Marcialonga, the third event in Visma Ski Classics and the first Grand Classics event Season XI took place today. Also being the last one in Visma Alp Trophy cup combining the alp events. Emil Persson, Lager 157 Ski Team and Lina Korsgren, Team Ramudden won the 70 km race and also Visma Alp Trophy.
In the men’s race, it was a big group a long way into the race in the snowy conditions.
With about 4 km left of the race, Tord Asle Gjerdalen pushed hard in the front, followed by Magnus Vesterheim, Team Kaffebryggeriet, Morten Eide Pedersen, Team Nordic Athlete, and about 20 more skiers towards the Cascata climb.
When the skiers reached the tunnel before the climb, Petter Eliassen, Team Ragde Eiendom, Tord Asle Gjerdalen, Team XPND Fuel of Norway, Emil Persson, Lager 157 Ski Team and Oskar Kardin, Team Ragde Eiendom were first.
With 500 meters left of the race Ermil Vokuev, Russian Winter Team, caught the leading group, but in the final 200 meters, it was a fight between Gjerdalen and Persson about the victory and the young Swede Persson was the strongest, beating the three-time Marcialonga winner Gjerdalen with 0,3 seconds. Vokuev was third, 2,7 seconds behind.
“An amazing day, amazing skis and amazing body. I’m so happy,” says Emil Persson,” and continues;
“My tactic was to save as much energy as I could until the last uphill, but I also wanted to take some sprint points and I did. The last kilometers I just went for it.”
Emil Persson cross the finish line. Photo: Visma Ski Classics/Magnus Östh.
The women’s race was about three skiers in the end. Ida Dahl was first under the tunnel into Cascata, closely followed by Lina Korsgren and Emilie Fleten. Fleten took over the lead ahead of Korsgren with 1,9 km to go. Korsgren then looked strong behind Fleten all the way, and with 200 meters to the finish line, she just flew by and took her first victory in Marcialonga, ten seconds ahead of Fleten. Dahl was third 45 seconds behind.
“I was nervous before the start and in the beginning of the race. I think it was really hard with the fresh snow. I really wanted to win today, and I had it in my mind the whole race,” says Korsgren.
“Lina was strong the whole way, and I tried my best on the last hill, but she was stronger than me. I’m happy with my second place,” says Fleten.
Emil Persson and Lina Korsgren lead the Champion competition.
Emil Persson and Ida Dahl keeps the lead in the Youth competition,
Stian Berg, Team Kaffebryggeriet, won the sprint bot in Canazei and Predazzo and takes over the lead in the Sprint competition. Jenny Larsson keeps the lead in Sprint competition on the women’s side.
Ermil Vokuev is still in the lead in the Climb competition. He was fastest up Cascata today. Lina Korsgren was the fastest woman up Cascata and kept the lead in the Climb competition on the women’s side.
Emil Persson and Lina Korsgren in the winners of Visma Alp Trophy.
Morten Eide Pedersen was awarded Visma Skier of the Day. He fell and broke a pole during the race but came back and finished in 9th place.
Team Ramudden tops the Team competition, followed by Lager 157 Ski Team, Russian Winter Team.
The next event in Season XI is Jizerska 50 in Czech Republic, on February 14th, 2021.
