After a season with 14 events, the Ski Classics Season XIV ended in Norway. Summit 2 Senja was the Season Finale and saw Astrid Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, and Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget, Team Eksjöhus, winning the Pro Tour event with solid performances. Ida Dahl, Team Engcon, and Emil Persson, Lager 157 Ski Team, are the Champion bib competition winners.
Summit 2 Senja in Norway, the fourteenth and final event in Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XIV, took place today with a 68-kilometer long-distance event in classic technique and a thrilling finish.
SUMMIT 2 SENJA – WOMEN’S RACE
The women’s race started at 9:05 CET, and from the beginning, the pace was high, with a solid group of nine skiers taking control.
With 11.7km into the race at Lombnesmyra, the final Sprint checkpoint of the season was won by Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Ragde Charge, followed by Ida Dahl, Team Engcon, and Astrid Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie.
After the Sprint, a group of only five Pro Tour athletes was leading, with some of the favorites in the front: Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Ida Dahl, Astrid and Silje Øyre Slind, and Emilie Fleten. Magni Smedås, who was just one point behind Ida Dahl in the Yellow Champion competition, crossed about 35 seconds back, showing some vulnerability in the first part of the race.
With about 51km to go, the leading group, now formed by Ida, Astrid, Silje, and Emilie, was working well together, increasing the gap over Magni to over a minute, with Ida in front, making sure the pace was high.
Over the kilometers and about 35km to the line, the leading trio of Astrid, Ida, and Emilie had a gap of 1:08 over Silje and more than 2 minutes over Magni’s chasing group.
Fifteen kilometers later, the leading trio was still working together, but Fleten was starting to show some weakness on the uphill parts of the course. With 9km to go, already on the steepest part of the final Climb of the season, Astrid could get a gap of over Ida and Emilie.
At the Magdaskaret Climb checkpoint, 64.3km into the race, Astrid Øyre Slind crossed first, followed by Ida Dahl, 1:02.1 back, and Emilie Fleten, 1:53.6 behind.
After the Climb and heading down to the finish line, Astrid was alone and could enjoy the final stretch of the race and season.
In the end, Astrid Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, timed her strength perfectly to win this year’s Summit 2 Senja in a total time of 3:41:16.4.
Second place went to Ida Dahl, Team Engcon, 1:09.2 back. Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, completed the podium in the third position, 2:35.0 behind the winner.
Summit 2 Senja – Top 3 Women
- Astrid Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, 3:41:16.4
- Ida Dahl, Team Engcon, +1:09.2
- Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, +2:35.0
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, and there was no decisive move until they got to Lombnesmyra, the Sprint checkpoint of the day at 11.7km into the race, with the field setting a controlled pace from the beginning and throughout the race.
At the last Sprint of the day and Season, Lager 157 Ski Team took control and scored first, third, and seventh places, already thinking about the Pro Team Competition. Emil Persson, Lager 157 Ski Team, crossed the checkpoint first, followed by Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget, Team Eksjöhus, and Runar Skaug Mathisen, Lager 157 Ski Team.
After the Sprint and with about 50km to go, a four-skiers group tried to get a breakaway. They were brought back but stretched the field and reduced it to only 15 strong skiers.
Over the kilometers, the pace was high on the front group, with several skiers trying their luck to get a break. Soon with 41km to go, the front group was reduced even more to seven solid skiers, with Løwstrøm Nyenget setting a high pace (the only diagonal strider in the group) and trying to get a gap.
At Møllerhaugen, 40.1km into the race, the leading group showed good cooperation, with Herman Paus crossing the checkpoint first, followed by Nyenget, Riege, Gjerdalen, Johaug, Hoel, and Stakston. The chasing group was already over 1:30 behind.
Heading to the only Climb checkpoint of the day and the final one for Season XIV, 63km into the race, Nyenget was always on the offensive, with Herman Paus constantly contributing to stretch the leading group.
At the 10km mark, the real Climb to Magdaskaret started, and soon the steep gradient kicked in, Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget increased the pace and got a gap. It was a battle about diagonal striding at the front and the double-poling chasers.
