By Jim Armstrong

PRAGELATO, Italy (AP) _ This was Julija Tchepalova's race to win.

The women above and below her in the World Cup standings were out: Leader Marit Bjorgen of Norway skipped the event because of illness, while Beckie Scott of Vermilion, Alta., chose to turn her attention to the overall World Cup title in her final season on the circuit.

Tchepalova finished second in Friday's 30km skate, the final women's cross-country race of the Turin Games.

Katerina Neumannova of the Czech Republic took gold while Justyna Kowalczyk of Poland finished third.

``It was a difficult day,'' said Tchepalova, who was 1.4 seconds behind Neumannova. ``There was a lot of snow and this is a difficult distance, but I'm happy to have the medal _ even if it's silver.''

At 29, Tchepalova's Olympic career is likely over. She was a member of Russia's women's 4x5-kilometre relay team that won gold Feb. 18, then boosted her impressive individual Olympic medal count to five Friday.

Tchepalova, who won three cross-country medals in Salt Lake City, led for most of Friday's race. She fell during the final 10 kilometres, dropping down to fourth, but made up lost ground and challenged for the lead with Neumannova and Kowalczyk.

``There was a collision in front of me,'' Tchepalova said. ``I didn't see who it was but my skis got tangled up in theirs and I fell down. It was a stupid incident.''

She was neck-and-neck with Kowalczyk down the home stretch before Neumannova surged ahead to cross the finish line first for the Czech Republic's first gold of the Games.

There was wet snow falling during the race but Tchepalova refused to use that as an excuse.

``In Russia, we have much worse weather conditions than here,'' Tchepalova said.

She won this race in the 1998 Olympics in Nagano but said the circumstances here were different.

``We had an individual start there, which is better for me. Today we had a mass start, which is more difficult but is better for the spectators,'' she said.

Nuemannova was among the favourites for the gold but Tchepalova said she was surprised by the efforts of Kowalczyk.

``I was surprised when I saw her in the lead,'' Tchepalova said. ``When she saw she was leading, I think she got a bit of a scare and literally handed me the medal.''