Valditrento, Italy - Justyna Kowalczyk of Poland on Saturday won the last women's cross-country World Cup race before the world championships.

Kowalczyk won the 10-kilometres classic style race in 29 minutes 37.4 seconds, her second straight win in the discipline, third overall in the season and fifth in her career.

Marianna Longa of Italy trailed by 12.4 seconds in second place and Slovenian sprint queen Petra Majdic was third, 30.3 seconds off the pace.

Aino Kaisa Saarinen of Finland came seventh to retain the World Cup lead with 1,276 points from Majdic (1,250) and Kowalczyk (1,167).

A men's race over 15km was set for later Saturday.

The world championships in Liberec, Czech Republic, start with the same races for women on Thursday and men on Friday. (dpa)