The Bad Gastein Criterium took place this Sunday in Sportgastein, Austria, featuring a 36km mass-start long-distance race on a demanding course. The Sprint and Climb competitions also kicked off, offering several opportunities to collect valuable points for the Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XVII.
For the Champion and Sprint competitions, standard points were awarded at the Bad Gastein Criterium, while Pro Team athletes received 50 percent of the standard points for the Climb competition.
After a day full of action and thrilling finales, Kasper Stadaas, Team Aker Dæhlie, and Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, delivered strong performances to win the Bad Gastein Criterium, the second event of Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XVII.
BAD GASTEIN CRITERIUM – MEN
The men’s race started at 9:05 CET, and from the opening kilometers, the pace was high. Team Aker Dæhlie, Team Engcon, and Team Ramudden were active at the front, but no decisive moves were made before the first Sprint checkpoint at 6.7km.
At the first Sprint checkpoint of Season XVII, Thomas Joly, Team Ramudden, crossed the checkpoint first, followed by Henrik Arntzen Joks, Team Sjusjøen Langløp, and Vebjørn Moen, Team Eksjöhus.
At the second Sprint checkpoint, 13.7km into the race, Vebjørn Moen, Team Eksjöhus, proved fastest ahead of Gabriel Strid, Team GS8, and Lauri Mannila, Team Edux.
A large lead group remained intact heading into the first Climb checkpoint of the season at 21.0km. Mikael Gunnulfsen, Team Ragde Charge, led the way, followed by Amund Riege, Team Aker Dæhlie, and Ole Jørgen Bruvoll, Team Engcon.
Approaching the second Climb of the day at 28.7km, a strong front group was still together. Axel Jutterström, Team Eksjöhus, crossed the checkpoint first, followed by Amund Riege, Team Aker Dæhlie, and Ole Jørgen Bruvoll, Team Engcon.
Right after the Climb, the decisive phase of the race began, and a solid group of about 25 athletes was still in contention at the front of the race.
Inside the final kilometer, 22 Pro Team athletes remained at the front, fighting for a better position in the pack ahead of the final sprint.
In the end, Kasper Stadaas, Team Aker Dæhlie, secured his second Bad Gastein Criterium victory, after also winning in Season XV, with a perfectly timed sprint finish. Amund Hoel, Team Engcon, finished second, followed by Johan Hoel, Team Ragde Charge, in third.
Bad Gastein Criterium Men – Top 5
- Kasper Stadaas, Team Aker Dæhlie, 1:23:15.3
- Amund Hoel, Team Engcon, +0.9
- Johan Hoel, Team Ragde Charge, +1.0
- Amund Riege, Team Aker Dæhlie, +1.1
- Håvard Taugbøl, Team Ragde Charge, +2.3
Bad Gastein Criterium results can be found HERE
BAD GASTEIN CRITERIUM – WOMEN
The women’s race started at 9:25 CET, with a high pace from the beginning. Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, and Sandra Schützová, Team Kaffebryggeriet DRIV, set the tempo early on.
At the first women’s Sprint checkpoint of the season, 6.7km into the race, 12 women contested the points, with Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, crossing the line first. Silje Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, and Louise Lindström, Team Eksjöhus, followed in second and third, respectively.
Shortly after the Sprint, Emilie Fleten moved to the front with Silje Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, increasing the pace and stretching the field.
After the feeding zone and heading to the second Sprint of the day, 13.7km into the race, Stina Nilsson, Team Ragde Charge, crossed the checkpoint first, followed by Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, and Silje Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie.
At the first Climb checkpoint of Season XVII for the women, Stina Nilsson, Team Ragde Charge, crossed the line first, collecting 15 Climb points. Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, followed 1.1 seconds back, with Silje Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, 2.9 seconds behind.
Just after the Climb, with approximately 15km remaining, a strong trio formed at the front, consisting of Stina Nilsson, Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, and Silje Øyre Slind.
At the second Climb checkpoint at 28.7km, Stina Nilsson, Team Ragde Charge, crossed first, collecting another 15 Climb points, followed by Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, and Silje Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, respectively.
In the end, Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, sprinted to a convincing victory, stopping the clock at 1:35:52.5.
Stina Nilsson, Team Ragde Charge, secured second place, 1.5 seconds back. While Silje Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, completed the podium in third place, 3.9 seconds behind the winner.
Bad Gastein Criterium Women – Top 5
- Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, 1:35:52.5
- Stina Nilsson, Team Ragde Charge, +1.5
- Silje Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, +3.9
- Hanna Lodin, Team Engcon, +31.8
- Sandra Schützová, Team Kaffebryggeriet DRIV, +1:11.4
Bad Gastein Criterium results can be found HERE
SKI CLASSICS COMPETITIONS – CURRENT STANDINGS
After the Bad Gastein Criterium, Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, and Amund Hoel, Team Engcon, lead the Champion Bib Competition.
Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, and Vebjørn Moen, Team Eksjöhus, hold the Green Sprint bib.
Stina Nilsson, Team Ragde Charge, and Amund Riege, Team Aker Dæhlie, carry the bib for the Climb Competition. The Pink Youth Bib belongs to Louise Lindström, Team Eksjöhus, and Amund Riege, Team Aker Dæhlie.
Team Engcon is the highest-ranked Pro Team after the Bad Gastein weekend, Season XVII.
SKIER OF THE DAY BY DEVOLD
In addition to the race results, the Skier of the Day awards were presented after the Bad Gastein Criterium. Stina Nilsson, Team Ragde Charge, and Max Novak, Team Aker Dæhlie, were voted Skier of the Day by fans via the Ski Classics App, in recognition of their strong performances and impact on the race.
Next up is Engadin La Diagonela on Saturday, January 17, 2026. The 55-kilometer long-distance skiing race in classic technique marks the third Ski Classics Pro Tour stage of Season XVII.
Read More: Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XVII 2025/2026
Season XVII of the Ski Classics Pro Tour consists of 13 events across 9 event weekends in 6 countries.
Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XVII (2025/2026)
- Event 1: December 13, 2025 – Bad Gastein Pro Team Tempo – Sportgastein, Austria, 7km
- Event 2: December 14, 2025 – Bad Gastein Criterium – Sportgastein, Austria, 36km
- Event 3: January 17, 2026 – Engadin La Diagonela – Pontresina-Zuoz, Switzerland, 55km
- Event 4: January 25, 2026 – Marcialonga – Moena-Cavalese, Italy, 70km
- Event 5: January 30, 2026 – Bedřichov Sprint – Bedřichov, Czech Republic, 1.5km
- Event 6: February 1, 2026 – Jizerská50 – Bedřichov, Czech Republic, 50km
- Event 7: March 1, 2026 – Vasaloppet – Sälen-Mora, Sweden, 90km
- Event 8: March 7, 2026 – Orsa Grönklitt 50k ITT Women – Grönklitt, Sweden, 50km
- Event 9: March 8, 2026 – Orsa Grönklitt 50k ITT Men – Grönklitt, Sweden, 50km
- Event 10: March 14, 2026 – Birkebeinerrennet – Rena-Lillehammer, Norway, 54km
- Event 11: March 21, 2026 – Marcialonga Bodø – Bodø, Norway, 50km
- Event 12: March 28, 2026 – Reistadløpet – Setermoen-Bardufoss, Norway, 35km
- Event 13: March 29, 2026 – Grand Finale Summit 2 Senja – Bardufoss-Finnsnes, Norway, 60km
For more updates and detailed information about the Ski Classics Pro Tour, make sure to visit skiclassics.com.
Author: Leandro Lutz
Photos: Reichert/NordicFocus
