The stakes couldn’t be higher as athletes gear up to compete for crucial points in the overall and distance Crystal Globe standings.

In the Overall World Cup category, a maximum of 230 points remains up for grabs, with 100 points allocated for the 10km classic (Saturday) and 130 points for the 20km mass start (Sunday), including bonus points.

American skier Jessie Diggins eyes a historic second overall World Cup victory, aiming to replicate her triumph from the 2020/21 season. Diggins, already the lone non-European woman to secure the overall Crystal Globe, seeks to etch her name further into cross-country skiing history.

Meanwhile, Sweden’s own Linn Svahn eyes her first overall crystal globe, potentially becoming the first Swedish woman to claim the prestigious title. With the home crowd’s support, Svahn aims to surpass her previous best overall World Cup finish of seventh in the 2020/21 season.

At just 24 years old, Svahn could also make history as the second-youngest woman this century to clinch the overall Crystal Globe, following in the footsteps of Julia Tchepalova in 2000/2001.

In the Distance Crystal Globe race, Diggins leads the charge with 1,413 points, holding a 177-point advantage over her closest rivals. The trio of Ebba Andersson, Victoria Carl, and Frida Karlsson are hot on her heels, all within striking distance and eager to challenge for the top spot.

With her sights set on multiple distance crystal globes, Diggins aims to join an elite group of cross-country skiing legends, solidifying her status as a dominant force in the sport.

Multiple triumphs have marked Karlsson’s season, including victories in the classic-style distance events in Oberhof, Canmore, and Oslo. With ten individual World Cup distance wins to her name, Karlsson stands poised to make further waves on the international stage.

Finland’s Kerttu Niskanen, boasting six individual 10km classic style victories, presents a formidable threat to her competitors. With a track record of success in Falun, having clinched victory on Swedish snow in the past, Niskanen enters the competition as a contender to watch.

Anticipation peaks for men’s 10km classic battle in Falun

With valuable points up for grabs in both the overall and distance Crystal Globe standings, athletes prepare to leave everything on the snow in pursuit of victory.

Norway’s Harald Østberg Amundsen is poised to make history with the potential to secure his first overall crystal globe. Having previously achieved an eighth-place finish in the overall standings, Amundsen enters the competition as a frontrunner, determined to etch his name among the sport’s elite.

Meanwhile, Johannes Høsflot Klæbo of Norway eyes a remarkable fifth overall World Cup victory, aiming to join the ranks of legendary skiers who have dominated the sport throughout history. With an impressive track record of success, Klæbo stands as a formidable force on the snow, poised to write his name in the annals of cross-country skiing.

In the Distance Crystal Globe race, Amundsen holds a commanding 210-point lead over his closest rival, Pål Golberg of Norway. With the season closing, both athletes are prepared to dig deep and push their limits in pursuit of glory.

Klæbo, fresh off victories in Lahti and Oslo, aims to make history by securing a third successive individual men’s World Cup distance event win. With an impressive tally of 18 individual distance World Cup victories in the classic style, Klæbo enters the competition as a favorite to watch.

As the world’s top male cross-country skiers converge in Falun for what promises to be a thrilling battle on the snow, fans eagerly await the spectacle of speed, skill, and determination that will unfold on race day.

Read More
Klæbo wins the sprint race at the Falun World Cup
Stavås Skistad wins the sprint in Falun

See the complete program for the World Cup in Falun, Sweden, at the end of the article.

FACTS Falun World Cup Season 2023/2024

• When: Friday, March 15 to Sunday, March 17
• Who: Elite national skiers – women and men
• Where: Falun, Sweden
• What: FIS Cross-Country World Cup in Falun, Sweden

PROGRAM

Friday, March 15: Sprint Classic (More details can be found here)

• 12:15 CET: Sprint Qualification C, Women
• 12:50 CET: Sprint Qualification C, Men
• 14:45 CET: Sprint Final C, Women
• 15:15 CET: Sprint Final C, Men

Saturday, March 16: 10km Interval Start Classic (More details can be found here)

• 11:00 CET: 10km Interval Start C, Women
• 14:00 CET: 10km Interval Start C, Men

Sunday, March 17: 20km Mass Start Freestyle (More details can be found here)

• 11:00 CET: 20km Mass Start F, Women
• 14:15 CET: 20km Mass Start F, Men

2023/2024 Cross-Country Skiing World Cup Calendar

Period I – Before Christmas

• November 24-26: Ruka, Finland
• November 24 – Sprint C
• November 25 – 10km C
• November 26 – 20km Mass Start F
• December 2-3: Gällivare, Sweden
• December 2 – 10km F
• December 3 – Relay 4×7.5km C/F
• December 9-10: Östersund, Sweden
• December 9 – Sprint C
• December 10 – 10km F
• December 15-17: Trondheim, Norway
• December 15 – Sprint F
• December 16 – 20km Skiathlon C/F
• December 17 – 10km C

Period II – Tour de Ski

• December 30: Toblach, Italy – Sprint F
• December 31: Toblach, Italy – 10km C
• January 1: Toblach, Italy – 25km Pursuit F
• January 3: Davos, Switzerland – Sprint F
• January 4: Davos, Switzerland – 20km Pursuit C
• January 6: Val di Fiemme, Italy – 15km Mass Start C
• January 7: Val di Fiemme, Italy – 10km Final Climb F

Period III – Two New Organizers

• January 19-21: Oberhof, Germany
• January 19 – Sprint C
• January 20 – 20km Mass Start C
• January 21 – Relay 4×7.5km C/F
• January 26-28: Goms, Switzerland
• January 26 – Mixed Relay 4×7.5km C/F
• January 27 Sprint F
• January 28 – 20km Mass Start F

Period IV – North America

• February 9-13: Canmore, Canada
• February 9 – 10km F
• February 10 – Sprint F
• February 11 – 20km Mass Start C
• February 13 – Sprint C
• February 17-18: Minneapolis, USA
• February 17 – Sprint F
• February 18 – 10km F

Period V – Scandinavia

• March 1-3: Lahti, Finland
• March 1 – Team Sprint C
• March 2 – 20km C
• March 3 – Sprint F
• March 9-10: Oslo, Norway
• March 9 – 50km Mass Start C Women
• March 10 – 50km Mass Start C Men
• March 12: Drammen, Norway
• March 12 – Sprint C
• March 15-17: Falun, Sweden
• March 15 – Sprint C
• March 16 – 10km C
• March 17 – 20km Mass Start F

Read More: World Cup calendar for the 2023/2024 Winter Season