Skiing on fumes against the world's best, Antoine Cyr was the first Canadian to cross the finish line in 16th on Sunday, posting a time of 33 minutes 51.2 seconds in the 10-kilometre skate-ski pursuit race of the Tour de Ski event in Val di Fiemme, Italy.
A day earlier, the native of Gatineau, Que., finished one-tenth of a second shy of a bronze medal in the men's 15 km classic-ski race.
Cyr skied straight up Alpe Cermis over the final three kilometres that boasts a 28 per cent hill grade. Norway's Johannes Klaebo topped the mountain first in the cross-country race and won six times in the grueling seven-race competition. WATCH | Cyr misses podium by fraction of a second on Saturday: Teammate Simen Krueger placed second overall after clocking the top time in the final stage at 31:20.4.
Olivier Léveillé, a 21-year-old from Sherbrooke, Que., was the next best Canadian in 32nd in 33:54.2. Russell Kennedy of Canmore, Alta., was the top Canadian in the final stage and 39th overall.