Vasaloppet, the seventh stage of the Ski Classics Pro Tour and the third Grand Classics event of Season XVII, took place this Sunday in Sweden.
In snowy conditions, the men and women started together in Berga By, Sälen, at 8:00 CET. Over 90 demanding kilometers to Mora, the 102nd edition of the legendary race delivered tactical battles, breakaway attempts, and decisive moves.
In the end, Oskar Kardin, Lager 157 Ski Team, secured his first-ever Vasaloppet victory, leading a dominant team performance that placed five Lager 157 Ski Team athletes inside the top five. In the women’s race, Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, claimed her third career Vasaloppet win with a controlled and powerful solo performance.
VASALOPPET – MEN
In the men’s race, the pace was controlled early on, with Simon Vuillet, Team Slavia Pojišťovna Robinson Trentino, setting the tempo on the opening climb.
At the only Climb checkpoint of the day at Högsta Punkten, 2.9km into the race, Einar Kalland-Olsen, Lager 157 Ski Team, crossed first, followed by Gaute Kvåle, Team Aker Dæhlie, and Johannes Eklöf, Ski Team Göhlins.
After the climb, several athletes attempted to break away but were quickly brought back by the main field.
At the first Sprint checkpoint at Smågan (10.7km), a large group of 98 skiers crossed within 48.2 seconds, with Gabriel Strid, Team GS8, taking maximum points ahead of Ask Jørgensen, Team Synnfjell, and Vebjørn Moen, Team Eksjöhus.
At the Mångsbodarna checkpoint (24.3km), Oskar Kardin crossed first, followed by Gabriel Strid and Gaute Kvåle. The chasing group remained large and compact, with many favorites within 44.9 seconds.
At Risberg (34.4km), the front group remained tightly packed, with more than 100 skiers within 30.1 seconds. Hjalmar Oscarsson, Team Ramudden, crossed first, followed by Thomas Bing, eD System RSJ Team, and Lorenzo Busin, Team Internorm Trentino GSG.
At the second Sprint checkpoint at Evertsberg (47.6km), Vebjørn Moen crossed first, followed by Gabriel Strid and Torleif Syrstad, Team Engcon.
With around 30km to go, Magnus Vesterheim, Team Ramudden, Thomas Ødegaarden, Team Eksjöhus, and Nils Dahlsten, Lager 157 Ski Team, increased the pace and briefly gained a gap. The main group responded and closed it down.
At Oxberg (62km), 46 skiers were still within 29 seconds, with Dahlsten crossing first ahead of Vesterheim and Ødegaarden.
With 22km remaining, another acceleration reduced the field. At Hökberg (71.1km), 23 skiers were within 17.5 seconds of the lead, with Vesterheim crossing first.
Just after Hökberg, the decisive phase began. Several attacks followed, including a move by Runar Skaug Mathisen, Lager 157 Ski Team, which was later neutralized.
With 9km to go, Oskar Kardin launched a powerful and perfectly timed attack. The move proved decisive, and the chasers were unable to close the gap.
Oskar Kardin, Lager 157 Ski Team, crossed the finish line in Mora in 4:14:45.5, sealing his first Vasaloppet victory.
Second place went to Alvar Myhlback, Lager 157 Ski Team, 4.0 seconds back. Nils Dahlsten, also from the Lager 157 Ski Team, secured third place, 4.3 seconds behind the winner, completing a dominant Lager 157 Ski Team performance that placed 5 skiers in the top 5.
Top 3 Men
- Oskar Kardin, Lager 157 Ski Team, 4:14:45.5
- Alvar Myhlback, Lager 157 Ski Team, +4.0
- Nils Dahlsten, Lager 157 Ski Team, +4.3
Vasaloppet results can be found HERE
VASALOPPET – WOMEN
The women’s race opened tactically, with the leading contenders positioning themselves within the men’s group to establish early gaps.
At Högsta Punkten, Silje Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, and Hedda Bångman, Team Burger King Northug, crossed first and second, followed closely by Anikken Gjerde Alnæs and Julie Kvale Støstad.
At Smågan (10.7km), Julie Kvale Støstad crossed first ahead of Emilie Fleten and Anikken Gjerde Alnæs. Six women were within 1.8 seconds, while Stina Nilsson trailed by 34.4 seconds, and one of the day’s favorites, Astrid Øyre Slind, was already 50.8 seconds back in the 8th position.
