When Norway, with many of the world's best cross-country skiers, decided to stand over the Tour de Ski, the battle for the final victory became an open story, not least on the women's side.

Not since Poland's Justyna Kowalczyk won the tour in 2013 has any non-Norwegian skier taken home the competition.

And in advance, it looked like it was cut and dried so that Swedish stars like Frida Karlsson and Ebba Andersson could make up for the overall victory.

But before the spectacular final stage today - which ends with a challenging climb up Alpe Cermis - it will take a lot if it is to be Swedish at the top of the podium.

Two minutes behind

Frida Karlsson was at the top for a long time, but was unhappily injured in the hotel room and after some painful stages, where Karlsson could not do himself justice, she withdrew from the tour.

Ebba Andersson is the best of the Swedes, sixth in the summary, but is a full 2.10 behind leading Jessica Diggins, USA.

Andersson had a weak start to the tour, where the initial stages were decided at a high altitude, in the Swiss Val Müstair.

The Swedish team had no opportunity to recharge at high altitude, and that affected Andersson.

- I was thinking about why I had performed as I had done, why it always felt like the form was not there at all, even though I had had my own experience when we went here.

But then I really got black and white that height played a pretty big role for me, said Ebba Andersson the other day.

But despite three straight podium places in the recent distance races, it takes something out of the ordinary if Andersson is to reach Diggins.

Up to the Russian Julia Stupak in second place, it is also long, 1.16, but a podium place is not unrealistic.

Third Krista Pärmäkoski, Finland, is only 19 seconds ahead of Andersson ahead of today's stage.

Missing the start of the hunt

The chances would have been even greater if the stage had been decided as a hunt start, says Sweden's national team manager Anders Byström.

But since last year, the mass start has been valid in Val di Fiemme.

- It's a bit of a shame for us.

It would have been fun to see that hunt, with Diggins at the top of the hill, Stupak a little further down and then a Swedish hunt behind.

But it's hard to walk away when it's mass start, unfortunately.

Byström is also sure that Andersson had been in the absolute top with a different charge.

- With our preparations, where we could not be at height before, we knew it would be tough in the beginning.

And we have not been able to recover that completely.

But overall we do a very good tour.

We get some victories and also many podium places, says Byström.

- If Frida had been fresh and Ebba had gotten off to a slightly better start, we would definitely have been at the top up there, I think.

Long-awaited victory

Until yesterday, the Swedish men's effort was a really gloomy story.

Despite the lack of Norwegians, the Swedish riders were far from the top and a disappointed Calle Halfvarsson, then best Swede in 15th place in the summary, jumped off the tour after breaking Friday's mass start.

Then Oskar Svensson struck with a real bang and won the sprint in classic style yesterday.

It was the first individual Swedish men's victory in the World Cup since March 2017.

- It means an awful lot.

It was probably four or five years since it last happened, and even though the Norwegians are not here, the class on the final field was very strong.

This shows that Oskar will be dangerous before the World Cup as well, says Anders Byström.

TT: What is the best thing you bring with you from the Tour de Ski?

- It is that we are an enormously good sprint team on the women's side.

We have taken six of six podium places in the classic sprint this season, and that gives us a lot of confidence.

Since Ebba and Frida are in the absolute top.

With a fresh Frida and an Ebba who is in the shape she is in now, then we know that we can be involved and challenge Therese Johaug and company in the WC as well.