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Jessie Diggins grabs 5th cross-country skiing win of season, extends World Cup overall lead

American Jessie Diggins claimed her fifth World Cup victory of the season and her second consecutive in the 10km freestyle, an event that returns to the Olympic program in 2026.

Diggins prevailed by 5.1 seconds over Norwegian Astrid Øyre Slind in Cogne, Italy, on Sunday. She extended her lead over Slind in the World Cup overall standings to a sizable 282 points through 23 of 31 scheduled races.

The overall title, which Diggins won in 2020-21 and 2023-24, goes annually to the best skier across distances and the classic and freestyle techniques.

Diggins won the last two World Cup 10km frees while recently dealing with plantar fasciitis, which she has said affects her more in classic than freestyle races.

“I’ve been pushing hard in training, and it’s nice to know I’m keeping on the right side of that line,” she said.

Diggins is now up to 28 World Cup victories, including 24 in individual races. Both are American cross-country skiing records, as are her three Olympic medals (one of every color) and her six world championships medals (two of every color).

Cross-country skiing races alternate between classic and freestyle techniques at every Olympics and biennial World Championships.

After the 2022 Olympic 10km was in classic, Diggins won the 2023 World title in the 10km freestyle (her favored technique). Next month’s 10km at worlds will be in classic.

Then at the 2026 Olympics, the 10km returns to freestyle. Diggins could be favored to become the first American to win individual Olympic cross-country skiing gold to go along with her team sprint gold from 2018 with Kikkan Randall.

Triple 2022 Olympic champion Therese Johaug of Norway won the first two 10km free races this season, then skipped the last two that Diggins won. Johaug, who ended a two-year retirement to compete this season, has said she does not plan to extend her comeback to the 2026 Olympics.

The cross-country World Cup season continues next weekend in Falun, Sweden, for the last races before worlds in Trondheim, Norway.

Jessie Diggins begins another cross-country skiing season with a “holy grail” race among her focuses.