Grönklitt Criterium 61, the 8th Ski Classics event of Season XVI, took place today in Sweden. Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, and Max Novak, Team Aker Dæhlie, won the 61-kilometer-long race in a challenging course and breathtaking battle for the win.
The Pro Tour event in Orsa Grönklitt, Sweden, saw Max Novak, Team Aker Dæhlie, and Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, winning the 8th event of Ski Classics Season XVI.
GRÖNKLITT CRITERIUM 61 – MEN’S RACE
The men’s race started at 9:30 CET, and it all started with a controlled pace from a big group and no real moves before the Sprint checkpoint, with all the favorites in the front group.
With a good position for the Sprint checkpoint of the day, 11.4km into the race at Böllingprinten, Anton Persson, Team Ramudden, crossed the line first, followed by Vebjørn Moen, Team Eksjöhus, and Simen Ramstad, Team Kaffebryggeriet DRIV.
After some kilometers and heading to the Climb point, a large group was still in front, with Team Ramudden and Team Engcon doing most of the work there.
At the only Climb checkpoint of today’s race, 28.2km into the race at Toppstugan, Oskar Kardin, Lager 157 Ski Team, showed his strength and crossed the line first, followed by Axel Jutterström, Team Eksjöhus, and Amund Hoel, Team Engcon.
After the climb, the pace increased, and the front group split. At the 30km mark, a six-skier group crossed first, followed by another seven skiers, 6.7 seconds back, and the main chasing group, 18.5 seconds behind the leaders.
Over the kilometers, the front group was compact again, and the pace fast. With 21km to go, Axel Jutterström tried his luck and got a gap, with a solid 20 skiers group chasing behind.
With 13km to go, a breakaway group of Oskar Kardin, Max Novak, Eirik Sverdrup Augdal, Thomas Ødegaarden, and Axel Jutterström was strong at the front and a gap of 26 seconds over the chasers.
Under 9km to go, the breakaway group was still solid, 22 seconds ahead of the chasing group, with the leading skiers preparing for the challenging final part of the race and Team Eksjöhus setting the pace.
With 4km to go, the gap increased to 33 seconds over the chasers. Team Eksjöhus was on the offensive at the front, but no one could get a break, leaving the race open for a thrilling final sprint without Oskar Kardin, who was struggling to follow the leading group.
In the end, in a tactical approach to the finish line, the fight for the podium was tight for the four leading skiers. Just after a tight right-bend turn, Max Novak, Team Aker Dæhlie, hit the front, pushed hard, and won the race, followed by Eirik Sverdrup Augdal, Team Eksjöhus, in second place, and his teammate Axel Jutterström completing the podium in the third position.
Grönklitt Criterium 61 – Top 5 Men
- Max Novak, Team Aker Dæhlie, 2:39:46.6
- Eirik Sverdrup Augdal, Team Eksjöhus, +0.8
- Axel Jutterström, Team Eksjöhus, +1.2
- Thomas Ødegaarden, Team Eksjöhus, +1.9
- Oskar Kardin, Lager 157 Ski Team, +30.8
Results can be found HERE
GRÖNKLITT CRITERIUM 61 – WOMEN’S RACE
In the women’s race, which started at 9:35 CET, the speed was controlled from the start, with Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, Anikken Gjerde Alnæs and Hanna Lodin, Team Engcon, Jenny Larsson, Lager 157 Ski Team, and Stina Nilsson, Team Ragde Charge, taking control of the race and setting the pace, but still a big group at the front.
A few kilometers before the Sprint, Jenny Larsson increased the pace and got a small gap over the bunch but soon was brought back by the still big front group.
At the only Sprint checkpoint of the day, 11.4km into the race at Böllingprinten, Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, crossed the line first, followed by Anniken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, and Jenny Larsson, Lager 157 Ski Team.
After the Sprint, the pace started to increase, and the number of skiers at the front bunch started to decrease, but it was still a considerable group with all the favorites.
With about 35km to go, Fleten and Larsson increased the pace, and only Gjerde Alnæs could follow a few seconds behind. Over the kilometers, Fleten kept the pace high and increased the leading gap.
After the Climb, with 25km to go, Fleten was still solo and looked strong. The fight for the remaining podium places was fierce behind between five skiers: Jenny Larsson, Stina Nilsson, Kati Roivas, Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, and Louise Lindström.
With 22.5km to go, Fleten was still strong and increased the gap over her chasers to 59 seconds. Over the kilometers, the gap increased, and with 20km to go, the first chaser group was already 1:32 behind the leader. From there, it was all about Fleten at the front and the fight for the remaining podium places behind, with Jenny Larsson trying hard to secure second place.
In the end, Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, showed her winning form in another Pro Tour event and crossed the finish line in first place in a decisive solo victory.
Jenny Larsson, Lager 157 Ski Team, finished second, 1:32.0 back, and Anniken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, completed the podium in third, 2:51.3 behind the winner and a close sprint finish with Stina Nilsson, Team Ragde Charge.
Grönklitt Criterium 61 – Top 5 Women
- Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, 3:04:23.5
- Jenny Larsson, Lager 157 Ski Team, +1:32.0
- Anniken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, +2:51.3
- Stina Nilsson, Team Ragde Charge, +2:51.4
- Kati Roivas, Team Eksjöhus, +3:25.1
Results can be found HERE
SKI CLASSICS COMPETITIONS – CURRENT STANDINGS
After the Grönklitt Criterium 61, Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, and Ole Jørgen Bruvoll, Team Engcon, lead the Yellow Champion Bib Competition.
Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, and Vebjørn Moen, Team Eksjöhus, are carrying the Green bib of the Sprint Competition, after one Sprint today.
Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, and Oskar Kardin, Lager 157 Ski Team, carry the bib for the Climb Competition after one Climb checkpoint at today’s event.
The Pink Bib for the best Youth rests on Hanna Lodin, Team Engcon, and Jeremy Royer, Team Eksjöhus.
Team Engcon is the best-ranked Pro Team after the Grönklitt Criterium 61 Season XVI.
Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XVI (2024/2025)
Season XVI of the Ski Classics Pro Tour consists of 14 events across 10 event weekends in 6 countries. It started in Bad Gastein, Austria, on December 13, 2024, with the Pro Team Presentation and ends in Finnsnes, Norway, with the Ski Classics Grand Finale Summit 2 Senja on March 30, 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 – Bodø, 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: Reichert/NordicFocus
