seemed that fellow countrywoman Ragnhild Haga, Sweden's Charlotte Kalla and USA's Jessie Diggins would fight it out for the podium with Bjoergen trailing behind.

The three Olympic champions had opened up a gap to the rest to the field but with 1km to go Bjoergen and teammate Astrid Jacobsen made their move, with the 37-year-old not looking back.

"It is amazing that I was able to win today," she said. "I thought I was fighting for the fourth place.

"When I was passing the stadium into the last lap it was around 20 seconds on the leading group.

"I was able to get some seconds back all the way. When they did not switch skis I knew I had to be pushing hard and that I would have an advantage from Frognerseteren.

"When I caught the leading group I had to give everything what I had."

The battle for silver and bronze continued behind the Trondheim-born skier, with Diggins eventually taking second and Haga pipping Kalla to the line.

Sportsbeat 2018