The Bedřichov Sprint, the first sprint event ever included in the Ski Classics Pro Tour, delivered a historic Friday evening under the lights at the Bedřichov Ski Stadium in the Czech Republic.
Short, intense races and head-to-head battles brought a new dynamic to the Pro Tour calendar, rewarding explosive power, precision, and speed.
As the fifth event of Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XVII, the 1.5km classic sprint introduced a new racing format to the series, setting the stage for a unique Czech weekend ahead of Sunday’s Jizerská50.
BEDŘICHOV SPRINT – MEN
The men’s competition unfolded at high speed from the very first meters, with a strong field navigating qualification, semi-finals, and a tightly contested final.
In the 1km (two-lap) qualification round, raced individually against the clock, the fastest 14 skiers secured their place in the semi-finals, setting the tone for an evening where margins were measured in fractions of a second.
The 1.5km (three laps) semi-finals delivered intense head-to-head racing, where positioning, timing, and tactical awareness became decisive, as only the top three from each semi-final secured a direct place in the final. One additional athlete advanced as the lucky loser, awarded to the fastest skier outside the top three across both heats.
That set the stage for a seven-man final, raced over 1.5km (three laps), where everything was decided in one last all-out effort under the lights.
In the final, Alvar Myhlback, Lager 157 Ski Team, showed perfect timing and sprint strength to claim victory in the first-ever Ski Classics Pro Tour sprint. Myhlback crossed the line with a winning time of 3:04.96, underlining his ability to win both traditional long-distance races and short, high-intensity sprint formats.
Second place went to Amund Riege, Team Aker Dæhlie, 1.15 seconds behind, after a fierce battle to the finish line. Kasper Stadaas, Team Aker Dæhlie, completed the podium in third place, 1.32 seconds back, following the disqualification of Petter Northug, Team Burger King Northug.
Amund Hoel, Team Engcon, finished fourth, 1.95 seconds behind the winner, while Håvard Taugbøl, Team Ragde Charge, rounded out the top five, 2.31 seconds back.
Bedřichov Sprint – Top 5 Men
- Alvar Myhlback, Lager 157 Ski Team, 3:04.96
- Amund Riege, Team Aker Dæhlie, +1.15
- Kasper Stadaas, Team Aker Dæhlie, +1.32
- Amund Hoel, Team Engcon, +1.95
- Håvard Taugbøl, Team Ragde Charge, +2.31
Bedřichov Sprintresults can be found HERE
BEDŘICHOV SPRINT – WOMEN
The women’s sprint delivered a fast and tightly contested race under the lights at the Bedřichov Ski Stadium, with small margins separating the top athletes throughout the evening.
After qualification and head-to-head semi-finals, seven athletes advanced to the final, where speed, positioning, and timing once again proved decisive over the 1.5km course.
In the final, Julie Kvale Støstad, Team Ramudden, showcased her sprint speed and race control, powering to victory in 3:30.27 to claim her first-ever Ski Classics Pro Tour win.
Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, pushed Kvale Støstad all the way to the line and finished second, just 0.11 seconds behind, underlining her consistency. Silje Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, secured third place, 0.65 seconds back, after a closely fought final lap.
Behind, Ane Appelkvist Stenseth placed fourth, 1.25 seconds behind the winner, while Louise Lindström, Team Eksjöhus, completed the top five at 2.57 seconds back, highlighting how competitive the women’s sprint was from start to finish.
Bedřichov Sprint – Top 5 Women
- Julie Kvale Støstad, Team Ramudden, 3:30.27
- Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, +0.11
- Silje Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, +0.65
- Ane Appelkvist Stenseth, +1.25
- Louise Lindström, Team Eksjöhus, +2.57
Bedřichov Sprint results can be found HERE
SKI CLASSICS COMPETITIONS – CURRENT STANDINGS
After Bedřichov Sprint, Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, and Kasper Stadaas, Team Aker Dæhlie, lead the Champion Bib Competition. Stadaas is tied with teammate Amund Riege on equal points.
Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, and Vebjørn Moen, Team Eksjöhus, hold the Green Sprint bib.
Silje Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, and Amund Riege, Team Aker Dæhlie, carry the bib for the Climb Competition. The Pink Youth Bib belongs to Louise Lindström, Team Eksjöhus, and Amund Riege, Team Aker Dæhlie.
Team Engcon is the highest-ranked Pro Team after Bedřichov Sprint Season XVII.
SKIER OF THE DAY BY DEVOLD
In addition to the race results, the Skier of the Day awards were presented after the Bedřichov Sprint. Nöelie Maurin and Lauro Brändli, both from Team BSV IBEX, were voted Skier of the Day by the fans through the Ski Classics App, recognizing their performances and impact on the event.
Next up is the Jizerská50 on Sunday, February 1. The 50km long event marks the sixth Ski Classics Pro Tour stage and the second Grand Classics of Season XVII.
Read More: Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XVII 2025/2026
Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XVII (2025/2026)
Season XVII of the Ski Classics Pro Tour consists of 13 events across nine event weekends in six countries.
- Event 1: December 13, 2025 – Bad Gastein Pro Team Tempo – Sportgastein, Austria, 7km
- Event 2: December 14, 2025 – Bad Gastein Criterium – Sportgastein, Austria, 36km
- Event 3: January 17, 2026 – Engadin La Diagonela – Pontresina-Zuoz, Switzerland, 47km
- Event 4: January 25, 2026 – Marcialonga – Moena-Cavalese, Italy, 70km
- Event 5: January 30, 2026 – Bedřichov Sprint – Bedřichov, Czech Republic, 1.5km
- Event 6: February 1, 2026 – Jizerská50 – Bedřichov, Czech Republic, 50km
- Event 7: March 1, 2026 – Vasaloppet – Sälen-Mora, Sweden, 90km
- Event 8: March 7, 2026 – Orsa Grönklitt 50k ITT Women – Grönklitt, Sweden, 50km
- Event 9: March 8, 2026 – Orsa Grönklitt 50k ITT Men – Grönklitt, Sweden, 50km
- Event 10: March 14, 2026 – Birkebeinerrennet – Rena-Lillehammer, Norway, 54km
- Event 11: March 21, 2026 – Marcialonga Bodø – Bodø, Norway, 50km
- Event 12: March 28, 2026 – Reistadløpet – Setermoen-Bardufoss, Norway, 35km
- Event 13: March 29, 2026 – Grand Finale Summit 2 Senja – Bardufoss-Finnsnes, Norway, 60km
For more updates and detailed information about the Ski Classics Pro Tour, make sure to visit skiclassics.com
Author: Leandro Lutz
Photo: Jizerská50 and Reichert/NordicFocus
