The first Grand Classics event this season, Marcialonga, takes place on Sunday, January 28. Get to know the details for the Grand Classics Season XV.
The Grand Classics are the four largest and most prestigious events in Ski Classics: Marcialonga, Jizerská50, Vasaloppet, and Birkebeinerrennet. The skier that wins all four events in the same season completes a Grand Slam.
During Season XI, the Grand Classics events and the Grand Slam were introduced in Ski Classics. The concept was an immediate success and a great motivation among the best Pro Team athletes of Ski Classics. Nobody has completed a Grand Slam in the history of long-distance skiing, but it might happen in Season XV.
If you win all four Grand Classics, Marcialonga, Jizerská50, Vasaloppet, and Birkebeinerrennet, in the same season, you complete a Grand Slam.
The races in the Grand Classics have a higher value than the other events in the Tour. There are 300 points for victories and a more considerable prize sum, whereas the other events in the Pro Tour hand out 200 or 100 points.
The Grand Classics events have a recommended minimum of 30.000 euros in total prize money – Pro Tour events, 20.000 euros for 200 points events, and 10.000 euros for 100 points events. According to Ski Classics XV- Rules and Regulations, the prize money for a Grand Slam is 100.000 euros.
Several Contenders for Season XV
After an exciting start to the season, Ski Classics continues this weekend with its seventh event of Season XV, and the battle for the win promises to be fierce.
Marcialonga, the 70-kilometer classic race, not only marks the first Grand Classics event this season but, for the Sunday’s winners, the start of the long road to the Grand Slam triumph.
Strong names this season that could complete a Grand Slam, to name a few, are Magni Smedås, Team Eksjöhus; Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden; and Ida Dahl, Team Engcon, in the women’s side. In the men’s field, many Pro Team athletes can shine in the upcoming events, but Kasper Stadaas and Andreas Nygaard, both from Team Ragde Charge, are some of the favorites for a possible Grand Slam.
But now, we can only wait, as only time will tell who the first Pro Tour athlete will be to win a Grand Slam.
Impressive Achievements
Historically, no one has ever completed a Grand Slam, winning all four Grand Classics events. The Italian Cristina Paluselli has twice been close to reaching this goal. In 2005, she only missed winning Vasaloppet; the year after, she only missed Birkebeinerrennet. The Swede Sven Åke Lundbäck has also been close. He won all races but Jizerská50 in 1981.
Most recently, during Season XI, Lina Korsgren won all but the last event, as the week before Vasaloppet, the Birkebeinerrennet was canceled. In Season XII, Andreas Nygaard had a triple win at Jizerská50, Vasaloppet, and Birkebeinerrennet. Still, he was fourth at Marcialonga, the first Grand Classics of the season.
In Season XIV, Magni Smedås, Team Eksjöhus, started strong, winning Marcialonga and Jizeská50, but was fourth at Vasaloppet and third at Birkebeinerrennet. The same goes for Emil Persson, Lager 157 Ski Team, winning Marcialonga and Vasaloppet but finishing 11th at Jizerská50 and 14th at Birkebeinerrennet, keeping the Grand Slam myth alive.
Grand Classics Winners Season XIV
Marcialonga
- Magni Smedås, Team Eksjöhus
- Emil Persson, Lager 157 Ski Team
Jizerská50
- Magni Smedås, Team Eksjöhus
- Kasper Stadaas, Team Ragde Charge
Vasaloppet
- Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden
- Emil Persson, Lager 157 Ski Team
Birkebeinerrennet
- Astrid Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie
- Andreas Nygaard, Team Ragde Charge
Grand Classics Season XV
Marcialonga – Ski Classics Pro Tour – Event 7
- Location: Trentino, Italy
- Date: January 28, 2024
- Distance: 70km Classic Technique
Jizerská50 – Ski Classics Pro Tour – Event 8
- Location: Bedřichov, Czech Republic
- Date: February 11, 2024
- Distance: 50km Classic Technique
Vasaloppet – Ski Classics Pro Tour – Event 11
- Location: Sälen-Mora, Sweden
- Date: March 3, 2024
- Distance: 90km Classic Technique
Birkebeinerrennet – Ski Classics Pro Tour – Event 12
- Location: Rena-Lillehammer, Norway
- Date: March 16, 2024
- Distance: 54km Classic Technique
Read More: Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XV
The Season XV of Ski Classics Pro Tour consists of 15 events on 11 event weekends in 6 different countries. The season started in Bad Gastein, Austria, on December 9, 2023, and will end in Norway with the 100km Ski Classics Grand Finale Janteloppet on April 13, 2024.
Next up is Marcialonga in Italy on January 28, 2024. The event marks the seventh Ski Classics Pro Tour stage and the first Grand Classics event of Season XV.
Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XV (2023/2024)
- Event 1: December 9, 2023 – Bad Gastein PTT, Austria, 13km
- Event 2: December 10, 2023 – Bad Gastein Criterium, Austria, 36km
- Event 3: December 16, 2023 – La Venosta Criterium, Italy, 35km
- Event 4: December 17, 2023 – La Venosta ITT, Italy, 10km
- Event 5: January 13, 2024 – 3 Zinnen Ski Marathon, Italy, 62km
- Event 6: January 20, 2024 – Engadin La Diagonela, Switzerland, 55km
- Event 7: January 28, 2024 – Marcialonga, Italy, 70km
- Event 8: February 11, 2024 – Jizerská50, Czech Republic, 50km
- Event 9: February 17, 2024 – Grönklitt Classic, Sweden, 60km
- Event 10: February 18, 2024 – Grönklitt ITT, Sweden, 13km
- Event 11: March 3, 2024 – Vasaloppet, Sweden, 90km
- Event 12: March 16, 2024 – Birkebeinerrennet, Norway, 54km
- Event 13: April 6, 2024 – Reistadløpet, Norway, 50km
- Event 14: April 7, 2024 – Summit 2 Senja, Norway, 60km
- Event 15: April 13, 2024 – Ski Classics Grand Finale – Janteloppet, Norway, 100km
More information about the Ski Classics Pro Tour can be found at skiclassics.com
As a member of ProXCskiing.com, you get full access to all content on the site and live streaming of Ski Classics Pro Tour events with English commentaries.
When you become part of one of the world’s leading XC ski communities, you will receive many exclusive offers all year round.
Photo: Magnus Östh/Ski Classics
