Kuusamo-st

This week's World Cup venue in Kuusamo, Finland, is among the circuit's best stops. The terrain is old-school in the best way, the racing is almost always run in classical technique, and the Ruka stadium provides a memorable end to both the sprints and distance races, with a hard climb into the stadium, the famous lefthand turn around a goddamn tree right in the middle of the stadium, and then a drag-race straightaway to the finish line.

Last year's sprint and the 10km/15km distance races yielded some excellent competition. On Sunday, Marit Bjoergen won the women's distance race, showing a spark of form that burned out a few weeks later, while the young Norwegian Astrid Jacobsen took a surprise second place ahead of Justyna Kowalczyk (Poland). On the other hand, the men's 15km winner, Lukas Bauer (Czech Republic), launched himself toward the 2007-2008 World Cup title with a a win over Eldar Roenning (Norway), showing some distance ability to match his sprinting prowess, and Axel Teichmann (Germany), who had won the previous week's 15k skate race in Beitostoelen, Norway. (American Kris Freeman briefly held the lead but finished fifth, about a half-minute behind Bauer.)

Saturday's sprint, run over a swoopy course with a number of hard uphill and downhill corners, featured two come-from-behind wins sealed on the uphill into the stadium: Petra Majdic (Slovenia) chased down Astrid Jacobsen (Norway) to take the women's race, while Johan Kjoelstad (Norway) surged past Emil Joensson (Sweden) in the men's race. American Andy Newell fought hard throughout the men's final race, but ultimately finished in fourth.

2007 podiums
women's classical sprint
Petra Majdic (Slo)
Astrid Jacobsen (Nor)
Alena Prochazkova (Svk)

men's classical sprint
Johan Kjoelstad (Nor)
Emil Joensson (Swe)
Mats Larsson (Swe)

women's 10km classic
Marit Bjoergen (Nor)
Astrid Jacobsen (Nor)
Justyna Kowalczyk (Pol)

men's 15km classic
Lukas Bauer (Cze)
Eldar Roenning (Nor)
Axel Teichmann (Ger)

2008 predictions
women's classical sprint
Petra Majdic (Slo)
Marit Bjoergen (Nor)
Virpi Kuitunen (Fin)

men's classical sprint
Ola Vigen Hattestad (Nor)
Emil Joensson (Swe)
Eldar Roenning (Nor)
Andrew Newell (USA): in the final

(10km/15km predictions to come on Saturday...)