Kuusamo XC: Freeman notches best finish in 5 years

KUUSAMO, Finland — U.S. Ski Teamer Kris Freeman got stronger as a World Cup 15-kilometer classic technique race went on Sunday and finished fifth behind Czech Lukas Bauer. Skiing in 5-degree cold, it's Freeman's best result in five years.
KUUSAMO, Finland — U.S. Ski Teamer Kris Freeman got stronger as a World Cup 15-kilometer classic technique race went on Sunday and finished fifth behind Czech Lukas Bauer. Skiing in 5-degree cold, it's Freeman's best result in five years.
    Bauer beat Eldar Ronning of Norway by 20.4 seconds for the win. Freeman finished 27.5 seconds back.
    In the women's 10K classic, Marit Bjorgen finished nine seconds ahead of Norwegian teammate Astrid Jacobsen for her 30th World Cup victory.
    Bauer finished in 37 minutes, 15.8 seconds after a superb second half of the race in cold, windy conditions. Axel Teichmann of Germany was third, 21.9 seconds behind Bauer.
    Vasili Rotchev of Russia, Jens Filbrich of Germany and Jens Arne Svartedal of Norway were next.   
    Bauer, who took silver in the Torino Olympics last year in the 15K classic, won a 15K classic FIS race in Finland before placing second last week on the 15K freestyle World Cup race in Beitostolen, Norway.
    Bauer leads overall with 180 points. Teichmann is second with 160. Johan Kjolstad of Norway has 124, Bjorn Lind of Sweden 109, and Josef Wenzl of Germany 100.
    Norway dominated the women's race with four skiers in the top six.
    Bjorgen, the overall champion in 2005 and '06, increased her overall lead. She has 312 points and is ahead of Jacobsen with 200 and Petra Majdic of Slovenia with 169.
    Defending champion Virpi Kuitunen of Finland did not start.

    — The Associated Press