Music: {allcanada} SWEDEN SWEEPS TOUR DE SKI; HARVEY MAINTAINS OVERALL LEAD

Sunday, December 29, 2013

{allcanada} SWEDEN SWEEPS TOUR DE SKI; HARVEY MAINTAINS OVERALL LEAD

Work Bitch - Single - Britney Spears

OBERHOF, Germany -- Calle Halfvarsson and Hanna Erikson gave Sweden a sweep of the sprints Sunday on the second stage of the Tour de Ski while Canadian Alex Harvey maintained his overall lead.

Harvey, who won the prologue at the cross-country World Cup a day earlier, was tripped up in the second round and had to settle for an 11th-place result.

"Yes it was a bittersweet day, but overall more sweet," Harvey said. "(Alexander) Legkov tried to pass me when there was no room but that happens on tight courses. It was bad luck because I was in good position in third spot, but that is racing.

"It was good to have the body the way it was and the speed was there so I'm happy with how things are going and that I keep the leader's bib."

Halfvarsson won the men's race in a fast finish, covering the 1.5-kilometre distance in three minutes 8.61 seconds, beating Italy's Federico Pellegrino by 0.30 seconds.

Overall World Cup leader Martin Johnsrud Sundby of Norway was third, 1.80 seconds back. Devon Kershaw of Sudbury, Ont., was 18th.

A rest day is scheduled for Monday. Racing is set to resume Tuesday in Lenzerheide, Switzerland. Harvey, a native of St-Ferreol-les-Neiges, Que., will take a 20-second lead into the third of seven stages.

In the women's race, Erikson won in 3:25.69 to beat Denise Herrmann of Germany by 0.79 seconds. Ingvild Flugstad Oesterberg of Norway was 4.32 back in third.

Daria Gaiazova of Banff, Alta., was 27th and Perianne Jones of Almonte, Alta., was 28th.

Overall World Cup leader Marit Bjoergen of Norway finished fifth and leads the Tour standings.

Work Bitch - Single - Britney Spears