Reistadløpet, the 13th Pro Tour event in Ski Classics Season XVI, took place today in Norway. Eirik Sverdrup Augdal, Team Eksjöhus, and Ebba Andersson dominated the 46km long-distance race with superior performances.
With just one Pro Tour event remaining in Ski Classics Season XVI, the battle for the overall standings in multiple bib competitions remains intense. Almost every bib is still up for grabs, setting the stage for an electrifying finale at the Grand Finale Summit 2 Senja tomorrow.
Anikken Gjerde Alnæs and Ole Jørgen Bruvoll lead the Champion Bib Competition, but their rivals remain in contention. The Green Sprint Bib has already been mathematically secured by Alnæs and Vebjørn Moen, while Emilie Fleten and Axel Jutterström control the Climb Bib standings ahead of the final event. Meanwhile, the Pink Youth Bib remains with Louise Lindström and Jérémy Royer, and Team Eksjöhus leads the Pro Team competition. With such tight margins across the board, the excitement leading into the final event is at an all-time high.
At Reistadløpet today, considered one of the most demanding events in the Ski Classics Pro Tour, the men started at 10:00 CET and the women at 10:05 CET. The action started early, and there was a thrilling race among women and men.
REISTADLØPET – MEN
The men’s race started at 10:00 CET, and there was no decisive action until before the only Sprint checkpoint of the day at Storlømyra, 5.1km into the race.
Vebjørn Moen, Team Eksjöhus, crossed first and got maximum points. Alvar Myhlback, Lager 157 Ski Team, and Thomas Joly, Team Ramudden, followed in second and third places.
At the Climb checkpoint of the day at Orta, 13.1km into the race and the third Iconic Climb of the season, Thomas Ødegaarden, Team Eksjöhus, crossed first, closely followed by his teammate Eirik Sverdrup Augdal in second and 0.8 seconds back. Ole Jørgen Bruvoll, Team Engcon, was the closest chaser, 35.5 seconds behind in third place.
After the Orta Climb, Ødegaarden and Sverdrup Augdal were active in the lead, keeping the chasers in check, and the race’s final part proved exciting.
At the Kampenhytta checkpoint, 21km into the race, the two leading athletes crossed the line within 0.7 seconds. Ødegaarden and Sverdrup Augdal looking solid at the front, and the chasing group was 50.4 seconds behind. At Halvor Hill, 30.5km into the race, Ødegaarden crossed first, followed by Sverdrup Augdal 0.7 seconds back, and the first chasing group 53.1 seconds behind the leaders.
At the 35.3km checkpoint in Sundlifjellet, Ødegaarden crossed first, closely followed by Augdal, 0.7 seconds behind. The first chasing group (Bruvoll, J. Hoel, and Jutterström) started to close the gap, now 43.8 seconds back.
Inside the last 3km, the leading duo was still strong, and the mind game for the finish started to play.
Ultimately, the battle for the win was decided on the straight finish, with Eirik Sverdrup Augdal, Team Eksjöhus, winning Reistadløpet in the sprint and sealing his second Ski Classics Pro Tour win.
Thomas Ødegaarden, Team Eksjöhus, finished in second place, 0.2 seconds behind the winner, followed by Ole Jørgen Bruvoll, Team Engcon, 18.8 seconds back in the third position.
Reistadløpet – Top 5 Men
- Eirik Sverdrup Augdal, Team Eksjöhus, 2:13:59.8
- Thomas Ødegaarden, Team Eksjöhus, +0.2
- Ole Jørgen Bruvoll, Team Engcon, +18.8
- Johan Hoel, Team Ragde Charge, +19.8
- Axel Jutterström, Team Eksjöhus, +20.8
Complete results from Reistadløpet can be found HERE
REISTADLØPET – WOMEN
The women’s race started at 10:05 CET, and an early leading group of 15 skiers was formed.
At Storlømyra, the only Sprint checkpoint of the day, at 5.1km into the race, Stina Nilsson, Team Ragde Charge, crossed first. Nilsson was followed by Anniken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, 0.0 seconds back, and Hanna Lodin, Team Engcon, 1.0 second behind.
The day’s only Climb checkpoint started with about 41km to go with Ebba Andersson and Astrid Øyre Slind showing their diagonal striding strength, getting a considerable gap and disintegrating the main field. The first chasing group was already 46 seconds back with 36km to go.
