Marcialonga, the fourth Ski Classics Pro Tour stage and the first Grand Classics event, Season XVII, took place today in Italy under demanding winter conditions. Heavy snowfall turned the 70-kilometer course into a slow, physically challenging test, delivering a dramatic, hard-fought competition.
The traditional Italian race, starting in Moena and finishing in Cavalese, saw Kasper Stadaas, Team Aker Dæhlie, and Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, rise above the harsh conditions. Fleten secured her third consecutive Marcialonga victory, while Stadaas claimed a decisive win in the men’s race, as both athletes mastered the snowy terrain to triumph in the 53rd edition of Marcialonga.
MARCIALONGA – MEN
In the men’s race, which started at 8:00 CET, the action started early with snowy conditions and many Pro Teams, including Team Aker Dæhlie, eD system RSJ Team, Team Slavia Pojišťovna Robinson Trentino, Team Ramudden, Team Eksjöhus, Team Engcon, Team GS8, and Lager 157 Ski Team, set the pace in the opening kilometers.
At Canazei, the first Sprint checkpoint of the day at the 18.9km mark, we saw Thomas Bing, eD system RSJ Team, crossing the line first, followed by Gabriel Strid, Team GS8, in second, and Vebjørn Moen, Team Eksjöhus, in third.
A few kilometers after the Sprint checkpoint, Vebjørn Moen increased the pace and got a break, gaining a few seconds over his chasers, but was soon brought back by the main group.
With 33.4km into the race at the Soraga checkpoint, Kasper Stadaas, Team Aker Dæhlie, crossed first, followed by Oskar Kardin, Lager 157 Ski Team, and Magnus Vesterheim, Team Ramudden, with 53 skiers still in contention, all within one minute of the leader.
Heading to the second Sprint checkpoint of the day, with about 37km to go, a group of seven skiers tried their luck and got a break, gaining a few seconds over the main group, but soon brought back.
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. Gabriel Strid, Team GS8, crossed in second place, followed by Herman Paus, Team Ramudden, in third place. Ninety-four skiers were within 45.5 seconds of the leaders with 24.3km to go.
With about 19km to go, Petter Stakston and Max Novak, both from Team Aker Dæhlie, increased the pace and briefly created a breakaway, stretching the main group as the chasers reacted and prepared for the demanding final part of the race.
With 11km to go, a small group of five skiers – Magnus Versterheim, Oskar Kardin, Nils Dahlsten, Thomas Ødegaarden, and Ole Jørgen Bruvoll – was formed with the chasers trying their best to bring the breakaway back.
In the final part of the race, with only 1.6km to go at the beginning of the Cascata Hill, a big group was still in contention for the victory.
At the last kilometer, several athletes were still in contention, with Stadaas positioning himself perfectly for the decisive sprint to the finish.
In the end, with an epic effort, Kasper Stadaas, Team Aker Dæhlie, sprinted powerfully to win Marcialonga and the first Grand Classics Season XVII. Second place went to Amund Riege, Team Aker Dæhlie, 0.5 seconds back. Alvar Myhlback, Lager 157 Ski Team, completed the podium in third place, 0.6 seconds behind.
The fastest Pro Team athlete up Cascata Hill, the first Iconic Climb Season XVII, and the one who got maximum points at the Climb checkpoint was Kasper Stadaas, Team Aker Dæhlie, with a time of 9:35.2. Amund Riege, Team Aker Dæhlie, was second, 0.9 seconds behind, followed by Oskar Kardin, Lager 157 Ski Team, 1.9 seconds back.
Marcialonga – Top 5 Men
- Kasper Stadaas, Team Aker Dæhlie, 3:30:03.6
- Amund Riege, Team Aker Dæhlie, +0.5
- Alvar Myhlback, Lager 157 Ski Team, +0.6
- Oskar Kardin, Lager 157 Ski Team, +0.7
- Einar Kalland-Olsen, Lager 157 Ski Team, +1.5
Marcialonga results can be found HERE
MARCIALONGA – WOMEN
In the women’s race, which started 5 minutes after the men at 8:05 CET, a fast pace was set from the gun, with Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, at the front and a leading group of about 15 skiers forming early on.
About 10km into the race, Hedda Bångman, Team Burger King Northug, took the front and stretched the field, reducing the leading group to eight skiers, then regrouped to about 15 skiers.
At the first Sprint point in Canazei, 18.9km into the race, Anniken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, crossed first, followed by Jenny Larsson, Lager 157 Ski Team, in second, and Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, in third. Eleven skiers were within 9.6 seconds of the leader with about 51km to go.
At Soraga, 33.4km into the race, Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, crossed first, followed by Silje Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, and Stina Nilsson, Team Ragde Charge. At this point, only thirteen skiers were within 19.5 seconds of the front of the group.
At the second Sprint checkpoint, 45.7km into the race, Silje Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, took the maximum points, followed by Jenny Larsson, Lager 157 Ski Team, and Anniken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon. Thirteen skiers were within 13.0 seconds of the leaders with 24.3km to go.
With 10km to go, a leading group of nine skiers was working solidly at the front, while Stina Nilsson, Team Ragde Charge, was chasing 35 seconds behind.
With 1.6km to go at the beginning of the Cascata Hill, four skiers were fighting for the top position – Emilie Fleten, Silje Øyre Slind, Julie Kvale Støstad, and Jenny Larsson – with the chasers just a few seconds behind.
As the incline began, Fleten pushed hard, and only Øyre Slind could follow. With 1km to go, Fleten made a decisive move and never looked back.
In the end, Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, just flew up Cascata and won Marcialonga in solid style, with a total time of 3:41:35.6.
Silje Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, finished second, 19.6 seconds back, followed by Jenny Larsson, Lager 157 Ski Team, 34.7 seconds behind the winner.
The fastest Pro Team athlete up Cascata Hill at the Climb checkpoint and first Iconic Climb Season XVII was Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, with a time of 10:57.9, followed by Silje Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, 19.2 seconds behind, and Jenny Larsson, Lager 157 Ski Team, 32.8 seconds back.
Marcialonga – Top 5 Women
- Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, 3:41:35.6
- Silje Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, +19.6
- Jenny Larsson, Lager 157 Ski Team, +34.7
- Anniken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, +52.4
- Julie Kvale Støstad, Team Ramudden, +1:04.5
Marcialonga results can be found HERE
SKI CLASSICS COMPETITIONS – CURRENT STANDINGS
After Marcialonga, Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, and Kasper Stadaas, 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 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 Marcialonga Season XVII.
SKIER OF THE DAY BY DEVOLD
In addition to the race results, the Skier of the Day awards were presented after Marcialonga. Stina Nilsson, Team Ragde Charge, 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.
Next up is the Bedřichov Sprint on Friday, January 30. The classic sprint race marks the fifth Ski Classics Pro Tour event of Season XVII.
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: Vanzetta/NordicFocus
