Marcialonga marked the seventh Ski Classics Pro Tour event last weekend, and now the Ski Classics Season XIV is halfway through. ProXCskiing reviews the favorites for the various overall competitions, and today you can find out who the Sprint bib favorites are.
The Green Sprint bib is worn by the female and male with the most current Sprint points before each event. There are 0-2 sprints in the events. The seven fastest women and seven fastest men split times at the sprints will get points. The overall winner is the athlete with the most sprint points after the season in each gender.
The Sprint competition is always an interesting one. Every year, many athletes solely focus on this particular category, and they pace themselves accordingly in races to be well-positioned before approaching the sprint checkpoints.
The last season’s winners are not in the game anymore as Stian Berg, Team Kaffebryggeriet, has said that he wants to follow in the footsteps of his inspiration, Andreas Nygaard, who started as a sprinter and became a bona fide Ski Classics hero. That is the path that Berg is keen on taking in the future. Then, Britta Johansson Norgren retired after last season and is not available to defend her title next winter.
Read More: Stian Berg’s Goal Is No Longer The Sprint Bib
After the Sprint checkpoints last weekend at Marcialonga, Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Ragde Charge, and Alfred Buskqvist, Team Ramudden, are the Green bib holders with 159 and 161 points, respectively.
Now, who are the favorites for the Sprint overall competition Season XIV?
Sprint Climb Favorites Women – Ski Classics Season XIV – After Marcialonga
After Marcialonga, Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Ragde Charge, is the Green bib holder with 159 points. Ida Dahl, Team Engcon, follows in second place with 131 points. Magni Smedås, Team Eksjöhus, is in third place with 118 points.
The Sprint competition on the women’s side is intense this winter. Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Ragde Charge, Ida Dahl, Team Engcon, and Magni Smedås, Team Eksjöhus, are the biggest favorites and are having a tight battle for the Green jersey.
Anikken is adding more points to the Sprint ranking so far, 159. During Season XIV, Gjerde Alnæs had 30 points at Pustertaler Ski Marathon; 30 at Prato Piazza Mountain Challenge; 46 at Engadin La Diagonela; and 53 points at Marcialonga.
Ida has 131 Sprint points so far: 27 points from Bad Gastein Criterium; 30 from La Venosta Criterium; 23 from Pustertaler Ski Marathon; 23 from Prato Piazza Mountain Challenge; and 28 points from Marcialonga.
And Magni got 118 points: 9 Sprint points from Bad Gastein Criterium; 16 from Pustertaler Ski Marathon; 16 from Prato Piazza Mountain Challenge; 35 from Engadin La Diagonela; and 42 points from Marcialonga.
Since Johansson Norgren is out of the game, no clear winner candidate is available in the women’s competition right now. Ida Dahl and Magni Smedås can collect enough points to win this competition. However, the most likely Sprint winner is Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, as this category has so far been the one she has focused on. Her Pro Team will count on her valuable input, and she is now an experienced sprinter who knows the tricks of the trade.
Sprint Bib Favorites Women – Ski Classics Season XIV
- Nationality: Norway
- Date of Birth: 11.04.1994
- Pro Team: Team Ragde Charge
- Sprint Points: 159 points
- Likelihood to win: 4 out of 5
- Nationality: Sweden
- Date of Birth: 17.01.1996
- Pro Team: Team Engcon
- Sprint Points: 131 points
- Likelihood to win: 3 out of 5
- Nationality: Norway
- Date of Birth: 17.06.1995
- Pro Team: Team Eksjöhus
- Sprint Points: 118 points
- Likelihood to win: 2 out of 5
- Nationality: Sweden
- Date of Birth: 18.01.1996
- Pro Team: Team Ragde Charge
- Sprint Points: 90 points
- Likelihood to win: Dark Horse
Sprint Women – Top 10
Sprint Favorites Men – Ski Classics Season XIV – After Marcialonga
In the men’s side after Marcialonga, Alfred Buskqvist, Team Ramudden, carries the Green bib of the men’s Sprint competition with 161 points. Vebjørn Moen, Team Aker Dæhlie, is the second place with 151 points, and Lorenzo Busin, Team Internorm Alpenplus Trentino, keeps the third position with 102 points.
