Falk triumphs in Dresden for first win in eight years

Not since Otepaa in January 2010 had the Swede stop atop a World Cup podium and she had to fight all the way in Germany – eventually coming home just 0.23s ahead of compatriot Maja Dahlqvist.

America's Sophie Caldwell completed the podium just 0.07s further back, while World Cup sprint leader Stina Nilsson finished back in sixth, more than 7.5s behind fellow Swede Falk.

Laurien van der Graaff finished fourth, 0.58s behind the winner, while another Swede, Anna Dyvik, was a further tenth of a second back – meaning the top five were split by just 0.68s.

Those results mean Heidi Weng is untroubled atop the overall cross country skiing World Cup standings on 1154 points, with fellow Norwegian Ingvild Flugstad Oestberg her closest rival on 1087.

While in the sprint standings Nilsson's sixth place was enough to put her at the top of the leaderboard on 235 points, 12 ahead of second placed Maiken Caspersen Falla with Caldwell moving up to third, on 197.

And the win moved Falk, who had previously not finished higher than tenth in a sprint this season, up to fifth in 153.