Årefjällsloppet, the eighth and final event in Visma Ski Classics, and the fourth Visma Nordic Trophy event Season XI took place today in Vålådalen. Andreas Nygaard, Team Ragde Eiendom and Lina Korsgren, won the 100 km race. Emil Persson, Lager 157 Ski Team, and Lina Korsgren, Team Ramudden, are the winners of the overall Champion competition.
Årefjällsloppet became a fascinating race with a thrilling ending. In the men’s race Oskar Kardin, Team Ragde Eiendom, had a three-minute lead but got caught up in the end, and his teammate Andreas Nygaard sprinted to victory 2,8 seconds ahead of Stian Hoelgaard, Team Koteng. Ari Luusua, Vltava Fund Ski Team, finished in third place 5,6 seconds behind the winner.
“You needed to have the best skis to be able to win this race. Kardin pushed away and was super strong, but we caught him with a few kilometers left. I felt really strong and had good skis. A perfect way to end the season,” says Andreas Nygaard.
“It has not been the best season for me, so I’m really happy now. The race was so tough, but also exciting,” says runner-up Hoelgaard.
Top three in the men’s race. From left: Stian Hoelgaard, Andreas Nygaard and Ari Luusua.
In the women’s race Lina Korsgren, Team Ramudden, Emilie Fleten, Team Koteng, Thea Krokan Murud, Team Kaffebryggeriet and Ida Dahl, Team Ramudden, were skiing among the men in the end of the race. Korsgren sprinted to her sixth victory Season XI 3,6 seconds ahead of Fleten. Krokan Murud was third 19,8 seconds behind Korsgren.
“It feels amazing to stand here after this race. I’m so happy and so tired. The warm conditions made it really tough. I have been fighting and struggle a lot today,” says Lina Korsgren.
“I’m satisfied. I felt good all the way. It was a cool long race. I know what I have to do for next season. Train my sprint finish so I can win races,” says Emilie Fleten.
Top three in the women’s race. From left: Emilie Fleten, Lina Korsgren and Thea Krokan Murud.
In the men’s race, Max Novak, Team Ramudden, did an early breakaway and got Runar Skaug Mathisen, Team ParkettPartner Sjusjøen, with him. They got caught after 15 km with Maxim Vylegshanin, Russian Winter Team, inn front of the peloton. At the first sprint point after 18,4 km 32 athletes were within 13 seconds.
When Vylegshanin sprinted to first place at the second sprint point in Vallbo after 27 km, the leading group was stretched out with 31 athletes in about 40 seconds.
Morten Eide Pedersen, Team Nordic Athlete, was in front of a decimated leading group of 17 skiers towards the climb point at Ripkalhöjden after 41,1 km. Tord Asle Gjerdalen, Team XPND Fuel of Norway, challenged him and took first place with a small margin.
At the second climb point at Lillvalen after 65,7 km Eide Pedersen was first Gjerdalen second and Oskar Kardin, Team Ragde Eiendom, third. The leading group was decimated to 15 skiers.
Right after the climb point, Kardin made a breakaway and quite fast got a 30 seconds gap, soon increasing it to 50 seconds and then just extracting it more and more. Passing Ottsjö at 84,2 km Kardin lead was three minutes and ten seconds to the chasing group.
Joar Thele, Team Ragde Eiendom, got away from the chasing group and started to pick time on Kardin. With 6 km left of the race Thele caught Kardin. With 3 km to go the chasing group with Emil Persson in front catched Kardin and Thele together with the leading women group with Fleten, Korsgren, Dahl and Krokan Murud.
Karstein Johaug, Team Ragde Eiendom, got a small gap with 1,8 km left of the race, but with about 600 meters left to the finish line there was a big group together again and on the final 200 meters Andreas Nygaard was the strongest.
In the women’s race, eleven athletes were in the leading group thru the second sprint point in Vallbo after 27 km. Linn Sömskar, Team Nordic Athlete, was a few seconds behind but closed the gap on the uphill after the sprint as the only one using kick wax in the leading group.
Sömskar was first to the climb point after 41,1 km using diagonal striding. She was followed by five athletes: Lina Korsgren, Team Ramudden, Emilie Fleten, Team Koteng, Thea Krokan Murud, Team Kaffebryggeriet, Ida Dahl, Team Ramudden and Roxane Lacroix, Team Décathlon Expérience.
At the second climb point at Lillvalen after 65,7 km Korsgren was first followed by Fleten, Dahl, Krokan Murud, and Lacroix. The chasing group, including Sofie Elebro, Team Parkettpartner Sjusjøen, Britta Johansson Norgren, Lager 157 Ski Team, Kateřina Smutná, eD system Bauer Team and Sömskar, were almost one and a half minute behind.
Lacroix had to drop the leading group passing Ottsjön with 15 km left of the race. When Kardin passed, the other four women all followed him. Korsgren, Fleten, Dahl and Krokan Murud then was part of the men’s leading group all the way to the last hundred meters of the race when Korsgren sprinted to victory just ahead of Fleten.
Lina Korsgren and Emil Persson are the winners of the Season XI Champion competition.
Årefjällsloppet was the fourth and last event in Visma Nordic Trophy, combining the Scandinavian Pro Tour events, Lina Korsgren, and Emil Persson are the winner.
Ida Dahl and Emil Persson are the winners of the Youth competition,
Lina Korsgren and Emil Persson win the Sprint competition.
Lina Korsgren and Ermil Vokuev win the Climb competition.
Team Ramudden win the Pro Team competition followed by Lager 157 Ski Team and Team Ragde Eiendom in second and third place.
Oskar Kardin was awarded Visma Skier of the Day due to his offensive skiing.
Team Ramuddens Pro Team Director Gustaf Korsgren, was awarded Pro Team Director of the Year.
