Johannes Høsflot Klæbo won his third Tour de Ski despite failing to complete seven wins out of seven in Val di Fiemme ©Getty Images

Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, with six wins out of six so far in this year’s Tour de Ski at Val di Fiemme, could not maintain his perfect record in the seventh and last race for what would have been a unique achievement.

But the 26-year-old Norwegian, five times an Olympic cross-country skiing gold medallist, was more than satisfied with winning the overall men’s Tour title for a third time after finishing sixth in the concluding 10 kilometres mass start free race.

Only one male skier - four-time champion Dario Cologna from Switzerland - has won the Tour de Ski, which is part of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) Cross-Country World Cup season, more times.

"I'm super satisfied," Klaebo said.

"It's as perfect as it can get so now it's really good that it's done and I can go back to relax, for some days at least."

Klaebo's compatriot Simen Hegstad Krueger won the race as another Norwegian, Hans Christer Holund, claimed the second place, 4.8 seconds behind.

Jules Lapierre from France finished third, with his team-mates lifting him up to celebrate his first FIS Cross-Country World Cup podium finish.

Klaebo won the overall title by a margin of 59.5 seconds over second-placed Krueger, with Holund completing a medal sweep for Norway.

"Today the race was really hard," Klaebo said.

"I know that Simen is very strong when it comes to this uphill and I was a little bit afraid that he could actually go too fast for me today, but I'm really satisfied with the race and I think I did the best I could.

Delphine Claudel celebrates winning the final women's Tour de Ski race of the series in Val di Fiemme ©Getty Images
Delphine Claudel celebrates winning the final women's Tour de Ski race of the series in Val di Fiemme ©Getty Images

"To be able to win Tour de Ski is an unbelievable feeling."

Italy's Federico Pellegrino got the overall fourth-place while overall World Cup number two Paal Golberg from Norway finished fifth.

The overall women’s title went to Sweden’s Frida Karlsson, who finished 33.2 seconds in front of Finland’s Kerttu Niskanen, with third place going to Norway’s Tiril Udnes Weng at 47.6sec.

Karlsson thus replicated the achievement of her compatriot Charlotte Kalla 15 years earlier.

Winner of the final race was Delphine Claudel of France, who finished ahead of Heidi Weng of Norway and Sophie Laukli of the United States.

The FIS Cross-Country World Cup schedule is due to continue on January 21 and 22 in Livigno, Italy.