Analysis: Final Climb 2014 – Women

Posted by Jan Kocbach, 05 Jan 2014@14:50

The Final Climb turned into a Norwegian celebration in the Women’s class in this edition of the Tour de Ski. As expected Therese Johaug was stronger than Astrid Jacobsen and took the overall victory. However Jacobsen gave Johaug a fight nearly all the way to the finish – and Johaug’s gap down to Jacobsen was only 20 seconds in the end.

Looking at the illustration above you see the key moments in the race: How Johaug passes Jacobsen between 7 and 8 km, how Weng beats the Finnish trio for the third place and how Stephen advances to 7th place.

The illustration above is a graphical illustration of the race development based on the split times. A line which is flat means that a skier has the same time as Therese Johaug for the split (Johaug’s line is flat all the way on the top). A line which goes down represents slower speed – a line which goes up represents faster speed. Key moments are marked on the illustration.

Looking at the stage times Johaug crushed everybody on the stage as she has done four times before. Johaug won the stage 44 seconds ahead of Jacobsen with Elizabeth Stephen (USA) in third. Looking at the final climb only (just the hill), Stephen was second – only 16 seconds behind Johaug with Weng and Ishida in shared third at +34 seconds.

GPS analysis

FIS has again published GPS-data for the race – making it possible to follow the race development in detail. Below parts of the race development is described based on the GPS-data.

Jacobsen versus Johaug

The below illustration compares Jacobsen and Johaug. When the red line is below the thick black line, Johaug is behind Jacobsen – when it is above Johaug is in front. As you can see that the gap is constant all the way until 6 km where the hill starts. From 6 km Johaug starts to “eat up” the gap – catching Jacobsen at 7.4 km. Johaug only stays at the back for a few meters before getting away and quickly building up a big gap. The gap is at 30 seconds at its maximum – but then drops to around 20 seconds in the end.

Weng versus the Finnish trio

The first of the illustrations below compare Weng with Lahteenmaki. As you can see Weng catches Lahteenmaki after around 1 km of skiing. They then stay together until around 6.5 km where Weng gets a small gap. Lahteenmaki hangs on until 7.3 km though – but then Weng quickly gets a gap of 20 seconds. Towards the end Lahteenmaki catches Weng again (but as we know Weng was faster in the finish sprint).

