Legkov, Kowalczyk win Tour de Ski titles

Alexander Legkov rallied to win his first Tour de Ski title.

MAURIZIO BRAMBATTI/Landov

Alexander Legkov of Russia won his first Tour de Ski title Sunday by surging away from his rivals on the final climb up Mount Cermis.

Legkov started the final stage in the nine-day race 6.5 seconds behind three-time champion Dario Cologna of Switzerland, but Cologna couldn't keep pace when Legkov went ahead on the way up the downhill ski slope.

Legkov won the 9-kilometer freestyle handicap-start race in 31 minutes, 3.4 seconds and finished 18.7 seconds ahead of Cologna, with fellow Russian Maxim Vylegzhanin third, 40.7 back.

In the women's event, Justyna Kowalczyk of Poland won her fifth stage in this year's race and secured her fourth consecutive overall victory.

Kowalczyk's time was 35:52.5 to finish 27.9 ahead of Therese Johaug of Norway. Kristin Stoermer Steira, another Norwegian, was third, 2:39.5 back.