Second consecutive win lifts Virpi Kuitunen into World Cup lead

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Virpi Kuitunen's recent success in cross-country skiing - in the classic-style events in particular - means that she will set off as the favourite for her first main goal of the season, the new World Cup event called Tour de Ski, which will be held soon after Christmas.
      Yesterday Kuitunen became the World Cup leader for the first time in her career, after winning her favourite event, the classic style 10 km race in Cogne, Italy.
     
The victory in Italy was Kuitunen's second in a row, for less than three weeks ago she raced away with the same 10 km classic event in Ruka, Finland.
      Up in Ruka, Kuitunen was in a league of her own, with a huge winning margin of 44 seconds.
      Yesterday she was almost equally superior, with the runner-up, Slovenia's Petra Majdic, trailing in 32 seconds behind her. Kuitunen led the race from start to finish.
      "I am totally surprised. After two days with an upset stomach the win came astonishingly easily. I thought simply making it to the starting line was a victory in itself. I started cautiously as I was not sure about what reserves of strength I might have", Kuitunen told Helsingin Sanomat over the telephone.
      Kuitunen now has six World Cup wins under her belt, four of which have come in classic-style races.
     
In addition to the World Championships, to be run in February and March, Kuitunen has named the Tour de Ski event raced at the turn of the year as the other main goal for her season. The Tour de Ski - a new initiative from FIS - consists of eight starts - variously classic, freestyle, and sprint events - raced within a ten-day period.
      As a good all-round skier, Kuitunen believes she has a realistic chance of winning the tour. Her recent results support this notion.
      On Saturday, Kuitunen will have a chance to test her form in freestyle skiing in a 15-kilometre race in La Clusaz in France.
      In Cogne, Finland's success was cemented by Aino-Kaisa Saarinen , who came in third. Yet another Finn, Riitta-Liisa Roponen, finished eighth.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Sport round-up: Virpi Kuitunen excels at Nordic Skiing World Cup (27.11.2006)

Links:
  FIS-Ski Home Page

Helsingin Sanomat