Climb times (only last hill)
1. 19:47 Therese JOHAUG NOR
2. 20:03 +00:16 Elizabeth STEPHEN USA
3. 20:21 +00:34 Heidi WENG NOR
4. 20:21 +00:34 Masako ISHIDA JPN
5. 20:27 +00:40 Astrid Uhrenholdt JACOBSEN NOR
6. 20:27 +00:40 Krista LAHTEENMAKI FIN
7. 20:45 +00:58 Eva VRABCOVA – NYVLTOVA CZE
8. 20:45 +00:58 Valentina SHEVCHENKO UKR
9. 20:46 +01:00 Katrin ZELLER GER
10. 20:47 +01:01 Kerttu NISKANEN FIN
11. 20:55 +01:08 Aino-Kaisa SAARINEN FIN
14. 21:05 +01:18 Maria RYDQVIST SWE
Alpe Cermis stage times (unofficial results from live timing)
1. 34:20 Therese JOHAUG NOR
2. 35:04 +00:44 Astrid Uhrenholdt JACOBSEN NOR
3. 35:18 +00:58 Elizabeth STEPHEN USA
4. 35:28 +01:08 Heidi WENG NOR
5. 35:35 +01:15 Masako ISHIDA JPN
6. 35:36 +01:16 Krista LAHTEENMAKI FIN
7. 36:05 +01:46 Katrin ZELLER GER
8. 36:09 +01:49 Kerttu NISKANEN FIN
9. 36:09 +01:50 Aino-Kaisa SAARINEN FIN
10. 36:10 +01:51 Maria RYDQVIST SWE
11. 36:12 +01:52 Eva VRABCOVA – NYVLTOVA CZE
12. 36:19 +02:00 Anouk FAIVRE PICON FRA
13. 36:27 +02:08 Valentina SHEVCHENKO UKR
14. 36:34 +02:14 Debora AGREITER ITA
15. 36:35 +02:15 Irina KHAZOVA RUS
16. 36:41 +02:21 Claudia NYSTAD GER
17. 36:46 +02:26 Sara LINDBORG SWE
18. 36:48 +02:28 Teresa STADLOBER AUT
19. 36:48 +02:28 Riitta-Liisa ROPONEN FIN
20. 36:52 +02:33 Jessica DIGGINS USA
21. 36:55 +02:36 Emma WIKEN SWE
22. 37:02 +02:42 Anne KYLLOENEN FIN
23. 37:02 +02:43 Coraline HUGUE FRA
24. 37:08 +02:48 Paulina MACIUSZEK POL
25. 37:14 +02:54 Ilaria DEBERTOLIS ITA
26. 37:25 +03:05 Stefanie BOEHLER GER
27. 37:32 +03:13 Elisa BROCARD ITA
28. 37:45 +03:25 Aurore JEAN FRA
29. 37:46 +03:26 Barbara JEZERSEK SLO
30. 38:26 +04:07 Petra NOVAKOVA CZE
31. 38:28 +04:08 Polina MEDVEDEVA RUS
32. 38:28 +04:09 Olga KUZIUKOVA RUS
33. 38:53 +04:33 Celia AYMONIER FRA
34. 39:38 +05:18 Larisa SHAIDUROVA RUS
35. 39:59 +05:40 Alevtina TANYGINA RUS
Split 1
1. 04:12 Therese JOHAUG NOR
2. 04:14 +00:02 Astrid Uhrenholdt JACOBSEN NOR
3. 04:23 +00:11 Jessica DIGGINS USA
4. 04:25 +00:13 Heidi WENG NOR
5. 04:26 +00:14 Riitta-Liisa ROPONEN FIN
6. 04:26 +00:15 Krista LAHTEENMAKI FIN
7. 04:27 +00:15 Maria RYDQVIST SWE
8. 04:27 +00:16 Anne KYLLOENEN FIN
9. 04:28 +00:16 Aurore JEAN FRA
10. 04:28 +00:17 Elizabeth STEPHEN USA
11. 04:29 +00:17 Masako ISHIDA JPN
16. 04:32 +00:20 Kerttu NISKANEN FIN
17. 04:33 +00:21 Aino-Kaisa SAARINEN FIN
18. 04:34 +00:22 Katrin ZELLER GER
Split 2
1. 04:30 Astrid Uhrenholdt JACOBSEN NOR
2. 04:31 +00:01 Jessica DIGGINS USA
3. 04:33 +00:03 Therese JOHAUG NOR
4. 04:33 +00:03 Sara LINDBORG SWE
5. 04:33 +00:03 Riitta-Liisa ROPONEN FIN
6. 04:35 +00:05 Aurore JEAN FRA
7. 04:37 +00:07 Heidi WENG NOR
8. 04:38 +00:08 Krista LAHTEENMAKI FIN
9. 04:38 +00:08 Elisa BROCARD ITA
10. 04:38 +00:08 Aino-Kaisa SAARINEN FIN
11. 04:39 +00:09 Ilaria DEBERTOLIS ITA
14. 04:41 +00:11 Maria RYDQVIST SWE
