- She turns out to be human for the first time this season, says SVT's expert Mats Troeng.
Alexandersson started last of all and finished one minute and 58 seconds behind the winner, Swiss world three Simona Aebersold, in the sun at home.
The Swede took the lead at the first intermediate time and led most of the race, but lost at the end.
Thus, she missed the chance to take her third World Cup victory out of three possible this year.
The Swede - who has won the World Cup six years in a row - has swept clean so far this season and is the favorite in this week's competitions, despite a messy recharge.
Haft corona
The 28-year-old contracted the corona virus a week and a half after the World Cup success in the Czech Republic and came to Idrefjäll slightly sprained.
- The form is as it is, but I still feel that I am recovered enough to be able to compete, Alexandersson told SVT Sport before Thursday's long distance.
Norwegian Andrine Benjaminsen finished second.
World runner-up Natalia Gemperle, Russia, wandered off into the Swedish forests and never had anything to do with the urban battle.
The World Cup in Idre continues with middle distance on Saturday and relay on Sunday.
CLIP: Alexandersson wrote history with five golds in the same WC (July 9, 2021)
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Tove Alexandersson made history by being the first to win five World Cup titles in the same championship. Photo: Bildbyrån