Summit 2 Senja, the 14th and second last event in Ski Classics Season XV, took place today in Norway. Magni Smedås, Team Eksjöhus, and Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget, Team Eksjöhus, secured the win with solid performances.
Summit 2 Senja in Norway, the 14th event in Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XV, took place today with a 60-kilometer long-distance event in classic technique with a thrilling finish for both women and men.
SUMMIT 2 SENJA – WOMEN’S RACE
The women’s race started at 9:05 CET, and the pace was high from the beginning. Emilie Fleten crashed in the first kilometer and broke a pole, but she was fast enough to rejoin the solid group of 16 skiers at the front.
About 6km into the race, a front group was formed, containing three top favorites: Astrid Øyre Slind, Magni Smedås, and Emilie Fleten. A few kilometers later, Smedås was dropped and couldn’t follow the leading duo.
At Johannesmyra, with 11.6km into the race, the Sprint checkpoint was won by Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, closely followed by Astrid Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, and then Magni Smedås, Team Eksjöhus, 14.0 seconds behind the leaders.
After the Sprint, the leading duo of Fleten and Slind was working well. With 45km remaining, Smedås could close the gap but struggled to keep the pace. Five kilometers later, Smedås was already 36 seconds back, and a group of seven skiers was chasing, 1:50 behind the leaders.
At the 32.5km mark, the leading duo showed good cooperation. Astrid crossed the checkpoint first, followed by Fleten. Magni was 1:23.4 back, and the chasing group was already over 4:12.1 behind.
With 9km to go, already on the steepest part of the final Iconic Climb of the season, the leading duo was still together up the hill. A few kilometers later, an impressive comeback from Magni Smedås showed her strength, and with 6km to go, she attacked and got a gap over the now chasers Emilie Fleten and Astrid Øyre Slind.
At the Magdaskaret Iconic Climb checkpoint, 54.6km into the race, Magni Smedås, Team Eksjöhus, crossed first, followed by Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, 14.9 back, and Astrid Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, 20.4 seconds behind.
After the Climb and heading down to the finish line, Magni was alone and could enjoy the race’s final stretch.
In the end, Magni Smedås, Team Eksjöhus, timed her strength perfectly in a dramatic recovery race to win this year’s Summit 2 Senja in a total time of 3:10:33.0.
Second place went to Astrid Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, 1:07.7 back. Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, after a fall in the finishing downhill and a quick recovery, completed the podium in the third position, 1:08.8 behind the winner.
Summit 2 Senja – Top 5 Women
- Magni Smedås, Team Eksjöhus, 3:10:33.0
- Astrid Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, +1:07.7
- Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, +1.08.8
- Kati Roivas, Team Eksjöhus, +8:41.1
- Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Ragde Charge, +9:08.5
Summit 2 Senja results can be found HERE
SUMMIT 2 SENJA – MEN’S RACE
The men’s race started at 9:00 CET, five minutes before the women’s, and the pace was fast from the beginning, creating several gaps between the skiers. With 11km into the race, a solid group of 15 athletes was formed ahead of the day’s Sprint.
At the Sprint checkpoint of the day, Johannesmyra, 11.6km into the race, Ole Jørgen Bruvoll, Team Engcon, crossed the sprint line first, followed by Kasper Stadaas and Johan Hoel from Team Ragde Charge.
After the Sprint and with about 40km to go, an eleven-skier group was strong at the front, with Magnus Vesterheim, Team Kaffebryggeriet, setting a fierce pace. A few kilometers later, Amund Riege, Team Ramudden, hit the front, accelerating, leaving Andreas Nygaard, Team Ragde Charge, behind in a difficult situation.
Over the kilometers, the pace was controlled in the now 10-strong front group, with several skiers sharing some work with Vesterheim, who had been in control for a good part of the race. Soon, with 29km to go, Stakston and Vesterheim tried their luck setting a furious pace and trying to get a gap.
At the 32.5km mark, the leading group showed good speed, with Vesterheim crossing the checkpoint first, followed by Stakston and Riege, and the ten first skiers crossing the line within 6.2 seconds. The chasing group was already over 54 seconds behind.
Heading to the only Climb checkpoint of the day and the final Iconic Climb for Season XV, Riege, Novak, Vesterheim, and Hoel were on the offensive, with the skiers constantly working to stretch the leading group.
