Date: March 28, 2020
Active years: since 1958
Record number of participants: about 1,585
Distance: 50 km
Number of VSC sprints/climbing points:
1 sprint at Storlømyra and 2 climb positions at Orta and Øverlitjønna
Website: www.reistadlopet.no
The 50 km long Reistadløpet is the northernmost race in Visma Ski Classics, and it has the hardest course in the Pro Tour. The race starts in Setermoen, which is in the municipality of Bardu in Norway, and goes through arctic landscapes and mountain tops before reaching the finish line in Bardufoss in the municipality of Målelv.
Most pro skiers use kick wax and diagonal striding when skiing from Setermoen to Bardufoss because of the challenging climbs on the course. The race has a long history that dates back to 1958, and it commemorates a local ski legend Colonel Ole Reistad, a Norwegian champion in pentathlon in 1922 and the leader of the ski patrol that won the Olympic championships in St. Moritz in 1928.