Crosscountry-Sweden's Andersson claims decisive victory in 50km classic race

TESERO, Italy, Feb 22 : Sweden's Ebba Andersson surged away from opponents for a commanding win in the 50km classic cross-country ski race on Sunday, winning the first gold medal in the event in its Olympic debut and taking her first victory of these Games. 

It was redemption for Andersson, who suffered a series of disastrous falls in the relay that cost her team a gold medal. She also has three second-place finishes at Milano-Cortina, one earned after an impressive comeback during the relay, and individual silvers in the skiathlon and 10km freestyle event. 

In Sunday's race, Heidi Weng of Norway won silver, finishing two minutes and 15 seconds behind Andersson but more than four-and-a-half minutes ahead of Switzerland's Nadja Kaelin who took bronze. 

Andersson led for the early portion of the race, with Weng close behind, leaving others to fight for the bronze. After suffering a brief fall in a ski change, Andersson broke away from Weng and the two held safely in gold and silver medal positions for the second half of the race. 

Kaelin broke away from the chasing group in a final uphill climb of the race, outpacing podium favourite Jessie Diggins of the U.S. who came into the race seeded top.

Diggins, who was racing the final event of her Olympic career, came fifth after clawing back from a fall during a ski change and collapsed at the finish line. 

Kaelin finished six minutes and 41 seconds behind Andersson. 

Sweden’s Jonna Sundling and Frida Karlsson, both seen as medal contenders, sat out the race due to illness.