Johannes Høsflot Klæbo is returning to the Cross-Country World Cup in Lenzerheide ©Getty Images

Sprint racing in Lenzerheide will begin the Tour de Ski tomorrow, with Johannes Høsflot Klæbo returning to the men's fold.

Klæbo, the overall International Ski Federation (FIS) Cross-Country World Cup leader, is seeking a second Tour de Ski title and leads Norway's team.

Norway's skiers missed last season's edition because of COVID-19 concerns, while Klæbo skipped the last World Cup stop in Dresden.

The Norwegian women's team will be without former champions Ingvild Flugstad Østberg, who has been deemed unfit, and Therese Johaug.

American Jessie Diggins is the reigning women's Tour de Ski champion, while Russia's Alexander Bolshunov is the defending men's king.

Bolshunov has won the crown in each of the last two seasons, but has not made a World Cup podium since November.

Jessie Diggins became the first non-European winner of the Tour de Ski las season ©Getty Images
Jessie Diggins became the first non-European winner of the Tour de Ski las season ©Getty Images

Six legs are scheduled in this season's Tour de Ski, including two sprints - starting with tomorrow's freestyle sprint in Lenzerheide in Switzerland.

Sweden's Maja Dahlqvist has won all four women's sprint events so far this FIS Cross-Country World Cup season, and is on a five-race sprint winning streak dating back to last campaign, but is skipping the Tour de Ski.

Two races in Lenzerheide will be followed by two in Oberstdorf in Germany and then two in Val di Fiemme in Italy.

With two rest days baked in to the schedule, the Tour de Ski will reach its climax with a 10 kilometres mass start climb for both men and women on January 4.