Valditrento, Italy - Petra Majdic of Slovenia and Norway's Ola Vigen Hattestad were unbeatable again on Friday as they each posted a fifth season sprint win in the cross-country skiing World Cup.

Majdic won the women's freestyle race in 2 minutes 45.6 seconds from former sprint world champion Pirjo Muranen of Finland and Italy's Magda Genuin.

Majdic closed in on World Cup leader Aino Kaisa Saarinen of Finland, who placed 13th on the day to lead with 1,240 points. Majdic is close behind on 1,190 and holder Virpi Kuitunen has 1,069.

Hattestad dominated the men's race in 3:22.9 minutes ahead of Russian Alexei Petokhov and Emil Jonsson of Sweden.

Dario Cologna of Switzerland was 13th to retain the World Cup lead with 926 points. Petter Northug of Norway has 720 and Germany's Axel Teichmann 649 points.

The Valditrento events are completed on Saturday with 10km women's and 15km men's races, the last races ahead of the world championships in Liberec, Czech Republic, which start on Thursday. (dpa)