Benjamin Moser of Austria secured his first podium finish in a sprint race on Saturday, placing third in the freestyle sprint competition held in Falun, Sweden. The 28-year-aged completed the 1.4 km course in a time that placed him behind only Norwegian cross-country skiing superstar Johannes Hösflot Kläbo and fellow Norwegian Lars Heggen.
Moser’s performance marks a significant achievement in his career, representing his second podium finish of the season. He previously finished second in a Tour de Ski stage in Toblach, Italy, on December 31, 2025, narrowly missing victory by just 0.2 seconds against Gus Schumacher of the United States.
The Austrian skier successfully navigated the qualifying rounds, finishing 17th and then dominated his quarterfinal heat. He continued his strong showing by securing a spot in the final through a close sprint finish in the semi-final, placing second behind Switzerland’s Janik Riebli.
Kläbo, a six-time Olympic gold medalist, claimed his 108th World Cup victory, further solidifying his dominance in the sport. Heggen followed closely behind, completing the Norwegian sweep of the top two positions.
“Honestly, I’m a little speechless at the moment, and it was just an incredibly cool day,” Moser stated after the race, according to reports. “This is incredible and was a long-awaited, big career goal of mine. That a podium finish would also work out, I honestly didn’t expect that.” Moser credited his service team for providing him with excellent skis, emphasizing the importance of equipment in his success.
In the women’s sprint event, Sweden’s Linn Svahn took first place, defeating Norway’s Kristine Stavas Skistad and Switzerland’s Nadine Fähndrich. Austria’s Magdalena Scherz did not qualify for the main field of 30.
The World Cup action continues on Sunday in Falun with skiathlon races. Teresa Stadlober of Austria is not participating in the event as she continues to recover from issues following the Winter Games.