At the 10km mark, the real climb to Magdaskaret started, and soon the steep gradient kicked in, Novak increased the pace and got a gap over Hoel and Riege. The diagonal striding skiers, Nyenget and Augdal, were chasing 16 seconds behind and trying to close the gap with 9.3km left in the race.
Max Novak showed his strength a few kilometers up the hill and increased the gap over the chasers. With 8km to go, Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget and Eirik Sverdrup Augdal were 28 seconds back, with Johan Hoel another 11 seconds behind.
Near the top of the climb, Nyenget could close the gap and leave Novak behind. It was a battle about diagonal striding at the front (Nyenget) and double poling behind (Novak).
At the Magdaskaret Climb checkpoint, 54.6km into the race, Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget, Team Eksjöhus, crossed first, followed by Max Novak, Team Aker Dæhlie, 12.6 seconds back, and Eirik Sverdrup Augdal, Team Eksjöhus, 46.7 behind.
Martin had a comfortable margin over the chasers after the Climb and heading down to the finish line.
In the end, the battle for the win proved to favor a diagonal stride skier, with Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget, Team Eksjöhus, winning Summit 2 Senja, the 14th stage of Ski Classics Season XV, in a total time of 2:45:08.0.
Second place went to Max Novak, Team Aker Dæhlie, 14.0 seconds back. After another solid performance, Eirik Sverdrup Augdal, Team Eksjöhus, finished in the third position, 56.0 seconds behind the winner.
Summit 2 Senja – Top 5 Men
- Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget, Team Eksjöhus, 2:45:08.0
- Max Novak, Team Aker Dæhlie, +14.0
- Eirik Sverdrup Augdal, Team Eksjöhus, +56.0
- Johan Hoel, Team Ragde Charge, +2:11.0
- Petter Stakston, Team Aker Dæhlie, +2:21.0
Summit 2 Senja results can be found HERE
SKI CLASSICS COMPETITIONS – CURRENT STANDINGS
After Summit 2 Senja, Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, and Johan Hoel, Team Ragde Charge, lead the Champion Bib Competition. Fleten is already the Yellow Champion overall, Season XV.
Ahead of the last Ski Classics Pro Tour event, Season XV, Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, and Amund Hoel, Team Engcon, are wearing the Green bib of the Sprint Competition. Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, and Johan Hoel, Team Ragde Charge, carry the bib for the Climb Competition.
The Pink Bib for the best Youth rests on Karolina Hedenström, Lager 157 Ski Team, and Thomas Ødegaarden, Team Eksjöhus.
Team Eksjöhus is the best-ranked Pro Team after Summit 2 Senja Season XV.
Next is the Ski Classics Grand Finale – Janteloppet, which will take place next Saturday, April 13. The event marks the 15th and final stage of Season XV.
The Season XV of Ski Classics Pro Tour consists of 15 events on 11 event weekends in 6 different countries. The season started in Bad Gastein, Austria, on December 9, 2023, and will end in Norway with the 100km Ski Classics Grand Finale Janteloppet on April 13, 2024.
Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XV (2023/2024)
- Event 1: December 9, 2023 – Bad Gastein PTT, Austria, 13km
- Event 2: December 10, 2023 – Bad Gastein Criterium, Austria, 36km
- Event 3: December 16, 2023 – La Venosta Criterium, Italy, 35km
- Event 4: December 17, 2023 – La Venosta ITT, Italy, 10km
- Event 5: January 13, 2024 – 3 Zinnen Ski Marathon, Italy, 62km
- Event 6: January 20, 2024 – Engadin La Diagonela, Switzerland, 55km
- Event 7: January 28, 2024 – Marcialonga, Italy, 70km
Event 8: February 11, 2024 –Jizerská50, Czech Republic, 50km- Event 9: February 17, 2024 – Grönklitt Classic, Sweden, 60km
- Event 10: February 18, 2024 – Grönklitt ITT, Sweden, 13km
- Event 11: March 3, 2024 – Vasaloppet, Sweden, 90km
- Event 12: March 16, 2024 – Birkebeinerrennet, Norway, 54km
- Event 13: April 6, 2024 – Reistadløpet, Norway, 50km
- Event 14: April 7, 2024 – Summit 2 Senja, Norway, 60km
- Event 15: April 13, 2024 – Ski Classics Grand Finale – Janteloppet, Norway, 100km
More information about the Ski Classics Pro Tour can be found at skiclassics.com
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Photos: Reichert/NordicFocus
