Bad Gastein Criterium, the second stage of Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XVI, took place this Sunday in Austria. Watch the women’s top 3 Pro Team athletes’ interviews and race highlights here!

Bad Gastein Criterium

Bad Gastein ITT, the second stage in the Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XVI, took place this Sunday in Austria. With solid performances, Amund Riege and Emilie Fleten, both from Team Ramudden, won the 36km long-distance skiing race in Sportgastein.

 Read More: Riege and Fleten winners of Bad Gastein Criterium Season XVI

 Interviews

Interview with Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden (1^st place)

Interview with Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon (2^nd place)

Interview with Stina Nilsson, Team Ragde Charge (3^rd place)

BAD GASTEIN CRITERIUM – WOMEN

The women’s race started at 9:00 CET, and from the beginning, the pace was high but controlled, with Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, and Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, setting the pace.

With 6.7km into the race, the first women’s Sprint of the season was won by Magni Smedås, Team Eksjöhus. Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, and Stina Nilsson, Team Ragde Charge, crossed in second and third, respectively.  

After the first Sprint, Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, took the lead together with three other Pro Team athletes – Silje Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, Stina Nilsson, Team Ragde Charge, and Hedda Bångman, eD System Vltava Fund Team, setting a high pace and splitting the field. Only Silje could follow Fleten in the front a few kilometers later, with Stina, Hedda, and Anikken chasing behind.

After the feeding zone and heading to the second Sprint of the day, 13.7km into the race, Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, crossed the checkpoint line first, followed by Silje Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, and Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon. 

Just a few hundred meters after the Sprint checkpoint and with about 21.5km to go, Emilie Fleten tried her luck and attacked the leading group, getting a considerable gap right away.

At the first Climb checkpoint of Season XVI for the women, Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, crossed the line first, getting 15 Climb points, followed by Silje Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, 29.9 seconds back, Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, 34.4 seconds behind the leader. 

Not easing the pace after the Climb, Fleten kept in front, with Øyre Slind and Gjerde Alnæs chasing behind. 

For the second Climb of the day, 28.7km into the race, Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, crossed the checkpoint first, getting another 15 Climb points, with Silje Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, in second, 1:02.3 behind, and Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, 1:04.0 seconds back.

At the end, Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, soloed to the win, with a time of 1:56:46.5, followed by Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, 30.5 seconds back. A fierce battle for third place saw Stina Nilsson, Team Ragde Charge, making a late surge and completing the podium in third position, 47.0 seconds behind the winner. 

Bad Gastein Criterium Women – Top 5

1. Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, 1:56:46.5
2. Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, +30.5
3. Stina Nilsson, Team Ragde Charge, +47.0
4. Silje Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, +1:55.2
5. Hedda Bångman, eD System Vltava Fund Team, +2:06.2

Bad Gastein Criterium results can be found HERE

Bad Gastein Criterium Season XVI – Video Highlights

If you have missed Bad Gastein Criterium’s live stream on SC Play, you can re-watch it below:

BAD GASTEIN CRITERIUM – WATCH HERE ON SC PLAY!

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Next up is the 3 Zinnen Ski Marathon on Saturday, January 11, 2025. The 60-kilometer long-distance skiing race in classic technique marks the third Ski Classics Pro Tour stage of Season XVI.

Season XVI of Ski Classics Pro Tour consists of 14 events on 10 event weekends in 6 different countries. 

Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XVI (2024/2025)

• Event 0: Friday, December 13, 2024 –Ski Classics Pro Team Presentation XVI – Bad Gastein, Austria
• Event 1: Saturday, December 14, 2024 – Bad Gastein ITT – Sportgastein, Austria, 7km
• Event 2: Sunday, December 15, 2024 – Bad Gastein Criterium – Sportgastein, Austria, 36km
• Event 3: Saturday, January 11, 2025 – 3 Zinnen Ski Marathon – Sexten, Italy, 60km
• Event 4: Sunday, January 12, 2025 – La Venosta ITT Kapron-Melago – Val Venosta, Italy, 12km
• Event 5: Saturday, January 18, 2025 – Engadin La Diagonela – Pontresina-Zuoz, Switzerland, 55km
• Event 6: Sunday, January 26, 2025 – Marcialonga – Trentino, Italy, 70km
• Event 7: Sunday, February 9, 2025 – Jizerská50 – Bedřichov, Czech Republic, 50km
• Event 8: Saturday, February 15, 2025 – Grönklitt Criterium 61 – Orsa Grönklitt, Sweden, 61km
• Event 9: Sunday, February 16, 2025 – Grönklitt ITT – Orsa Grönklitt, Sweden, 12km
• Event 10: Sunday, March 2, 2025 – Vasaloppet – Sälen-Mora, Sweden, 90km
• Event 11: Saturday, March 15, 2025 – Birkebeinerrennet – Rena-Lillehammer, Norway, 54km
• Event 12: Saturday, March 22, 2025 – Marcialonga Bodø – Bodø, Norway, 50km
• Event 13: Saturday, March 29, 2025 – Reistadløpet – Setermoen-Bardufoss, Norway, 46km
• Event 14: Sunday, March 30, 2025 – Grand Finale Summit 2 Senja – Bardufoss-Finnsnes, Norway, 60km

More information about the Ski Classics Pro Tour can be found at skiclassics.com

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