With 74km remaining, a group of six women — Fleten, Støstad, Silje Øyre Slind, Gjerde Alnæs, Lodin, and Bångman — worked well together to increase the gap over the chasers.
At Mångsbodarna (24.3km), the leading women remained tightly grouped within seconds of each other, already integrated within the main men’s field.
By Risberg (34.4km), the lead group had been reduced to four, with Fleten setting the pace ahead of Gjerde Alnæs, Lodin, and Støstad. Øyre Slind and Nilsson were now more than two minutes behind.
At Evertsberg (47.6km), Fleten crossed first again, maintaining control of the race.
From Oxberg onward, Fleten steadily extended her advantage. At Hökberg, her lead had grown to nearly one minute, and she continued to increase the gap over the final kilometers.
Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, crossed the finish line in 4:24:26.3, securing her third career Vasaloppet victory with a controlled and dominant performance.
Hanna Lodin, Team Engcon, finished second, 1:37.6 behind, while Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, completed the podium in third, 2:07.1 back.
Vasaloppet – Top 3 Women
- Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, 4:24:26.3
- Hanna Lodin, Team Engcon, +1:37.6
- Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, +2:07.1
Vasaloppet results can be found HERE
SKI CLASSICS COMPETITIONS – CURRENT STANDINGS
After Vasaloppet, Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, and Amund Riege, Team Aker Dæhlie, lead the Champion Bib competition.
Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, and Vebjørn Moen, Team Eksjöhus, hold the Green Sprint bib.
Silje Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, and Kasper Stadaas, Team Aker Dæhlie, carry the bib for the Climb Competition. The Pink Youth Bib belongs to Louise Lindström, Team Eksjöhus, and Amund Riege, Team Aker Dæhlie.
Team Engcon is the highest-ranked Pro Team after Vasaloppet Season XVII.
SKIER OF THE DAY BY DEVOLD
In addition to the race results, the Skier of the Day awards were presented after Vasaloppet. Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, and Alvar Myhlback, Lager 157 Ski Team, were voted Skier of the Day by the fans through the Ski Classics App, recognizing their strong performances and impact on the race.
Read More: Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XVII 2025/2026
Next up is the Orsa Grönklitt 50k ITT on Saturday, March 8, for men, and Sunday, March 9, 2026, for women. The event marks the eighth and ninth Ski Classics Pro Tour stages of Season XVII.
Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XVII (2025/2026)
Season XVII of the Ski Classics Pro Tour consists of 13 events across 9 event weekends in 6 countries.
- Event 1: December 13, 2025 – Bad Gastein Pro Team Tempo – Sportgastein, Austria, 7km
- Event 2: December 14, 2025 – Bad Gastein Criterium – Sportgastein, Austria, 36km
- Event 3: January 17, 2026 – Engadin La Diagonela – Pontresina-Zuoz, Switzerland, 47km
- Event 4: January 25, 2026 – Marcialonga – Moena-Cavalese, Italy, 70km
- Event 5: January 30, 2026 – Bedřichov Sprint – Bedřichov, Czech Republic, 1.5km
- Event 6: February 1, 2026 – Jizerská50 – Bedřichov, Czech Republic, 50km
- Event 7: March 1, 2026 – Vasaloppet – Sälen-Mora, Sweden, 90km
- Event 8: March 7, 2026 – Orsa Grönklitt 50k ITT Women – Grönklitt, Sweden, 50km
- Event 9: March 8, 2026 – Orsa Grönklitt 50k ITT Men – Grönklitt, Sweden, 50km
- Event 10: March 14, 2026 – Birkebeinerrennet – Rena-Lillehammer, Norway, 54km
- Event 11: March 21, 2026 – Marcialonga Bodø – Bodø, Norway, 50km
- Event 12: March 28, 2026 – Reistadløpet – Setermoen-Bardufoss, Norway, 35km
- Event 13: March 29, 2026 – Grand Finale Summit 2 Senja – Bardufoss-Finnsnes, Norway, 60km
For more updates and detailed information about the Ski Classics Pro Tour, make sure to visit skiclassics.com
Author: Leandro Lutz
Photos: Reichert/NordicFocus and Daniel Eriksson/Bildbyran
