Paul Murray has bounced back from illness last week to post one of his best World Cup results, finishing 48th out of 79 starters in the classic Sprint World Cup in Asiago in Italy.

Paul was 2.73 seconds outside qualifying for the finals and 9.23 seconds behind the fastest qualifier Trond Iverson of Norway on the 1.2km time trial. The course of trucked-in snow on a golf course had two massive diagonal hills at either end with a bit of double poling through the stadium area.

Asiago was not so kind to the two Australian women, KT Calder and Esther Bottomley. They finished 49th and 53rd respectively out of the field of 54 starters, well off the pace of the fastest qualifier Virpi Kuitunen of Finland. Calder was particularly disappointed as the course seemed similar to some other classic sprints where she skied well last season. For Bottomley, the hills were just a bit too steep and long for her current level of fitness and diagonal technique.

(Story with the assistance of The XC files)