17. 04:42 +00:12 Katrin ZELLER GER
19. 04:42 +00:12 Masako ISHIDA JPN
22. 04:43 +00:13 Elizabeth STEPHEN USA
23. 04:44 +00:13 Kerttu NISKANEN FIN
Split 3
1. 05:48 Therese JOHAUG NOR
2. 05:53 +00:05 Coraline HUGUE FRA
3. 05:53 +00:05 Astrid Uhrenholdt JACOBSEN NOR
4. 05:55 +00:07 Claudia NYSTAD GER
5. 05:55 +00:07 Debora AGREITER ITA
6. 05:55 +00:07 Anouk FAIVRE PICON FRA
7. 05:57 +00:08 Irina KHAZOVA RUS
8. 05:57 +00:09 Barbara JEZERSEK SLO
9. 05:57 +00:09 Maria RYDQVIST SWE
10. 05:58 +00:10 Ilaria DEBERTOLIS ITA
11. 05:59 +00:11 Polina MEDVEDEVA RUS
17. 06:02 +00:14 Aino-Kaisa SAARINEN FIN
18. 06:03 +00:14 Masako ISHIDA JPN
19. 06:03 +00:15 Katrin ZELLER GER
21. 06:03 +00:15 Elizabeth STEPHEN USA
22. 06:04 +00:16 Krista LAHTEENMAKI FIN
23. 06:05 +00:17 Heidi WENG NOR
24. 06:06 +00:18 Kerttu NISKANEN FIN
Split 4
1. 03:02 Therese JOHAUG NOR
2. 03:09 +00:08 Heidi WENG NOR
3. 03:11 +00:09 Krista LAHTEENMAKI FIN
4. 03:15 +00:13 Elizabeth STEPHEN USA
5. 03:15 +00:13 Astrid Uhrenholdt JACOBSEN NOR
6. 03:18 +00:16 Debora AGREITER ITA
7. 03:18 +00:16 Kerttu NISKANEN FIN
8. 03:18 +00:16 Valentina SHEVCHENKO UKR
9. 03:18 +00:16 Anouk FAIVRE PICON FRA
10. 03:18 +00:16 Masako ISHIDA JPN
11. 03:18 +00:16 Katrin ZELLER GER
20. 03:25 +00:23 Maria RYDQVIST SWE
23. 03:26 +00:25 Aino-Kaisa SAARINEN FIN
Split 5
1. 06:18 Therese JOHAUG NOR
2. 06:33 +00:15 Elizabeth STEPHEN USA
3. 06:34 +00:17 Masako ISHIDA JPN
4. 06:42 +00:25 Heidi WENG NOR
5. 06:42 +00:25 Astrid Uhrenholdt JACOBSEN NOR
6. 06:44 +00:27 Aino-Kaisa SAARINEN FIN
7. 06:47 +00:29 Eva VRABCOVA – NYVLTOVA CZE
8. 06:47 +00:29 Katrin ZELLER GER
9. 06:48 +00:31 Teresa STADLOBER AUT
10. 06:49 +00:31 Valentina SHEVCHENKO UKR
11. 06:53 +00:35 Irina KHAZOVA RUS
12. 06:53 +00:35 Kerttu NISKANEN FIN
14. 07:00 +00:42 Krista LAHTEENMAKI FIN
15. 07:00 +00:42 Maria RYDQVIST SWE
Split 6
1. 05:23 Therese JOHAUG NOR
2. 05:23 +00:00 Elizabeth STEPHEN USA
3. 05:30 +00:07 Masako ISHIDA JPN
4. 05:32 +00:09 Krista LAHTEENMAKI FIN
5. 05:34 +00:11 Heidi WENG NOR
6. 05:34 +00:11 Astrid Uhrenholdt JACOBSEN NOR
7. 05:37 +00:14 Kerttu NISKANEN FIN
8. 05:38 +00:15 Valentina SHEVCHENKO UKR
9. 05:40 +00:17 Eva VRABCOVA – NYVLTOVA CZE
10. 05:41 +00:18 Maria RYDQVIST SWE
11. 05:41 +00:18 Claudia NYSTAD GER
12. 05:45 +00:22 Katrin ZELLER GER
16. 05:49 +00:26 Aino-Kaisa SAARINEN FIN
Split 7
1. 04:45 Krista LAHTEENMAKI FIN
2. 04:53 +00:08 Elizabeth STEPHEN USA
3. 04:55 +00:10 Astrid Uhrenholdt JACOBSEN NOR
4. 04:55 +00:10 Irina KHAZOVA RUS
5. 04:55 +00:10 Heidi WENG NOR
6. 04:56 +00:11 Aino-Kaisa SAARINEN FIN
7. 04:57 +00:11 Katrin ZELLER GER
8. 04:59 +00:14 Masako ISHIDA JPN
9. 05:00 +00:15 Kerttu NISKANEN FIN
10. 05:00 +00:15 Maria RYDQVIST SWE
11. 05:00 +00:15 Eva VRABCOVA – NYVLTOVA CZE
17. 05:05 +00:20 Therese JOHAUG NOR

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