Germany's Laura Gimmler and Coletta Rydzek executed a flawless strategy to win the women's freestyle team sprint at the Cross-Country World Cup in Goms, Switzerland, on January 23, 2026. The race, the last before the Milano Cortina Olympics, saw France's Léonie Perry and Mélissa Gal secure seventh place, their best result in the format since 2010. Notable absences, including Sweden's top sprinters and the United States' Jessie Diggins, shifted focus to tactical preparation amid a challenging hilly course.
The women's freestyle team sprint in Goms served as a crucial dress rehearsal for the Olympic event in Val di Fiemme, with teams prioritizing strategy over all-out effort. Qualification featured individual prologues on a demanding 1.5km loop with climbs at moderate altitude, advancing the top 16 teams to the final of six alternating laps.
Germany's duo controlled the pace from the start. 'Our strategy was for me to get into good positions on the first lap so that Coletta could take it easy and then put all her power into the final straight,' Gimmler said. Rydzek conserved energy early, then surged in the closing stages to edge out Norway's Astrid Øyre Slind and Julie Bjervig Drivenes for second, with Norway's Karoline Grøtting and Tiril Udnes Weng taking third.
France's Perry and Gal stayed competitive despite Perry's early fall, finishing seventh in a group of seven teams. 'We remained in contact with the best and played our chances to the full,' a report noted, marking France's strongest World Cup showing in team sprints since 2010. Their teammates Margot Tirloy and Julie Pierrel placed 13th.
The United States fielded two teams: Julia Kern and Sammy Smith navigated cleanly, while Lauren Jortberg crashed early in her leg with Kendall Kramer, leading to a conservative approach. 'It was a rude awakening,' Kern said of the qualifier. Jortberg added, 'In that split second, it was either ski into their gear or crash.' Both U.S. pairs emphasized learning for the Olympics, with Smith noting the importance of 'staying relaxed and patient.'
Sweden rested its sprint stars, and Diggins skipped to conserve energy, reshaping the field. The controlled race highlighted tactical elements vital for the unforgiving Olympic course.
