Marcialonga, the sixth Ski Classics Pro Tour stage and first Grand Classics event, Season XVI, took place today in Italy. Andreas Nygaard, Team Ragde Charge, and Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, won the 70-kilometer long-distance skiing race in grand style.
The traditional Italian race that started in Moena and finished in Cavalese saw Andreas Nygaard, Team Ragde Charge, and Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, mastering their respective races and winning the 52nd edition of Marcialonga, the sixth event of Ski Classics Pro Tour and first Grand Classics Season XVI.
MARCIALONGA – MEN’S RACE
In the men’s race, which started at 8:00 CET, the action started early with Team Eksjöhus, Team Engcon, Lager 157 Ski Team, and Team Ragde Charge setting the pace for the first kilometers.
At Canazei, the first Sprint checkpoint of the day, at the 18.9km mark, we saw Vebjørn Moen, Team Eksjöhus, crossing first, followed by Anton Persson, Team Ramudden, in second, and Max Novak, Team Aker Dæhlie, in third position.
Right after the Sprint checkpoint, Vebjørn Moen kept the pace and got a break, gaining a few seconds over his chasers, but soon brought back by the main group.
With 33.3km into the race at Soraga, Petter Stakston, Team Aker Dæhlie, crossed first, followed by Runar Skaug Mathisen, Lager 157 Ski Team, and Johan Hoel, Team Ragde Charge.
Heading to the second Sprint checkpoint of the day, with about 30km to go, Mathias Aas Rolid, Team Ragde Charge, and Vebjørn Moen, Team Eksjöhus, tried their luck and got a break, gaining a few seconds over the main group.
The day’s second and last Sprint checkpoint was contested in Predazzo at the 45.7km mark, with Vebjørn Moen, Team Eksjöhus, taking maximum points. Mathias Aas Rolid, Team Ragde Charge, crossed in second place, followed by Emil Persson, Lager 157 Ski Team, in third place and 19.6 seconds behind the leaders. Twenty-one skiers were within 27.5 seconds from the leaders with 24.3km to go.
With 9.8km to go, the leading group increased the gap to 1:18, with the chasers trying their best to bring the breakaway back.
In the final part of the race, with only 1.6km to go, Mathias Aas Rolid started a tactical move, attacking the group, but was soon brought back by Amund Hoel. At the last kilometer, it looked like Novak, Nygaard, and Hoel were set to fight for the top spot on the podium, with Aas Rolid struggling in the final climb.
In the end, with an epic effort, Andreas Nygaard, Team Ragde Charge, sprinted powerfully to win Marcialonga and the first Grand Classics Season XVI – his first Marcialonga win. Second place went to Max Novak, Team Aker Dæhlie, 0.5 seconds back. Amund Hoel, Team Engcon, completed the podium in third place, 11.85 seconds behind.
Marcialonga – Top 5 Men
- Andreas Nygaard, Team Ragde Charge, 2:39:34.7
- Max Novak, Team Aker Dæhlie, +0.5
- Amund Hoel, Team Engcon, +11.8
- Mathias Aas Rolid, Team Ragde Charge, +51.0
- Ole Jørgen Bruvoll, Team Engcon, +1:04.7
Complete Marcialonga results can be found HERE
MARCIALONGA – WOMEN’S RACE
In the women’s race, which started 5 minutes after the men, at 8:05 CET, a fast pace was set from the gun, and a leading group of seven skiers was formed early on.
About 10km into the race, on a tight turn, Kati Roivas, Team Eksjöhus, fell and broke a pole, leaving six skiers at the front, with Karolina Hedenström, Lager 157 Ski Team, a few seconds back and trying to close the gap to the leaders.
At the first Sprint point in Canazei, 18.9km into the race, Anniken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, crossed first, followed by Silje Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, in second, and Jenny Larsson, Lager 157 Ski Team, in third. Ten skiers were within 10.5 seconds from the leader with about 51km to go.
At Soraga, 33.3km into the race, Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, crossed first, followed by Silje Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, and Jenny Larsson, Lager 157 Ski Team. At this point, only seven skiers were within 14.7 seconds from the front of the group.
At the second Sprint checkpoint, 45.7km into the race, Anniken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, took the points, followed by Silje Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, 0.3 seconds behind, and Jenny Larsson, Lager 157 Ski Team, 1.3 seconds back.
