The Yellow Champion bib is worn by the male and female athlete with the most current Champion points before each event. The overall winner is the athlete with the most Champion points after the season in each gender. Athletes’ single best result from a Ski Classics Challengers event is included.

The Champion competition is naturally the most prestigious one in Ski Classics, and the field becomes more competitive every year. There are many favorites to name, but only one man and one woman can win their respective categories. One must be consistent, in great shape throughout the winter, and stay healthy until the end of the season. Of the two reigning Champions, only Andreas Nygaard is available to defend his title since Britta Johansson Norgren bid adieu to racing and retired with six Champion titles.

Naturally, Nygaard is the number one favorite to win the Champion competition on the men’s side, but he will face hungry rivals who certainly want to dethrone him if possible. Nygaard possesses an amazing set of qualities that any long-distance skier would be happy to have. He has endurance, speed, a great tactical eye, and a capacity to attack if needed. This Team Ragde Charge athlete is now a three-time Champion, a Hall of Fame athlete with 15 stage wins, and the number one favorite to take home the Yellow bib once again.

His fiercest opponent will be Emil Persson, Lager 157 Ski Team, who was the greatest long-distance skier in Season XI. Last season, he was the second-best after Nygaard. He has nine stage wins in total, and he got his first victory in the Individual Prologue race in 2020. Last season, he managed to be the winner in three races. He also has great endurance, is a super-fast sprinter, and knows how to win races.

The third favorite in this competition is Max Novak, Team Aker Dæhlie. He was third in the overall results behind the two athletes mentioned above. He does not yet have as many victories as Nygaard and Persson, but he was able to be the number one at Pustertaler Ski Marathon. That was his first and only stage win, but there will likely be many more next season and in the years to come. He was also on the podium at Tartu Maraton, 3rd, and at Birkebeinerrennet, 2nd. He is an extremely powerful skier who does not shy away from breakaway attempts. He is probably the best rollerskier of the bunch and is always fearless and offensive.

Many great contenders can challenge these three skiers. Four names come to mind right away: Oskar Kardin, Team Ragde Charge, Tord Asle Gjerdalen, Team XPND Fuel, Kasper Stadaas, Team Ragde Charge, and Johannes Eklöf, Team Ramudden. These are all Pro Tour stage winners, and Gjerdalen is also a two-time Champion. It is hard to say which one of these four men will be the strongest next season, but most likely, Gjerdalen is the number one challenger, followed by Kardin, Stadaas, and Eklöf in this particular order.

Herman Paus, Team Ramudden, and Morten Eide Pedersen, Team Eksjöhus, can shuffle the deck and join the gang of potential Champions. The former has not yet won a race, and the latter has won Jizerská50 three times. These two skiers will most likely be on the podium in some races, maybe even win, but the Yellow bib appears to be unattainable for them. Paus is still very young, and he might become a Champion in the near future.

Champion Favorites Men – Ski Classics Season XIV

Andreas Nygaard

• Nationality: Norway
• Date of Birth: 22.11.1990
• Pro Team: Team Ragde Charge
• Likelihood to win: 4 out of 5

Emil Persson

• Nationality: Sweden
• Date of Birth: 05.04.1995
• Pro Team: Lager 157 Ski Team 
• Likelihood to win: 4 out of 5

Max Novak

• Nationality: Sweden
• Date of Birth: 01.02.1996
• Pro Team: Team Aker Dæhlie 
• Likelihood to win: 3 out of 5

Tord Asle Gjerdalen

• Nationality: Norway
• Date of Birth: 03.08.1983
• Pro Team: Team XPND Fuel
• Likelihood to win: 2 out of 5

Oskar Kardin

• Nationality: Sweden
• Date of Birth: 13.01.1992
• Pro Team: Team Ragde Charge 
• Likelihood to win: 2 out of 5

Kasper Stadaas

• Nationality: Norway
• Date of Birth: 21.02.1994
• Pro Team: Team Ragde Charge
• Likelihood to win: 2 out of 5

Johannes Eklöf

• Nationality: Sweden
• Date of Birth: 30.04.1995
• Pro Team: Team Ramudden
• Likelihood to win: 2 out of 5

Herman Paus

• Nationality: Norway
• Date of Birth: 21.08.2000
• Pro Team: Team Ramudden
• Likelihood to win: 1 out of 5

Morten Eide Pedersen

• Nationality: Norway
• Date of Birth: 18.12.1987
• Pro Team: Team Eksjöhus
• Likelihood to win: 1 out of 5

Written by Expert Commentator Teemu Virtanen.

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