This Norwegian Pro Team is the longest-existing squad in Ski Classics and has been part of the Pro Tour since its inception. For Season XVII, Team Ragde Charge continues to rely mainly on homegrown talent, with six Norwegian athletes and one from Sweden.
Comprising seven Pro Team athletes - three women and four men - Team Ragde Charge has been a cornerstone of Ski Classics since the Tour's early days, consistently ranking among the strongest Pro Teams on the circuit.
According to Pro Team Director Magnar Dalen, "Team Ragde Charge is the longest existing pro team in Ski Classics but is still hungry for success. We have four really strong men who can all fight for victories with Mikael Gunnulfsen and Havard Solas Taugbol as new signings," adding about their Swedish superstar:
"Stina Nilsson is looking stronger than ever and is aiming for the Yellow bib and Vasaloppet, Marcialonga, and Birken this winter."
With a powerful lineup for Ski Classics Season XVII -- Stina Nilsson (1993), Marthe Bjornsgaard (1993), Anna Aukland (2008), Andreas Nygaard (1990), Johan Hoel (1994), Mikael Gunnulfsen (1993), and Havard Solas Taugbol (1993) -- Team Ragde Charge will once again be a central force in the fight for points, victories, and the overall Yellow bib in both genders.
During Season XVI, the squad's athletes achieved impressive results: Johan Hoel finished in 4th place overall, Andreas Nygaard placed 5th on the men's side, and Stina Nilsson secured a strong 3rd place overall in the women's competition.
Andreas Nygaard remains one of the sport's defining figures, having won Ski Classics races for nine consecutive years. A true Ski Classics Legend with 21 Pro Tour victories, he continues his pursuit of excellence after triumphs at Marcialonga and Birkebeinerrennet last winter.
Johan Hoel stands out for his consistency, reaching the podium in five races last season: 3 Zinnen Ski-Marathon (2nd), Engadin La Diagonela (2nd), Jizerska50 (3rd), Birkebeinerrennet (3rd), and the Grand Finale Summit 2 Senja (2nd). Expectations are high for another solid campaign from the Norwegian star.
On the men's side, Team Ragde Charge strengthened its roster in April by signing two experienced skiers transitioning from traditional cross-country to long-distance racing: Havard Solas Taugbol, a Norwegian national team veteran, and Mikael Gunnulfsen, a steady performer with strong endurance and finishing speed.
"We believe our new male skiers, Taugbol and Gunnulfsen, will be interesting to follow. Both are strong in a sprint to the finish line," said Magnar Dalen in an early interview with ProXCskiing.com.
On the women's side, Stina Nilsson was a standout performer last season, her first as a Pro Team athlete. The Swedish star finished 3rd overall, earning six podiums and three victories -- at Vasaloppet, Birkebeinerrennet, and Marcialonga Bodo -- a remarkable debut year.
The other two women, Marthe Bjornsgaard and Anna Aukland, join as new additions for Season XVII.Bjornsgaard brings experience from previous Pro Tour races, including a 7th-place finish at Engadin La Diagonela in Season VIII (2017/2018) and an 18th-place finish at Birkebeinerrennet during Season XV (2023/2024). Anna Aukland, part of the young Cubs generation and born in 2008, raced Tjejvasan, a Ski Classics Challengers event, finishing 28th -- a promising start as she carries the Aukland legacy into the future.