With 16km to go, the leading group was still intact, but the gap decreased to 16 seconds, with Emilie Fleten trying her best to bring the breakaway back.
Fleten could close the gap a few kilometers later, and a small group of four skiers formed. Fleten, Larsson, Øyre Slind, and Alnæs were ready to fight for the victory.
With 1.5km to go, the four leading skiers were still together. Soon, the incline began; Fleten started to push hard, and only Øyre Slind and Larsson could follow. With 1km to go, Fleten made a decisive move and never looked back.
Ultimately, Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, just flew up Cascata and won Marcialonga in a solid style and a total time of 3:09:24.6.
Silje Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, finished second, 14.4 seconds back, followed by Anniken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, 27.4 seconds behind the winner.
Marcialonga – Top 5 Women
- Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, 3:09:24.6
- Silje Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, +14.4
- Anniken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, +27.4
- Jenny Larsson, Lager 157 Ski Team, +29.1
- Hanna Lodin, Team Engcon, +4:16.9
Complete Marcialonga results can be found HERE
SKI CLASSICS COMPETITIONS – CURRENT STANDINGS
After Marcialonga, Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, and Max Novak, Team Aker Dæhlie, lead the Champion Bib Competition. Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, and Vebjørn Moen, Team Eksjöhus, are carrying the Green bib of the Sprint Competition after two Sprints today.
Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, and Oskar Kardin, Lager 157 Ski Team, carry the bib for the Climb Competition after the Iconic Climb at today’s event.
The Pink Bib for the best Youth rests on Hanna Lodin, Team Engcon, and Amund Riege, Team Ramudden.
Team Engcon is the best-ranked Pro Team after Marcialonga Season XVI.
Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XVI (2024/2025)
Season XVI of the Ski Classics Pro Tour consists of 14 events across 10 event weekends in 6 countries. It started in Bad Gastein, Austria, on December 13, 2024, with the Pro Team Presentation and ends in Finnsnes, Norway, with the Ski Classics Grand Finale Summit 2 Senja on March 30, 2025.
Next up is Jizerská50 on Sunday, February 9. The 50-kilometer classic race marks the seventh Ski Classics stage and Season XVI’s second Grand Classics event.
- Event 0: Friday, December 13, 2024 –Ski Classics Pro Team Presentation XVI – Bad Gastein, Austria
- Event 1: Saturday, December 14, 2024 – Bad Gastein ITT – Sportgastein, Austria, 7km
- Event 2: Sunday, December 15, 2024 – Bad Gastein Criterium – Sportgastein, Austria, 36km
- Event 3: Saturday, January 11, 2025 – 3 Zinnen Ski Marathon – Sexten, Italy, 60km
- Event 4: Sunday, January 12, 2025 – La Venosta ITT Kapron-Melago – Val Venosta, Italy, 11km
- Event 5: Saturday, January 18, 2025 – Engadin La Diagonela – Pontresina-Zuoz, Switzerland, 43km
- Event 6: Sunday, January 26, 2025 – Marcialonga – Trentino, Italy, 70km
- Event 7: Sunday, February 9, 2025 – Jizerská50 – Bedřichov, Czech Republic, 50km
- Event 8: Saturday, February 15, 2025 – Grönklitt Criterium 61 – Orsa Grönklitt, Sweden, 61km
- Event 9: Sunday, February 16, 2025 – Grönklitt ITT – Orsa Grönklitt, Sweden, 12km
- Event 10: Sunday, March 2, 2025 – Vasaloppet – Sälen-Mora, Sweden, 90km
- Event 11: Saturday, March 15, 2025 – Birkebeinerrennet – Rena-Lillehammer, Norway, 54km
- Event 12: Saturday, March 22, 2025 – Marcialonga Bodø – Bodø, Norway, 50km
- Event 13: Saturday, March 29, 2025 – Reistadløpet – Setermoen-Bardufoss, Norway, 46km
- Event 14: Sunday, March 30, 2025 – Grand Finale Summit 2 Senja – Bardufoss-Finnsnes, Norway, 60km
More information about the Ski Classics Pro Tour can be found at skiclassics.com
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Photos: Vanzetta/NordicFocus
