Both winners lie in second place overall with just one stage to go.

Poltoranin, a two-time World Championships bronze medallist in 2013, had not won a World Cup race for two seasons but accelerated clear at the end of a 15 kilometres classic mass start today in the Italian resort.

The 30-year-old eventually finished in 38min 40.30sec to prevail by a slender 0.40 seconds over Andrey Larkov of Russia. 

Canada's Alex Harvey finished third in 38:41.20.

Switzerland's Dario Cologna finished a further 1.2 seconds behind but remains in the overall lead.

He still lies a mammoth 1:14.40 clear of Poltoranin.

Russia's Sergey Ustiugov lies third, 1:21.50 behind the leader, after a 14th place finish today.

Harvey is now lurking just 1.2 seconds further back in fourth. 

Weng narrowed the overall gap to just 1.8 seconds in the women's standings after an eight second victory today in the 10km women's race in 29:07.90.

Krista Parmakoski of Finland was second, in 29:15.50, as Teresa Stadlober of Austria crossed third an exact second further behind.

Ingvild Flugstad Østberg's winning run came to an end as she had to settle for fifth on the day in 29:43.10.

She still heads the overall standings, albeit by a now slender margin over Weng.

Parmakoski sits third overall, 1:33.50 behind the leader.

Action will conclude tomorrow with 9km pursuits for both fields.

Each leg is doubling as a stop on the International Ski Federation Cross-Country World Cup series.