Val di Fiemme, Italy  - Finland's Virpi Kuitunen clinched the women's Tour de Ski title for a second time by defending her overall lead in the nine-kilometre freestyle on Sunday.

Kuitunen, who won the cross-country ski series in 2007 and was second last year, held off compatriot Aino Kaisa Saarinen, with Slovenia's Petra Majdic third, on the seventh and last stage.

Kuitunen had recaptured the overall lead after winning a 10-kilometre classic technique race on Saturday.

The men's finale - an 11km freestyle - is scheduled for later. (dpa)