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RUKA, Finland (AP) — Marit Bjoergen, the most successful women's cross-country skier in history, won a 10-kilometer classic race in the World Cup on Saturday as she builds up to her fifth Olympics.
The 37-year-old Norwegian claimed her 111th career World Cup win by a comfortable 17-second margin from Sweden's Charlotte Kalla in the season's first distance race.
Another Norwegian, Ingvild Flugstad Oestberg, took third, finishing 0.8 seconds behind Kalla.
Bjoergen has won her last five races in the 10K classic format, and finished on the podium in 21 of the last 22 such races in the World Cup.
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo won the men's 15K classic race, following up his victory in Friday's sprint, while fellow Norwegian Didrik Toenseth was 15.3 seconds slower for second.
Finnish skier Iivo Niskanen was third on home snow, 10.3 seconds further back.
Russian Evgeny Belov finished sixth as he raced despite being banned from the Olympics this month for his part in Russia's doping program. Another Russian skier with an Olympic doping ban, Maxim Vylegzhanin, was 16th.
The International Olympic Committee punishments only apply to the Olympics. The International Ski Federation hasn't extended Russian skiers' Olympic bans to its events yet, saying it needs more information from the IOC.
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