4 × 5 kilometres Relay, Women

In the women’s cross-country relay over 4 x 5 km, first twice in the classical technique, then twice in freestyle, the ROC team won gold with a team made up of Yuliya Stupak, Nataliya Nepryayeva, Tatyana Sorina, and Veronika Stepanova. Germany followed in second place for silver, with Katherine Sauerbrey, Katharina Hennig, Victoria Carl, and Sofie Krehl. It was Germany’ third silver in the event after 2006 and 2010, and their first Olympic cross-country skiing medal since relay bronze at Sochi in 2014. ROC and Germany pulled away from the field early on. Stupak made the first attempt to break, but Sauerbrey ran an incredibly strong second lap and was able to catch up at the first exchange. She wasn’t even part of the World Cup team at the beginning of the season.

Hennig and Nepryayeva were able to keep up the pace, and distance themselves more and more from the other teams. On the penultimate climb, Nepryayeva was able to pull away a little before the next exchange. In the first chasing group were favorites Sweden, with Ebba Andersson, and Norway, with Therese Johaug. Norway had a slight problem after their first runner Tiril Udnes Weng fell, but Johaug pushed Norway into third place, 22.8 seconds behind Victoria Carl.

Carl initially had to let Tatyana Sorina past, but she fought back, as the Russian couldn’t maintain the high pace from the beginning. Carl handed over to Krehl in first place for Germany. The lead over Russia was five seconds, but behind them Norway and Finland, around 15 seconds back, were putting on the pressure.

Krehl, leading at the start of the final leg, could not shake off the Russian sprint specialist Stepanova, who pulled away on the penultimate climb to anchor ROC to a stunning gold. Sweden and Finland came a little bit closer from behind, but Krehl was able to save a small lead of 5.2 seconds to the finish holding off the fast-finishing Jonna Sundling, and Krista Pärmäkoski.

Sweden looked destined to miss out on the medals for most of the race, especially after a disappointing third leg from Frida Karlsson, which saw them slip from third to fifth. However, a strong finish saw Sundling edge out Pärmäkoski in a dramatic final sprint for bronze. Defending champion Norway was shut out of the medals, finishing a disappointing fifth.