Minneapolis witnessed a historic moment in cross-country skiing history this weekend, as Gus Schumacher became the first American man to clinch a World Cup win in 11 years, breaking a long-standing dry spell with a stunning victory at the Loppet Cup. The event, held at Theodore Wirth Park, saw Schumacher snagging the top spot in the men's 10K race with a time of 20:52.7, leaving Norwegian skiers Harald Oestberg Amundsen and Paal Golberg trailing behind, according to Alaska Dispatch News.
Jessie Diggins, the Olympic champion and hometown favorite seemingly was overshadowed by Schumacher's unexpected ascent to the podium though she delivered a strong performance herself landing third in the women's 10K race edged out by Sweden's Jonna Sundling and Frida Karlsson, who took first and second place respectively; while Diggins managed to prevent a Swedish sweep with her 23:10.7 time barely beating Linn Svahn's, as reported by CBS News.
Diggins expressed her joy for Schumacher's groundbreaking win, saying, "This is Gus' day and I want everyone to know that. This is so special and I couldn't possibly be more proud of him," in a statement obtained by CBS News.
