Justyna Kowalczyk Shutterstock

Justyna Kowalczyk won the Tour de Ski in Val di Fiemme, Italy, at the start of January, her fourth consecutive victory of the series.

Ms Kowalczyk finished seventh in the 9km Free Final Climb Pursuit, the final race of this year's tour, but it was still enough to ensure she took the overall title. Her combined total time over the seven stages was 27.9 seconds ahead of Norwegian skier Therese Johaug, who took second place.

Victory for the 29-year-old Olympic champion made her the most successful athlete (male or female) in the competition's history. It also maintains her lead at the top of the overall FIS Cross-Country World Cup standings. Ms Kowalczyk currently has 1,222 points, which is 370 more than Ms Johang, who is second in the current ranking.

"Once again, it's been a fantastic Tour de Ski. For the fourth time I took first place and I'm so happy," she told fiscrosscountry.com.

"Every race and every Tour have their own story and the hardest one was probably the first one I won."

"I like Val di Fiemme a lot and it's going to be a great World Championship next month. Usually I ski better after the Tour de Ski, I hope it will be the same this year," she added.

If the Pole does win the overall World Cup title this year it will put her one championship victory ahead of her great rival Marit Bjoergen, with both women currently boasting three titles each.

David Ingham