The Swiss skier, who won the classic sprint in Beitostølen, Norway eight days ago, was strong and consistent throughout the day as she finished ahead of Jessie Diggens of the United States, who took individual silver and gold at the Beijing 2022 Winter Games.

Third place in what was the last Cross-Country World Cup stage before Christmas went to Johanna Hagström of Sweden.

"It's very nice to win here, in front of a home crowd it is especially nice," Fähndrich said after celebrating her victory with the Swiss fans.

Overall World Cup leader Tiril Udnes Weng, who is also the highest-ranked sprinter this season, took charge of the race and looked determined to make up for last week's fourth-place.

The Norwegian had showed strength all day and stayed in front for most of the race but never managed to break away from the other skiers.

The Swiss skier passed Weng coming into the last climb and was cheered home to the line.

"I had so tired legs, I had the feeling I could not move, but I just thought 'just go on to the finish line, to the finish line'," Fähndrich said.

Norwegian seven-time Olympic medallist Johannes Høsflot Klæbo had missed the previous week's World Cup action due to illness. 

But it looked like things were back to normal as he moved fifth place to the front in the second lap of the men's sprint before taking the lead as he came into the last stretch.

But Pellegrino, whose wife - fellow Italian skier Greta Laurent - is expecting their first child, stayed in touch and moved ahead in the last metres of the race to claim his first World Cup victory this season, 0.15sec ahead of Klæbo.

France's Lucas Chanavat, who had been in the lead for most of the race, finished third.

The Italian skier, who has taken individual sprint silver at the last two Olympics, had waited until this morning before making the four-and-a-half hour drive to Davos.

"The day started at 03:00 in the morning at home in Aosta Valley in Italy," he said.

"My wife was OK with the baby and she said 'OK, Chicco, go and try to do your best and then come back home'.

"It's like a dream now - it seems like I'm still sleeping.

"It's incredible."

Pellegrino, who missed last weekend's World Cup stop in Beitostølen, in order to stay with his wife, said his participation in tomorrow's distance race would depend on how she is feeling.

"It depends on the contractions of my wife," he said.

"If it was OK like today then I think that tomorrow I will take part in the 20km."