Marcialonga marked the seventh Ski Classics Pro Tour event, and now, with the Grönklitt weekend, the Ski Classics Season XV is halfway through. ProXCskiing reviews the favorites for the various overall competitions, and today, you can find out who the Climb bib favorites are on the men’s side.

The squared patterned “Lumberjack” Climb bib is worn by the female and male Pro Team athletes with the most current Climb points before each event. There are 0-2 Climb checkpoints in the events. The seven fastest women and seven fastest men split times at the Climb checkpoints will get points. The overall winner is the athlete with the most Climb points after the season in each gender. 

Last season (XIV), the Iconic Climbs category was created to enhance interest in the climbs and reward the strongest athletes slightly more. The Iconic Climb points give 50% more points than a Category 1 Climb, 45 points instead of 30 points in the Climb competition.

For Season XV, there will be four Iconic Climbs. First was up to Cascata, the last hill to Cavalese in Marcialonga. The second Iconic Climb is Raudfjellet, the first long hill in Birkebeinerrennet.

The third is the Orta climb in Reistadløpet, and last but not least is the new Iconic Climb for Season XV, the Magdaskaret climb, in Summit 2 Senja. 

Read More: Iconic Climbs Season XV

Climb Favorites Men – Ski Classics Season XV – After Marcialonga 

After Marcialonga, Thomas Bing, eD system Silvini Team, leads the Climb bib competition with 93 points. Kasper Stadaas, Team Ragde Charge, is in close second place with 92 points, followed by Thomas Ødegaarden, Team Eksjöhus, in third with 85 points. 

The battle for the Climb competition on the men’s side is fierce this winter. Bing, Stadaas, and Ødegaarden are the biggest favorites. They are having a good fight for the lumberjack jersey, with possible challengers Runar Skaug Mathisen, Lager 157 Ski Team, winner of Marcialonga and the first Iconic Climb of the season, and Axel Jutterström, Team Eksjöhus. 

As we can see, many great Pro Tour athletes can ski hard on long climbs, but they must focus seriously on winning this category because the challengers are quick to take the Climb points. 

It will be interesting to see what these athletes can offer in the second part of Ski Classics Season XV. Now, who are the favorites for the Climb overall Season XV?

Climb Bib Favorites Men – Ski Classics Season XIV

Thomas Bing

• Nationality: German
• Date of Birth: 03.04.1990  
• Pro Team: eD system Silvini Team 
• Climb Points: 93 points
• Likelihood to win: 4 out of 5

Kasper Stadaas

• Nationality: Norway  
• Date of Birth: 21.02.1994
• Pro Team: Team Ragde Charge 
• Climb Points: 92 points
• Likelihood to win: 4 out of 5

Thomas Ødegaarden

• Nationality: Norway 
• Date of Birth: 14.12.1998
• Pro Team: Team Eksjöhus 
• Climb Points: 85 points
• Likelihood to win: 4 out of 5

Axel Jutterström

• Nationality: Sweden
• Date of Birth: 14.11.1998 
• Pro Team: Team Eksjöhus
• Climb Points: 61 points
• Likelihood to win: 2 out of 5

Runar Skaug Mathisen 

• Nationality: Norway
• Date of Birth: 13.03.1993  
• Pro Team: Lager 157 Ski Team 
• Climb Points: 68 points
• Likelihood to win: Dark horse

Climb Men – Top 10 after Marcialonga

Next are Grönklitt Classic on Saturday, February 17, and Grönklitt ITT on Sunday, February 18, 2024. The Pro Tour events mark the ninth and tenth Ski Classics Pro Tour stages of Season XV.

Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XV (2023/2024)

• Event 1: December 9, 2023 – Bad Gastein PTT, Austria, 13km
• Event 2: December 10, 2023 – Bad Gastein Criterium, Austria, 36km
• Event 3: December 16, 2023 – La Venosta Criterium, Italy, 35km 
• Event 4: December 17, 2023 – La Venosta ITT, Italy, 10km
• Event 5: January 13, 2024 – 3 Zinnen Ski Marathon, Italy, 62km
• Event 6: January 20, 2024 – Engadin La Diagonela, Switzerland, 55km
• Event 7: January 28, 2024 – Marcialonga, Italy, 70km
• Event 8: February 11, 2024 – Jizerská50, Czech Republic, 50km
• Event 9: February 17, 2024 – Grönklitt Classic, Sweden, 60km
• Event 10: February 18, 2024 – Grönklitt ITT, Sweden, 13km
• Event 11: March 3, 2024 – Vasaloppet, Sweden, 90km
• Event 12: March 16, 2024 – Birkebeinerrennet, Norway, 54km
• Event 13: April 6, 2024 – Reistadløpet, Norway, 50km
• Event 14: April 7, 2024 – Summit 2 Senja, Norway, 60km
• Event 15: April 13, 2024 – Ski Classics Grand Finale – Janteloppet, Norway, 100km

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