Consistent Tomba Ignores Pain, Wins Again

Torgny Mogren led a 1-2 Swedish finish in the men’s 10-kilometer World Cup cross-country ski race at Sappada, Italy, with a time of 26 minutes 4.7 seconds, about four seconds ahead of Henrik Forsberg.

Russians Nina Gavriljuk and Elena Vaelbe tied for first place and five teammates were close behind in the women’s five-kilometer race. The winning time was 13 minutes 55.1 seconds.

Labor

NHL teams’ union representatives met in Toronto to discuss issues that have divided players and to determine bargaining strategy. Among the issues on their agenda is the league’s proposed payroll tax. The union opposes it, but some players have said they would accept a tax.

More than 300 players were expected to attend a meeting today in Toronto.

A spokesman for the NHL said Commissioner Gary Bettman and union chief Bob Goodenow, who have not met for more than two weeks, have no talks scheduled.

Miscellany

Salt Lake City’s hopes of playing host to the 2002 Winter Olympics received a big boost when a 200-page International Olympic Committee report praised its plans.

It also received a warning that local opponents of government spending on the Games would intensify their efforts.

Russia got a first-period goal from defenseman Sergei Sorokin and made it stand up for a 1-0 victory over the Czech Republic in the championship game of the Izvestia Cup hockey tournament.