Weng guns it to Italian success

The 26-year-old claimed a stage victory in Val di Fiemme, Italy, for the second season in a row, with Weng's success moving her to 704 points in the overall World Cup standings, 23 points behind Oestberg, 27.

This afternoon's 10km classic event was also the penultimate race of this year's Tour de Ski and Weng now finds herself just 1.8 seconds behind fellow Norwegian Oestberg, who tops the standings with an overall time of 1:48:43.2.

Weng, who is top of the Distance World Cup leaderboard, with Oestberg second, went hell for leather and crossed the line in 29:07.9, a full 7.6 seconds ahead of second-placed Krista Parmakoski, of Finland, and third-placed Teresa Stadlober, of Austria, who both clocked in at 29:15.5.

"I'm done. I never think I've been so tired before but I just had to try," said a victorious Weng.

The United States' Jessica Diggins (29:31.5), Oestberg (29:43.1) and Kerttu Niskanen, of Finland, completed the top six.

The second race of the weekend at Val di Fiemme takes place on Sunday.