Engadin La Diagonela, the third event of the Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XVII, took place this Saturday in Switzerland. The 47-kilometer course delivered an exciting and action-packed competition in spectacular surroundings.
Amund Riege, Team Aker Dæhlie, and Stina Nilsson, Team Ragde Charge, claimed the victories after challenging sprint finishes in both the men’s and women’s races. Jeremy Royer, Team Eksjöhus, wrote his name in the history books with his first podium in a Ski Classics Pro Tour event.
ENGADIN LA DIAGONELA – MEN
In the men’s race, the action started right from the start. At the Premium Sprint checkpoint of the day in San Gian, 5.7km into the race, Gabriel Strid, Team GS8, crossed first, followed by Miro Karppanen, Team Edux, and Vebjørn Moen, Team Eksjöhus.
Right after the Premium Sprint, the uphill part of the initial two laps began, and Thomas Ødegaarden, Team Eksjöhus, reached the front and stretched the field, but the big leading group behind controlled all the moves.
With about 32km to go, Torleif Syrstad was at the front controlling the pace, then Axel Jutterström took the reins and stretched the field at the uphill part of the course, getting a small breakaway, but with no decisive move earlier in the race.
With about 23km to go, at the Samedan airport section, 41 skiers were still strong at the front, with the second group trailing about 40 seconds behind. A few kilometers later, Max Novak, Team Aker Dæhlie, hit the front and upped the pace.
At 8km to go, Axel Jutterström and Magnus Vesterheim were on the offensive at the front, setting the pace and trying to reduce the front group, soon forming a dangerous seven-man break (Vesterheim, Stadaas, Jutterström, Buskqvist, Riege, Royer, and Johan Hoel).
With 4km to go, the break was brought back, and the leading athletes started preparing for the final part of the race. With 2.7km to go, Magnus Vesterheim upped the pace, but no decisive move succeeded.
About 1km to go, the final climb to the finish line began, and the leading group remained compact as skiers fought for position.
In the end, Amund Riege, Team Aker Dæhlie, had an impressive sprint and won his second Engadin La Diagonela in a row.
Riege was followed by Jeremy Royer, Team Eksjöhus, 0.6 seconds behind the winner and his first Pro Tour podium after a solid performance.
Magnus Vesterheim, Team Ramudden, completed the podium in third place, 1.6 seconds back, and also claimed his first Pro Tour podium.
Engadin La Diagonela – Top 5 Men
- Amund Riege, Team Aker Dæhlie, 1:57:22.2
- Jeremy Royer, Team Eksjöhus, +0.6
- Magnus Vesterheim, Team Ramudden, +1.6
- Håvard Taugbøl, Team Ragde Charge, +2.7
- Axel Jutterström, Team Eksjöhus, +3.5
Engadin La Diagonela results can be found HERE
ENGADIN LA DIAGONELA – WOMEN
In the women’s race, which started 6 minutes after the men’s, there was already good action at the San Gian 5.7km Premium Sprint mark. Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, crossed first, followed by Jenny Larsson, Lager 157 Ski Team, and Silje Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie.
After the Premium Sprint of the day, and with 41km to go, Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, upped the pace and stretched the field, putting several skiers in trouble in the uphill section. Just one kilometer later, the leading group had already dropped to only seven athletes.
The women kept working hard, and with about 33km to go, a solid group of eight skiers was formed. Two notable absentees from the front group were Silje Øyre Slind and Magni Smedås, 30 seconds behind the leaders.
On the second passage through the uphill section of the course, with 30km to go, Emilie Fleten once again pushed the pace, and only Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Stina Nilsson, Hanna Lodin, and Sandra Schützová could hold the pace.
With 25km to go, Hedda Bångman and Julie Kvale Støstad could regain contact with the leaders, forming a solid seven-skier front group.
At the Piste 21 checkpoint, Fleten crossed the checkpoint first, followed by Bångman, Kvale Støstad, Lodin, Schützová, Gjerde Alnæs, and Nilsson.
From there, the front of the race was established, with the leaders keeping the gap after each split and the chasers fighting for 8th place. With 1.5km to go, it was still a fight between seven skiers for the top position.
In the end, Stina Nilsson, Team Ragde Charge, used all her sprint experience to win Engadin La Diagonela 2026 in a convincing performance after a tight photo finish.
Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, crossed the line in second, in a photo finish, and Hanna Lodin, Team Engcon, managed to secure the third podium place, 3.7 seconds behind the winner.
Engadin La Diagonela – Top 5 Women
- Stina Nilsson, Team Ragde Charge, 2:13:22.4
- Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, Photo Finish
- Hanna Lodin, Team Engcon, +3.7
- Hedda Bångman, Team Burger King Northug, +5.5
- Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, +11.3
Engadin La Diagonela results can be found HERE
SKI CLASSICS COMPETITIONS – CURRENT STANDINGS
After the Engadin La Diagonela, 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.
Stina Nilsson, Team Ragde Charge, and Amund Riege, 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 Engadin La Diagonela Season XVII.
SKIER OF THE DAY BY DEVOLD
In addition to the race results, the Skier of the Day awards were presented after Engadin La Diagonela. Stina Nilsson, Team Ragde Charge, and Axel Jutterström, Team Eksjöhus, were voted Skier of the Day by the fans through the Ski Classics App, recognizing their strong performances and impact on the race.
Next up is Marcialonga on Sunday, January 25. The 70-kilometer classic race marks the fourth Ski Classics Pro Tour stage and Season XVII’s first Grand Classics event.
Read More: Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XVII 2025/2026
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: Barbieri/NordicFocus
