The 12th edition of Visma Ski Classics Pro Tour consists of 15 events on 12 events weekends in 8 different countries. It has 3 new destinations; Orsa Grönklitt, Misurina and Tartu and one new competition format, The Individual Tempo. Season XII starts off with a Prologue weekend in Orsa Grönklitt, Sweden, on December 18th and ends in Northern Finland with the 70-km final Ylläs-Levi on April 9th. In total the tour covers a distance of 810 race km.
Season XII starts with a new destination in the Pro Tour, Orsa Grönklitt in Sweden. The prologue weekend includes a Pro Team Tempo on Saturday December 18th and an Individual Prologue on Sunday December 19th. After the holiday break, the tour picks up in another new destination, Misurina in Italy with Tre Cime Criterium Saturday January 8th, starting in San Marco and after a loop finishing on the Misurina lake. The Misurina Individual Tempo on Sunday January 9th is the first Individual Tempo in Visma Ski Classics where the Pro Team athletes will start one at the time, skiing from Misurina up to the Rifugio Auronzo by the stunning Tre Cime di Lavaredo.
Next up is another back-to-back weekend in Val Venosta with hilly La Venosta on Saturday January 15th and flat Reschenseerennen on Sunday January 16th. A stop in Switzerland for Engadin La Diagonela on Saturday January 22nd, where the start has been moved to Pontresina shortening the race course to 55 km. Then back to Italy for the first Grand Classics event of the season, Marcialonga, taking place on Sunday January 30th, ending the Alp segment of the Tour.
The Pro Tour takes a weekend off before it continues northeast to the second Grand Classics event Jizerska50 on Sunday February 13th and thereafter to 60 km Tartu Maraton, that makes it back in the Pro Tour for the first time since season one, on Sunday February 20th. The two events become the central/Eastern European segment before heading to Scandinavia.
Then it is time for the Scandinavian part, with the two Grand Classics events Vasaloppet on Sunday March 6th and Birkebeinerrennet on Saturday March 19th. Followed by Årefjällsloppet 100 km, voted Event of the Season in XI, on Saturday March 26th and Reistadløpet Saturday April 2nd. The final event, Ylläs-Levi on Saturday April 9th, concludes Visma Ski Classics season XII.
"Visma Ski Classics Season XII is the most complete Pro Tour calendar we have set so far, with four competition blocks and fifteen events. Most events have been with us for many years and are the core of the Pro Tour, while we are proud to present three new destinations. Since our ambition is to have a dynamic opening, it was a natural step to move the prologue to Orsa Grönklitt and Scandinavia after many years in the Alps. Together with Orsa Grönklitt I am also happy to welcome the new Italian destination, Misurina, and to welcome back Tartu Marathon, which I believe has one of the best and varied courses in the long distance world!" says David Nilsson, CEO Visma Ski Classics.
More details about the events will be released closer to the season.
Visma Ski Classics Pro Tour
Season XII 2021/2022:
1. December 18th 2021: Orsa Grönklitt Pro Team Tempo, Grönklitt, Sweden, 15 km
2. December 19th 2021: Orsa Grönklitt Individual Prologue, Grönklitt, Sweden, 35 km
3. January 8th 2022: Tre Cime Criterium, Misurina, Italy, 48 km
4. January 9th 2022: Misurina Individual Tempo, Misurina, Italy, 15 km
5. January 15th 2022: La Venosta, Val Venosta, Italy, 45 km
6. January 16th 2022: Reschenseerennen, Val Venosta, Italy, 50 km
7. January 22nd 2022: Engadin La Diagonela, Pontresina-Zuoz, Switzerland, 55 km
8. January 30th 2022: Marcialonga, Moena-Cavalese, Italy, 70 km
9. February 13th 2022: Jizerska50, Bedrichov, Czech Republic, 50 km
10. February 20th 2022: Tartu Maraton, Otepää-Elva, Estonia, 63 km
11. March 6th 2022: Vasaloppet, Sälen-Mora, Sweden, 90 km
12. March 19th 2022: Birkebeinerrennet, Rena-Lillehammer, Norway, 54 km
13. March 26th 2022: Årefjällsloppet, Vålådalen, Sweden, 100 km
14. April 2nd 2022: Reistadløpet, Setermoen-Bardufoss, Norway, 50 km
15. April 9th 2022: Ylläs-Levi, Ylläs-Levi, Finland, 70 km