With cold weather and good snow conditions, the men’s race started at 8:15 CET, and there was no decisive action besides some breakaway attempts by Johannes Eklöf, Team Ramudden, and Stian Berg, Team Kaffebryggeriet, before the Sprint checkpoint. Well placed for the Sprint at Nordic Arena, Russian Winter Team was setting the pace with Aleksandr Grebenko, who crossed the sprint-line first, followed by Stian Berg, Team Kaffebryggeriet, and Oskar Kardin, Team Ragde Charge.

Heading to the Climb point, Stanislav Rezac. Slavia Pojistovna Sport Team, tried to breakaway and got a maximum of 16 seconds gap but the leading group kept it in control with Andreas Nygaard, Team Ragde Charge, crossing Cimabanche Climb first, followed by Max Novak and Johannes Eklöf, both from Team Ramudden. After Cimabanche, Eklöf was on the offensive trying to breakaway, but a group of around 20 skiers controlled the pace towards the finish line in Niederdorf. 

With 1km to go, Max Novak, Team Ramudden, hit the front, pushing hard and won the race, his first Visma Ski Classics victory, followed by Oskar Kardin, Team Ragde Charge and Stian Hoelgaard, Team Curira.

In the women’s race, which started at 8:30 CET, an early front group was formed with Emilie Fleten, Team XPND Fuel, Lina Korsgren and Ida Dahl, Team Ramudden, Astrid Øyre Slind, Team Koteng Eidissen, and Britta Johansson Norgren, Lager 157 Ski Team. In the Sprint point, Johansson Norgren showed her strength and crossed the line first, followed by Fleten and Korsgren.

Before the Cimabanche checkpoint, Øyre Slind, Dahl and Johansson Norgren pushed the pace and got a break, leaving Korsgren and Fleten behind. Dahl showed her climbing strength and crossed the Climb first, followed by Øyre Slind and Johansson Norgren. 

With 2.5km to go, the leading trio was still strong, but with 1.6km to the finish, the action started, and on the 1km mark, Britta Johansson Norgren, Lager 157 Ski Team, increased the speed, got a gap and gave no chance to her competitors, crossing the finish line in first place, followed by Ida Dahl, Team Ramudden, and Astrid Øyre Slind.

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Map & Profile

PRATO PIAZZA MOUNTAIN CHALLENGE

• Location: Niederdorf, Italy
• Date: Sunday, January 9
• Start Time: Women 9:35 CET / Men 9:00 CET
• Distance: 32km Classic Technique
• Visma Ski Classics Sprint: Nordic Arena Toblach – 8km
• Visma Ski Classics Climb: Prato Piazza – 32km

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