Bad Gastein Criterium in Sportgastein, Austria, took place this Sunday with a mass start race completed in 5 laps in a total of 36km on a challenging course in snowy conditions. The Sprint and Climb competitions started here with several chances to collect valuable points for Season XVI.
For the Champion and Sprint competitions, the standard points were applied at the Bad Gastein Criterium, but for the Climb competition, Pro Team athletes got 50% of the standard points.
After a day full of action and thrilling finales, Amund Riege, Team Ramudden, and Emilie Fleten, also from Team Ramudden, showed a strong performance and won the Bad Gastein Criterium, the second event of Ski Classics Season XVI.
BAD GASTEIN CRITERIUM – MEN
The men’s race started at 8:35 CET, and from the beginning, the pace was high, with Max Novak, Team Aker Dæhlie, and Amund Hoel, Team Engcon, setting the pace but with no decisive action until they got to the first Sprint checkpoint at 6.7km.
At the first Sprint checkpoint of Season XVI, Anton Persson, Team Ramudden, crossed the checkpoint first, followed by Vebjørn Moen, Team Eksjöhus, and Simen Ramstad, Team Kaffebryggeriet DRIV.
At the second Sprint checkpoint, 13.7km into the race, Anton Persson, Team Ramudden, was the fastest, getting the Sprint points ahead of Vebjørn Moen, Team Eksjöhus, and Johan Tjelle, Team Engcon.
A big group of skiers was in the lead for the first Climb checkpoint of Season XVI, 21.0km into the race. Oskar Kardin, Lager 157 Ski Team, led the way and crossed the line first, followed by Einar Kalland-Olsen, Exsitec Ski Team, and Amund Riege, Team Ramudden.
Approaching the second Climb of the day, 28.7km into the race, a considerable group of skiers were still at the front group. At the checkpoint line, Oskar Kardin, Lager 157 Ski Team, crossed first, followed by Axel Jutterström, Team Eksjöhus, and Amund Riege, Team Ramudden.
Under the 1km mark, a battle was between five strong Pro Team athletes, Axel Jutterström, Team Eksjöhus, Amund Riege, Team Ramudden, Morten Eide Pedersen, Team Eksjöhus, Emil Persson, Lager 157 Ski Team, and Thomas Ødegaarden, Team Eksjöhus.
In the end, Amund Riege, Team Ramudden, won the Bad Gastein Criterium with a perfectly timed sprint finish. Second place went to Emil Persson, Lager 157 Ski Team, with Axel Jutterström, Team Eksjöhus, showing a solid performance and finishing third place.
Honorable mention was given to the athlete Andreas Nygaard, Team Ragde Charge, who was starting his 100th Pro Tour event at Bad Gastein Criterium today. The Team Ragde Charge Pro Team athlete finished the race in the 6th position.
- Amund Riege, Team Ramudden, 1:46:10.1
- Emil Persson, Lager 157 Ski Team, +0.1
- Axel Jutterström, Team Eksjöhus, +2.4
- Morten Eide Pedersen, Team Eksjöhus, +2.5
- Thomas Ødegaarden, Team Eksjöhus, +21.4
Bad Gastein Criterium results can be found HERE
BAD GASTEIN CRITERIUM – WOMEN
The women’s race started at 9:00 CET, and from the beginning, the pace was high but controlled, with Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, and Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, setting the pace.
With 6.7km into the race, the first women’s Sprint of the season was won by Magni Smedås, Team Eksjöhus. Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, and Stina Nilsson, Team Ragde Charge, crossed in second and third, respectively.
After the first Sprint, Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, took the lead together with three other Pro Team athletes – Silje Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, Stina Nilsson, Team Ragde Charge, and Hedda Bångman, eD System Vltava Fund Team, setting a high pace and splitting the field. Only Silje could follow Fleten in the front a few kilometers later, with Stina, Hedda, and Anikken chasing behind.
After the feeding zone and heading to the second Sprint of the day, 13.7km into the race, Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, crossed the checkpoint line first, followed by Silje Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, and Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon.
Just a few hundred meters after the Sprint checkpoint and with about 21.5km to go, Emilie Fleten tried her luck and attacked the leading group, getting a considerable gap right away.
At the first Climb checkpoint of Season XVI for the women, Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, crossed the line first, getting 15 Climb points, followed by Silje Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, 29.9 seconds back, Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, 34.4 seconds behind the leader.
Not easing the pace after the Climb, Fleten kept in front, with Øyre Slind and Gjerde Alnæs chasing behind.
For the second Climb of the day, 28.7km into the race, Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, crossed the checkpoint first, getting another 15 Climb points, with Silje Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, in second, 1:02.3 behind, and Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, 1:04.0 seconds back.
At the end, Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, soloed to the win, with a time of 1:56:46.5, followed by Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, 30.5 seconds back. A fierce battle for third place saw Stina Nilsson, Team Ragde Charge, making a late surge and completing the podium in third position, 47.0 seconds behind the winner.
Bad Gastein Criterium Women – Top 5
- Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, 1:56:46.5
- Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, +30.5
- Stina Nilsson, Team Ragde Charge, +47.0
- Silje Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, +1:55.2
- Hedda Bångman, eD System Vltava Fund Team, +2:06.2
Bad Gastein Criterium results can be found HERE
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SKI CLASSICS COMPETITIONS – CURRENT STANDINGS
After the Bad Gastein Criterium, Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, and Amund Riege, Team Ramudden, lead the Champion Bib Competition. Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, and Anton Persson, Team Ramudden, are carrying the Green bib of the Sprint Competition.
Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, and Oskar Kardin, Lager 157 Ski Team, carry the bib for the Climb Competition. The Pink Bib for the best Youth rests on Hanna Lodin, Team Engcon, and Amund Riege, Team Ramudden.
Team Ramudden is the best-ranked Pro Team after the Bad Gastein weekend Season XVI.
Season XVI of Ski Classics Pro Tour consists of 14 events on 10 event weekends in 6 different countries.
Next up is the 3 Zinnen Ski Marathon on Saturday, January 11, 2025. The 60-kilometer long-distance skiing race in classic technique marks the third Ski Classics Pro Tour stage of Season XVI.
Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XVI (2024/2025)
- 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, 12km
- Event 5: Saturday, January 18, 2025 – Engadin La Diagonela – Pontresina-Zuoz, Switzerland, 55km
- 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: Reichert/NordicFocus
