Jizerská50, the eighth Ski Classics stage, and the second Grand Classics event Season XIV, took place today in the Czech Republic. Magni Smedås, Team Eksjöhus, and Kasper Stadaas, Team Ragde Charge, won the 50-kilometer-long race with great performances.
The race that started and finished in Bedřichov saw Magni Smedås, Team Eksjöhus, and Kasper Stadaas, Team Ragde Charge, winning the 56th edition of Jizerská50, the eighth event of Ski Classics and second Grand Classics Season XIV.
JIZERSKÁ50 – WOMEN’S RACE
In the women’s race, which started 15 minutes before the men, at 8:15 CET, the speed was high right out from the start, and soon two athletes formed the first break, Ida Dahl, Team Engcon, and Karolina Hedenström, Lager 157 Ski Team, with Sandra Schützová, leading the chasing group.
Soon, ten athletes formed the first group, including the favorites, with Hedenström in front, setting the pace after just a couple of kilometers into the race.
One top name in the women’s field was missing today. Astrid Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, joined the Norwegian National Team and is preparing for the World Championships later this month in Planica, Slovenia.
With about 44km to go, Ida Dahl tried her hand at another breakaway, this time a solo one, soon getting 8 seconds of a gap to the chasers.
At the first Climb checkpoint of the day in Na Kneipě, 11.1km into the race, Ida Dahl, Team Engcon, crossed first, followed by Karolina Hedenström, Lager 157 Ski Team, and Silje Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, both 6.8 seconds behind.
Soon after the Climb, the chasers could bring Dahl back, and a front group of 5 skiers was formed, soon growing to a nine-strong field.
Heading towards the Sprint checkpoint of the day, with about 30km to go, Emilie Fleten took the lead and increased the pace, but the group kept together in the direction of Jizerka.
With 23.4km at Jizerka, the battle for the Sprint points saw Magni Smedås, Team Eksjöhus, crossing first. Ida Dahl, Team Engcon, followed in second, and Jenny Larsson, Team Ragde Charge, in third.
After the Sprint, with about 23km to go, the men’s group caught up with the women’s front group, and Ida Dahl was the only one to get some seconds of a gap following the men. Soon Emilie Fleten closed the gap and kept setting the pace.
At Smutná Louka, the second Climb point of today’s race, Magni Smedås, Team Eksjöhus, crossed in the first position, Ida Dahl, Team Engcon, in second, and Karolina Hedenström, Lager 157 Ski Team in third position.
From there, the women’s race was exciting. Magni Smedås took the lead, with Silje Øyre Slind and Karolina Hedenström some seconds behind in a fierce battle to close the gap and for the podium positions.
In the end, Magni Smedås, Team Eksjöhus, cruised to the finish line, winning this year’s Jizerská50 in a superior style, 1:05.5 ahead of Karolina Hedenström, Lager 157 Ski Team. Silje Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, was third, 2:09.2 behind the winner.
This is the second win of the season and Pro Tour career for Magni Smedås and the first-ever Ski Classics Pro Tour podium for Karolina Hedenström and Silje Øyre Slind. After winning the second Grand Classics of Season XIV, Smedås is now the only athlete in Ski Classics that could make a Grand Slam, winning the four Grand Classics.
Jizerská50 – Top 3 Women
- Magni Smedås, Team Eksjöhus, 2:28:44.7
- Karolina Hedenström, Lager 157 Ski Team, +1:05.5
- Silje Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, +2:09.2
Results can be found HERE.
JIZERSKÁ50 – MEN’S RACE
In the men’s race, which started at 8:30 CET, the action started early with Andreas Nygaard, Team Ragde Charge, in the front, setting a steady pace and stretching the field right from the gun.
Some kilometers later on the hill, Tord Asle Gjerdalen, Team XPND Fuel, took the race’s lead towards the first Climb checkpoint of the day.
At Na Kneipě, the first Climb checkpoint at the 11.1km mark, Team Ragde Charge was leading the group, but we saw Fabián Štoček, Vltava Fund Ski Team, crossing first, ahead of Johan Hoel, Team Ragde Charge, in second, and Karstein Johaug, Team Ragde Charge, in the third position.
With 23.4km into the race, at the Jizerka Sprint checkpoint, Max Novak, Team Aker Dæhlie, crossed first with Morten Eide Pedersen, Team Eksjöhus in second, and Johan Hoel, Team Ragde Charge in third.
