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KUUSAMO, Finland (AP) — Olympic champion Nikita Kriukov won a cross-country World Cup sprint race Friday.

The Russian finished the 1.4-kilometer race in 2 minutes, 42.6 seconds, beating former World Cup champion Petter Northug and Norwegian teammate Eirik Brandsdal.

Kriukov says he "knew that Petter was very strong uphill, but the last 100 meters I did my best."

Marit Bjorgen won the women's 1.4-kilometer race in 3 minutes, 9.2 seconds, beating Russian pair Evgenia Shapovalova and Anastasia Dotsenko.