Anikken Gjerde Alnæs from Team Engcon won the Ski Classics Pro Tour overall title in Season XVI and the hearts of the people, proving that hard work and determination can overcome any challenge.

Before this season, Anikken Gjerde Alnæs had four second-place finishes in the Ski Classics Pro Tour—two in Grönklitt 23/24, one in Marcialonga 22/23, and one in Pustertaler Ski Marathon 22/23. Season XVI (24/25) became her most successful season ever. Not only did she claim her first victory in the Ski Classics Pro Tour, but she also secured the prestigious Yellow bib overall.

Also Read: Ole Jørgen Bruvoll and Anikken Gjerde Alnæs crowned Champions Season XVI

From Rock Bottom to the Top in 278 Days

Even before the season started, Team Engcon nearly lost another skier. On June 26, 2024, Alnæs was hit by a car during a roller ski session, shattering her kneecap. From that moment on, it was a race against time for her to make a comeback.

• June 26: Alnæs was brutally hit by a car during roller ski training.
• August: Training well but primarily focused on rehabilitation.
• October: How fast does a shattered kneecap heal?
• November: Back on snow.
• December 13: Possibly on the start line for the Ski Classics season opener.
• December 14: Wins Bad Gastein ITT, proving to herself and the entire ski world that almost anything is possible.
• March 30, 2025: Finishes fourth in Summit 2 Senja and secures the Yellow Champion bib Season XVI.

Alnæs didn’t just have her best season ever—she did it in 278 days. From rock bottom to the top.

Read More: Anikken Gjerde Alnæs: Remarkable return to racing just six months after accident!

Final Standings in Ski Classics Season XVI After Grand Finale Summit 2 Senja

The Consistency That Led Her to Victory

Alnæs entered Ski Classics in 2021/2022 as part of Team Ragde Eiendom, alongside legends like Marit Bjørgen and with Therese Johaug connected to the team. Before this past season, she was announced as one of Team Engcon’s new signings.

Also Read: The secret behind the victories – Finding the right day in the cycle

Anikken’s development over the past years has been phenomenal. Not only has she improved her top results, but she has also raised her lowest performances—which were never bad to begin with. It is this consistency in the results that has led her to the overall victory in the Ski Classics Pro Tour this winter.

Anikken did not win the most races this season—that honor belongs to Emilie Fleten, who won five races. However, it was Fleten’s sixth-place finish this year that ultimately tipped the scales in Alnæs’s favor when the final standings were tallied. This is a new level of consistency.

Many were concerned about Team Engcon’s future on the women’s side when Ida Dahl did not start during the first weekend in Bad Gastein. But Anikken proved that the team has a new leader who is ready to go all in for both herself and the Pro Team.