A couple of kilometers up the hill, Nyenget showed his strength and increased the gap over the chasers. Johan Hoel was 39 seconds back, with Herman Paus another 21 seconds behind.
At the Magdaskaret Climb checkpoint, 64.3km into the race, Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget, Team Eksjöhus, crossed first, followed by Johan Hoel, Team Ragde Charge, 1:08.2 back, and Herman Paus, Team Ramudden, 1:50.4 behind.
After the Climb and heading down to the finish line, Martin had a comfortable margin and, at the last kilometer, was already celebrating.
In the end, the battle for the win proved to be in favor of a diagonal stride skier, with Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget, Team Eksjöhus, winning Summit 2 Senja, the 14th and final stage of Ski Classics Season XIV, in a total time of 3:09:11.5
Second place went to Johan Hoel, Team Ragde Charge, 45.3 seconds back. After a solid performance, Herman Paus, Team Ramudden, was granted the third position on the podium, 1:16.7 behind the winner, and his first Ski Classics Pro Tour podium.
Summit 2 Senja – Top 3 Men
- Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget, Team Eksjöhus, 3:09:11.5
- Johan Hoel, Team Ragde Charge, +45.3
- Herman Paus, Team Ramudden, +1:16.7
Summit 2 Senja results can be found HERE.
SKI CLASSICS COMPETITIONS – FINAL STANDINGS
After 14 Pro Tour events, Summit 2 Senja concluded all bib competitions in Ski Classics Season XIV.
Emil Persson, Lager 157 Ski Team, and Ida Dahl, Team Engcon, secured the overall victory in the Champion bib competition. The first time for Ida Dahl.
In the Sprint competition, Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Ragde Charge, and Alfred Buskqvist, Team Ramudden, secured the Green bib overall.
Ida Dahl, Team Engcon, and Johan Hoel, Team Ragde Charge, won the overall Climb competition. And the Pink bib for the best Youth was secured by Karolina Hedenström, Lager 157 Ski Team, and Amund Riege, Team Ramudden.
Team Aker Dæhlie is the overall winner in the Pro Team competition, followed by Lager 157 Ski Team and Team Ramudden.
Team Aker Dæhlie has been consistent throughout the season and conquered a well-deserved Pro Team victory.
Complete and detailed articles on each bib and Pro Team competitions will be published later this week.
The Season XIV of Ski Classics Pro Tour consisted of 14 events on 10 event weekends in 6 different countries.
Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XIV (2022/2023)
- Event 1: December 10, 2022 – Bad Gastein PTT, Bad Gastein, Austria, 15km
- Event 2: December 11, 2022 – Bad Gastein Criterium, Bad Gastein, Austria, 35km
- Event 3: December 17, 2022 – La Venosta Criterium, Val Venosta, Italy, 36km
- Event 4: January 14, 2023 – Pustertaler Ski Marathon, Sexten, Italy, 62km
- Event 5: January 15, 2023 – Prato Piazza Mountain Challenge, Niederdorf, Italy, 32km
- Event 6: January 21, 2023 – Engadin La Diagonela, Engadin Valley, Switzerland, 48km
- Event 7: January 29, 2023 – Marcialonga, Trentino, Italy, 70km
- Event 8: February 12, 2023 – Jizerská50, Bedřichov, Czech Republic, 50km
- Event 9: February 18, 2023 – Grönklitt Criterium, Orsa Grönklitt, Sweden, 50km
- Event 10: February 19, 2023 – Grönklitt ITT, Orsa Grönklitt, Sweden, 12km
- Event 11: March 5, 2023 – Vasaloppet, Sälen-Mora, Sweden, 90km
- Event 12: March 18, 2023 – Birkebeinerrennet, Rena-Lillehammer, Norway, 54km
- Event 13: April 1, 2023 – Reistadløpet, Setermoen-Bardufoss, Norway, 40km
- Event 14: April 2, 2023 – Summit 2 Senja, Bardufoss- Finnsnes, Norway, 68km
More information about the Ski Classics Pro Tour you can find at skiclassics.com.
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Top Photo: Manzoni/NordicFocus