Things started to happen towards the second Climb when Emil Persson attacked and forced the main group to chase, with only Max Novak able to follow closely.
Max Novak, Team Aker Dæhlie, was first at the Climb checkpoint Smutná Louka after 32.4km, followed by Emil Persson, Lager 157 Ski Team, and Johan Hoel, Team Ragde Charge.
After the Climb, the leading group looked strong, with Team Ragde Charge in front. Then, Stian Hoelgaard, Team Aker Dæhlie, and Johan Joel, Team Ragde Charge, tried their chances and attacked the group.
With about 9km to go, the leading duo kept pushing hard and could count on a 10-second gap from the chasers. With nearly 5km to go, the duo was caught, and another Team Ragde Charge athlete tried his luck, Kasper Stadaas, getting 13 seconds of a gap with only 3 kilometers to go.
At the last kilometer before the finish, the chase for the leader was fierce behind. But at the end, Kasper Stadaas, Team Ragde Charge, ‘flew’ to the finish line, winning Jizerská50 in grand style.
Second place went to Andreas Nygaard, Team Ragde Charge, 2.2 seconds behind. Jizerská50 2023 was Nygaard’s 30th podium in Ski Classics, with 15 wins, 12 seconds, and three third places.
Amund Riege, Team Ramudden, completed the podium in the third position, 2.4 seconds behind, and his first Pro Tour podium.
Jizerská50 – Top 3 Men
- Kasper Stadaas, Team Ragde Charge, 2:05:50.0
- Andreas Nygaard, Team Ragde Charge, +2.2
- Amund Riege, Team Ramudden, +2.4
Jizerská50’s full results can be found here.
SKI CLASSICS COMPETITIONS – CURRENT STANDINGS
After Jizerská50, Magni Smedås, Team Eksjöhus, and Emil Persson, Lager 157 Ski Team, lead the Champion bib competition. Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Ragde Charge, is carrying the Green bib of the Sprint competition, together with Alfred Buskqvist, Team Ramudden.
Ida Dahl, Team Engcon, and Emil Persson, Lager 157 Ski Team, carry the bib for the Climb competition. The Pink bib for the best Youth is resting on the shoulders of Karolina Hedenström, Lager 157 Ski Team, and Amund Riege, Team Ramudden.
Jizerská50 program, start lists, results, and live timing can be found here.
Next is Grönklitt Criterium and Grönklitt ITT on Saturday and Sunday, February 18 and 19. The events mark the ninth and tenth Ski Classics stages of Season XIV.
The Season XIV of Ski Classics Pro Tour consists of 14 events on 10 event weekends in 6 different countries.
Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XIV (2022/2023)
- Event 1: December 10, 2022 – Bad Gastein PTT, Bad Gastein, Austria, 15km
- Event 2: December 11, 2022 – Bad Gastein Criterium, Bad Gastein, Austria, 35km
- Event 3: December 17, 2022 – La Venosta Criterium, Val Venosta, Italy, 36km
- Event 4: January 14, 2023 – Pustertaler Ski Marathon, Sexten, Italy, 62km
- Event 5: January 15, 2023 – Prato Piazza Mountain Challenge, Niederdorf, Italy, 32km
- Event 6: January 21, 2023 – Engadin La Diagonela, Engadin Valley, Switzerland, 48km
- Event 7: January 29, 2023 – Marcialonga, Trentino, Italy, 70km
- Event 8: February 12, 2023 – Jizerská50, Bedřichov, Czech Republic, 50km
- Event 9: February 18, 2023 – Grönklitt Criterium, Orsa Grönklitt, Sweden, 50km
- Event 10: February 19, 2023 – Grönklitt ITT, Orsa Grönklitt, Sweden, 15km
- Event 11: March 5, 2023 – Vasaloppet, Sälen-Mora, Sweden, 90km
- Event 12: March 18, 2023 – Birkebeinerrennet, Rena-Lillehammer, Norway, 54km
- Event 13: April 1, 2023 – Reistadløpet, Setermoen-Bardufoss, Norway, 40km
- Event 14: April 2, 2023 – Summit 2 Senja, Bardufoss- Finnsnes, Norway, 67km
More information about the Ski Classics Pro Tour you can find at skiclassics.com.
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Top Photo: Raul!/Jizerská50
