Sundling thus frustrated the ambition of her compatriot, Stina Nilsson, to won a third World Cup sprint race at this venue following her freestyle win in 2016 and classic style victory in 2018.

Nilsson finished second on the day, with third place going to Julia Kern, who beat fellow United States athlete Sophie Caldwell to the final podium place.

Norway's Maiken Caspersen Falla had arrived top of the standings in the women's sprint freestyle event having won in Ruka and finished second to Sweden's Linn Svahn in Davos.

But she could only manage10th place today and drops down to third place overall in the event on 156 points, with Sundling top on 186 and Nilsson second on 167.

France’s Lucas Chanavat won the men’s sprint ahead of Italy’s Federico Pellegrino to top the standings in the event with 202 points from overall World Cup leader Johannes Høsflot Klæbo of Norway, who was not involved today.

Pellegrino,  who is now third in the overall men’s sprint standings, had won the only previous sprint freestyle event held in Planica in January 2016.

Erik Valnes took third place today, one place ahead of fellow Norwegian Sindre Skar.