Competitors ski during the women's 10-kilometer Mass Start race at the cross country Tour de Ski competition, in Val di Fiemme, Italy, Saturday, Jan. 5, 2013. (AP Photo/Armando Trovati)
January 05, 2013 - 6:52 AM
CAVALESE, Italy - Three-time champion Dario Cologna of Switzerland surged into the Tour de Ski lead after Saturday's penultimate stage as previous leader Petter Northug of Norway struggled in the 15-kilometre classical mass start race.
Alexey Poltoranin of Kazakhstan won the sixth leg in a sprint finish, clocking 39 minutes, 1.5 seconds to finish just 0.01 ahead of Len Valjas of Canada. Another Canadian, Alex Harvey, crossed third, 0.4 back.
Cologna finished 11th, 10.7 behind, while Northug was only 28th, 29.3 back.
Cologna now holds a 6.5-second lead over Alexander Legkov of Russia, who was 17th on the day, with Northug 11.5 back heading into Sunday's final stage, the traditional climb up Mount Cermis.
Earlier, three-time defending champion Justyna Kowalczyk of Poland dominated the women's 10K event to extend her lead.
News from © The Associated Press, 2013