American Jessie Diggins wins her second XC Tour de Ski title

VAL DI FIEMME, Italy (AP) — Jessie Diggins won a second title for the United States in cross country skiing’s Tour de Ski on Sunday, three years after securing America’s first victory in the competition. Diggins, who is from Afton, Minnesota, began the seventh and final stage of the competition raced in Italy and Switzerland with a 43 second lead.

The 32 year old Diggins placed sixth in the 10 kilometer leg. That was enough to claim her second title with an overall time of 4 hours, 13 minutes, 19 seconds. She finished almost 32 seconds ahead of Norway’s Heidi Weng overall. Kerttu Niskanen of Finland was third. In 18 years of the marathon competition, Diggins’ and her third place six years ago are the only other podium finishes by an American man or woman.

Sunday’s stage in Val di Fiemme, Italy, which culminated in the ultra steep Alpe Cermis climb, was won by Diggins’ teammate Sophia Laukli. Diggins also has Olympic gold, silver and bronze medals in the sport and last year became the first American to gold in an individual cross country ski race.

___ AP skiing:.