Reistadløpet, the 13th event in Ski Classics Season XV, took place today in Norway. Johan Hoel, Team Ragde Charge, and Astrid Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, dominated the 50km long-distance race with superior performances.
At Reistadløpet, considered one of the most demanding events in the Ski Classics Pro Tour, the women started at 10:00 CET and the men at 10:30 CET. The action started early, and there was a thrilling race among women and men.
REISTADLØPET – WOMEN’S RACE
The women’s race started at 10:00 CET, and an early big leading group was formed. The real action was already in the first kilometers, with Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, in front, setting the pace early on.
At Storlømyra, the only Sprint checkpoint of the day, at 5.4km into the race, Anniken Gjerde Alnes, Team Ragde Charge, crossed first. She was followed by Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, 0.4 seconds back, and Magni Smedås, Team Eksjöhus, 1.4 seconds behind.
The day’s only Climb checkpoint started with about 41km to go, and Astrid Øyre Slind showed her diagonal striding strength, getting a considerable gap and disintegrating the main field. The only close chasers at the moment were Victoria Carl (first chaser), Silje Øyre Slind (second chaser), and Emilie Fleten (third chaser).
At Orta Climb, 14km into the race and the third Iconic Climb this season, Astrid Øyre Slind crossed first and grabbed maximum points, followed by Victoria Carl, 1:21.1 seconds, and Silje Øyre Slind, 2:05.5 behind, closely followed by Emilie Fleten (2:09.3 back) and Magni Smedås (2:15.3 behind).
After the Climb and into some rolling stretches, Astrid kept a high pace. With about 18km to go, heading to the final part of the race and over challenging terrain, no one could close the gap, with Victoria Carl already 1:33 behind in second place.
At the Kampenhytta checkpoint, 22.4km into the race, Astrid Øyre Slind crossed first, followed by Carl, 1:29.7 behind, and Silje Øyre Smedås, 2:01.0 back. At Halvor Hill, 33.4km into the race, Øyre Slind was still strong and had a gap of 1:48.5 over Carl and 2:45.7 over Emilie.
With 38km into the race at the next checkpoint, Sundlifjellet, Øyre Slind crossed first, followed by Carl, 2:09.0 behind, and Fleten, 3:16.5 back.
With about 6km to go, the leader was still strong, and the gap increased to 2:23 over Carl and 3:31 over Fleten.
In the end, Astrid Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, had a solid gap and won Reistadløpet in beautiful classic style with a time of 2:20:32.71.
Victoria Carl, Team Ragde Charge, took second place, 2:12.5 behind. Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, completed the podium in third place, 3:26.5 behind the winner.
Reistadløpet – Top 5 Women
- Astrid Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, 2:20:32.7
- Victoria Carl, Team Ragde Charge, +2:12.5
- Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, +3:26.5
- Silje Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, +4:39.1
- Kati Roivas, Team Eksjöhus, +5:22.6
Reistadløpet results can be found HERE
REISTADLØPET – MEN’S RACE
The men’s race started at 10:30 CET, and there was no decisive action until before the only Sprint checkpoint of the day at Storlømyra, 5.4km into the race. Amund Hoel, Team Engcon, crossed first and got maximum points. Alfred Buskqvist, Team Ramudden, and Simen Ramstad, Team Kaffebryggeriet, followed in second and third place.
Soon, the uphill started, and with about 41km to go, Lager 157 Ski Team hit the front, setting the pace, with Torleif Syrstad at the front and forming a leading group of seven strong skiers. With about 39km to go, Johan Hoel increased the speed and soon had a gap over the chasing group behind.
At the Climb checkpoint of the day at Orta, 14km into the race and the third Iconic Climb of the season, Johan Hoel, Team Ragde Charge, crossed first, closely followed by Petter Myhr, Team Ramudden, in second and 0.7 seconds back, and Thomas Ødegaarden, Team Eksjöhus, 7.8 seconds behind in third.
After the Orta Climb, Hoel, Ødegaarden, Augdal, and Nyenget stayed in contact and were active in the front, keeping the chasers in check, and the race’s final part proved exciting.
At Kampenhytta checkpoint, 22.4km into the race, five skiers in the leading group crossed the line within 13.9 seconds, with Augdal, Hoel and Ødegaarden the first three. At Halvor Hill, 33.4km into the race, the leading group was reduced to three skiers: Augdal, Nyenget, and Hoel, the only one in the front group just double poling.
At the 38km checkpoint in Sundlifjellet, Hoel crossed first, closely followed by Augdal, 0.3 seconds behind, and Nyenget, 1.4 seconds back.
Inside the last 3km, the leading trio was still strong, and the mind game for the finish started to play. Ultimately, the battle for the win was decided on the straight finish, with Johan Hoel, Team Ragde Charge, winning Reistadløpet in the sprint, sealing his first-ever Ski Classics Pro Tour win and the first time that Reistadløpet was won by double poling (no kick wax).
Behind, we could watch a fierce battle for the remaining podium places. Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget, Team Eksjöhus, finished in second place, 0.4 seconds behind the winner, followed by Eirik Sverdrup Augdal, also from Team Eksjöhus, 0.9 seconds back in the third.
Reistadløpet – Top 5 Men
- Johan Hoel, Team Ragde Charge, 2:01.15.3
- Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget, Team Eksjöhus, +0.4
- Eirik Sverdrup Augdal, Team Eksjöhus, +0.9
- Petter Myhr, Team Ramudden, +1:49.0
- Thomas Ødegaarden, Team Eksjöhus, +1:49.3
Reistadløpet results can be found HERE
SKI CLASSICS COMPETITIONS – CURRENT STANDINGS
After Reistadløpet, Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, and Johan Hoel, Team Ragde Charge, lead the Champion Bib Competition. With today’s result, Fleten has already been granted the Yellow Champion competition overall Season XV.
Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, and Amund Hoel, Team Engcon, are wearing the Green bib of the Sprint Competition.
Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, and Johan Hoel, Team Ragde Charge, carry the bib for the Climb Competition. The Pink Bib for the best Youth rests on Karolina Hedenström, Lager 157 Ski Team, and Thomas Ødegaarden, Team Eksjöhus.
Team Eksjöhus is the best-ranked Pro Team after Reistadløpet Season XV.
Next up is Summit 2 Senja tomorrow, April 7. The event marks the 14th stage of 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.
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
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Photos: Reichert/NordicFocus