At Orta Climb, 13.1km into the race and the third Iconic Climb this season, Astrid Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, crossed first and grabbed maximum points, followed by Ebba Andersson, 0.7 seconds back, and Silje Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, 2:37.6 behind, closely followed by Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden (2:38.7 back) and Louise Lindström, Team Eksjöhus (2:46.6 behind).
Astrid and Ebba kept a high pace after the Climb and into some rolling stretches. Heading to the final part of the race and over challenging terrain, no one could close the gap.
At the Kampenhytta checkpoint, 21km into the race, Ebba Andersson crossed first, followed by Astrid Øyre Slind, 0.9 seconds behind, and Emilie Fleten, 2:48.5 back. At Halvor Hill, 30.5km into the race, the duo was still strong and had a gap of 3:42.5 over Silje and 3:43.1 over Emilie. Anikken crossed the checkpoint in 7th place, 5:40.3 behind the leaders.
With 35.3km into the race at the next checkpoint, Sundlifjellet, Øyre Slind crossed first, followed by Andersson 0.4 seconds behind, and Fleten, 4:18.5 back.
With less than 10km to go, Ebba Andersson increased the pace, got a gap over Astrid Øyre Slind, and never looked back.
In the end, Ebba Andersson had a solid gap and won Reistadløpet in beautiful classic style with a time of 2:27:27.3.
Astrid Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, took second place, 29.5 seconds behind. Silje Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, completed the podium in third place, 5:12.2 behind the winner.
Reistadløpet – Top 5 Women
- Ebba Andersson, 2:27:27.3
- Astrid Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, +29.5
- Silje Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, +5:12.2
- Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, +5:13.0
- Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, +6:59.7
Complete results from Reistadløpet can be found HERE
SKI CLASSICS COMPETITIONS – CURRENT STANDINGS
After Reistadløpet, Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, and Ole Jørgen Bruvoll, Team Engcon, lead the Champion Bib Competition.
Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, and Vebjørn Moen, Team Eksjöhus, are carrying the Green bib of the Sprint Competition. Gjerde Alnæs had already secured the Sprint bib competition Season XVI before, and with today’s points, Moen also mathematically secured the Sprint bib this season.
Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, and Axel Jutterström, Team Eksjöhus, carry the bib for the Climb Competition.
The Pink Bib for the best Youth rests on Louise Lindström, Team Eksjöhus, and Jeremy Royer, Team Eksjöhus.
Team Eksjöhus is the best-ranked Pro Team after Reistadløpet Season XVI.
Next up is the Grand Finale Summit 2 Senja tomorrow, Sunday, March 30, 2025. The event marks the 14th and final Ski Classics Pro Tour event of Season XVI.
Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XVI (2024/2025)
- Event 0: Friday, December 13, 2024 –Ski Classics Pro Team Presentation XVI – Bad Gastein, Austria
- Event 1: Saturday, December 14, 2024 – Bad Gastein ITT – Sportgastein, Austria, 7km
- Event 2: Sunday, December 15, 2024 – Bad Gastein Criterium – Sportgastein, Austria, 36km
- Event 3: Saturday, January 11, 2025 – 3 Zinnen Ski Marathon – Sexten, Italy, 60km
- Event 4: Sunday, January 12, 2025 – La Venosta ITT Kapron-Melago – Val Venosta, Italy, 11km
- Event 5: Saturday, January 18, 2025 – Engadin La Diagonela – Pontresina-Zuoz, Switzerland, 43km
- Event 6: Sunday, January 26, 2025 – Marcialonga – Trentino, Italy, 70km
- Event 7: Sunday, February 9, 2025 – Jizerská50 – Bedřichov, Czech Republic, 50km
- Event 8: Saturday, February 15, 2025 – Grönklitt Criterium 61 – Orsa Grönklitt, Sweden, 61km
- Event 9: Sunday, February 16, 2025 – Grönklitt ITT – Orsa Grönklitt, Sweden, 13km
- Event 10: Sunday, March 2, 2025 – Vasaloppet – Sälen-Mora, Sweden, 90km
- Event 11: Saturday, March 15, 2025 – Birkebeinerrennet – Rena-Lillehammer, Norway, 54km
- Event 12: Saturday, March 22, 2025 – Marcialonga Bodø – Valnesfjord, Norway, 50km
- Event 13: Saturday, March 29, 2025 – Reistadløpet – Setermoen-Bardufoss, Norway, 46km
- Event 14: Sunday, March 30, 2025 – Grand Finale Summit 2 Senja – Bardufoss-Finnsnes, Norway, 60km
More information about the Ski Classics Pro Tour can be found at skiclassics.com
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Photos: Manzoni/NordicFocus