The top 3 are the strongest candidates for the Green Sprint overall at the end of Season XIV.
So far in the season, Alfred has added the most points in the Sprint competition, 161, really focusing on the Green Sprint bib. Buskqvist had 9 points from Bad Gastein Criterium; 30 from La Venosta Criterium; 23 from Pustertaler Ski Marathon; 16 from Prato Piazza Mountain Challenge; 53 from Engadin La Diagonela; and 30 points from Marcialonga.
Vebjørn added a total of 151 Sprint points to his ranking: 8 points from Bad Gastein Criterium; 30 from Pustertaler Ski Marathon; 30 from Prato Piazza Mountain Challenge; 30 from Engadin La Diagonela; and 53 from Marcialonga.
Lorenzo has 102 Sprint points so far: 23 points from La Venosta Criterium; 12 from Pustertaler Ski Marathon; 23 from Prato Piazza Mountain Challenge; 16 from Engadin La Diagonela; and 28 points from Marcialonga.
As we can see, one of the favorites in the Sprint competition is Alfred Buskqvist. He has competed in many Scandinavian Cup races, including sprints, and has shown good sprint performances in the first part of the season. He is a strong enough skier to stay in the lead group and shoot for sprint points.
Vebjørn Moen had no previous experience with the hardship of Ski Classics but has experience from World Cup and Scandinavian Cup ski racing, mainly in sprint skiing, and is showing a solid sprint class until Marcialonga.
On the other hand, Lorenzo is an experienced Pro Tour athlete with 33 starts under his belt. The Italian skier is fully committed to the Sprint task and ready to stay in the lead group long enough to score the necessary Sprint points.
Sprint Bib Favorites Men – Ski Classics Season XIV
- Nationality: Sweden
- Date of Birth: 21.05.1996
- Pro Team: Team Ramudden
- Sprint Points: 161 points
- Likelihood to win: 4 out of 5
- Nationality: Norway
- Date of Birth: 12.05.1998
- Pro Team: Team Aker Dæhlie
- Sprint Points: 151 points
- Likelihood to win: 4 out of 5
- Nationality: Italy
- Date of Birth: 05.12.1996
- Pro Team: Team Internorm Alpenplus Trentino
- Sprint Points: 102 points
- Likelihood to win: 3 out of 5
- Nationality: Sweden
- Date of Birth: 21.03.1990
- Pro Team: Lager 157 Ski Team
- Sprint Points: 70 points
- Likelihood to win: Dark horse
Sprint Men – Top 10
The upcoming Ski Classics Pro Tour event is Jizerská50, a 50km classic technique event in the Czech Republic on February 12.
Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XIV (2022/2023)
- Event 1: December 10, 2022 – Bad Gastein PTT, Bad Gastein, Austria, 15km
- Event 2: December 11, 2022 – Bad Gastein Criterium, Bad Gastein, Austria, 35km
- Event 3: December 17, 2022 – La Venosta Criterium, Val Venosta, Italy, 36km
- Event 4: January 14, 2023 – Pustertaler Ski Marathon, Sexten, Italy, 62km
- Event 5: January 15, 2023 – Prato Piazza Mountain Challenge, Niederdorf, Italy, 32km
- Event 6: January 21, 2023 – Engadin La Diagonela, Engadin Valley, Switzerland, 48km
- Event 7: January 29, 2023 – Marcialonga, Trentino, Italy, 70km
- Event 8: February 12, 2023 – Jizerská50, Bedrichov, Czech Republic, 50km
- Event 9: February 18, 2023 – Grönklitt Criterium, Orsa Grönklitt, Sweden, 50km
- Event 10: February 19, 2023 – Grönklitt ITT, Orsa Grönklitt, Sweden, 15km
- Event 11: March 5, 2023 – Vasaloppet, Sälen-Mora, Sweden, 90km
- Event 12: March 18, 2023 – Birkebeinerrennet, Rena-Lillehammer, Norway, 54km
- Event 13: April 1, 2023 – Reistadløpet, Setermoen-Bardufoss, Norway, 40km
- Event 14: April 2, 2023 – Summit 2 Senja, Bardufoss- Finnsnes, Norway, 67km
More information about the Ski Classics Pro Tour you can find at skiclassics.com.
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