Hoesflot Klaebo and Falk quickest in Quebec

Hoesflot Klaebo led a Norwegian one-two ahead of compatriot Finn Haagen Krogh, fastest overall by almost three seconds with a time of 2:39.44.

France's Lucas Chanavat was another second back in third, with Hoesflot Klaebo's biggest rival for the World Cup crown – Federico Pellegrino of Italy – back in fifth.

Hoesflot Klaebo, 20, is leading the overall sprint standings with 369 points, ahead of Pellegrino (331) and Sergey Ustiugov (322) and is bidding to become the youngest winner of the sprint World Cup.

In the women's race, Sweden's Falk pushed World Cup leader Maiken Caspersen Falla into second in qualifying with a time of 3:02.91, with another Norwegian in Marit Bjoergen in third.

Falla can become the fifth woman to win the sprint World Cup in consecutive seasons this weekend, and currently leads Stina Nilsson – who finished fourth on Friday – by 42 points.

Between the pair of them, Falla and Nilsson have won 11 of the last 12 World Cup races in sprint free, and Nilsson will finish at least second in the sprint World Cup this season, the best result ever by a Swedish woman.