FALUN, Sweden - Norwegian cross-country skier Marit Bjoergen earned her 13th world championship title on Thursday by holding off Swedish rival Stina Nilsson to win the women's classical-style sprint.

The six-time Olympic champion went from third to first when coming into the stadium and comfortably beat Nilsson and Norwegian teammate Maiken Caspersen Falla on the final stretch.

It gave Norway a perfect start to a championships it is expected to dominate and set Bjoergen on her way to equal her performance at the last two worlds in 2011 and 2013, when she won four golds in each.

The men's sprint final was later Thursday.