The Ski Classics 2025/2026 calendar has already been released, and many changes and new race formats may have surprised both athletes and Pro Team Directors. What do the leading Czech long-distance skiers and a Pro Team Director think about them?

The new Ski Classics calendar Season XVII introduces some interesting and new formats. For spectators, they can offer great entertainment, and many athletes will welcome the changes, although some might not find them suitable.

One change is a Friday night double poling sprint before the Jizerská50, which has already been held 12 times and is increasingly popular among fans thanks to exciting lighting effects and the race’s suspense. Another is a 50km Individual Time Trial in Grönklitt, Sweden, where athletes will have to rely purely on their strength and pacing over the entire distance.

The long-distance race schedule is being “disrupted” this time by the Winter Olympics, which means there will be no Ski Classics Pro Tour events in February.

Also Read: Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XVII 2025/2026

Sandra Schützová’s view

Since last year, Sandra has been racing for the Norwegian Pro Team, Team Kaffebryggeriet Driv. After an injury at the end of the 2023/2024 season, she managed to return among the world’s top competitors last season, placing a career-best 8th at the Jizerská50 – a result she repeated in March at the Marcialonga Bodø in Norway. What’s her opinion on the new changes?

“I’m looking forward to the 50km time trial. The last time we had something like that was when Martin Koukal was world champion, right? I think this race will suit me, and I’m curious to see how everyone handles it,” she says to Bezky.net about the return of the 50km individual time trial race, and added about the sprint:

“I’ve traditionally raced the sprint in Bedřichov every year, and it usually suited me well, so I welcome both changes and am looking forward to them.”

And what does Sandra think about the February break?

“The shift in the schedule because of the Olympics was expected. From a marketing standpoint, I understand that no one wants to host races when viewership is almost zero. However, I believe that month can be used, and some will use it to train more. I’m the type who prefers to race, so I’ll be looking for opportunities to race somewhere else.”

Fabián Štoček’s views

Fabián has been the top Czech skier in Ski Classics in recent years. Last season, he raced for the eD system Vltava Fund Team:

“The calendar is one race shorter – I thought there would be 14 events like last year. The races are clearly divided into blocks: December’s Gastein, then January and March. It makes sense to skip February due to the Olympics. I actually welcome the break in February since it gives me time to train a bit more or take part in non–Ski Classics races,” Fabián says about the calendar and adds:

“Regarding the 50km time trial, I probably won’t include it in my plan. I race in Ski Classics to compete in contact with others. It’s a good idea to include a time trial and see everyone’s fitness level, but I find mass starts more interesting.”

Fabián has skipped the Bedřichov sprint in recent years. Its timing – one day before the Jizerská50 – didn’t suit his recovery schedule:

“The Bedřichov sprint is an interesting format. It’s been run for several years now, and many well-known names have competed in it. It’ll be a bit of a challenge for the organizers to ensure the race is fair and well managed. I believe it’ll be a good show and attract spectators. It could also bring more racers to the Jizerská50. At least it’ll reveal who the real sprinters are since it’s a pure double-poling sprint. It’s a good idea to freshen up the calendar in this way.”

Pro Team Director Marek Pazderský’s stance

Marek Pazderský, eD system Vltava Fund Team Pro Team Director, offered a more comprehensive take:

“If I judged the calendar purely from my perspective, considering work and family, then the first half is great. One race before Christmas, then two back-to-back races in the Alps in January – that’s doable with one vacation week, and it reduces costs. Then we have the Jizerská50 at home, a month off, which is great for spending time with family, and then comes the hard part: five consecutive weekends in Scandinavia. That means flying back and forth every weekend, which is really expensive. I don’t know anyone here in the Czech Republic who isn’t a full-time pro and can afford to spend five straight weeks in the north. Of course, the pros can manage it. So, from my point of view, half the calendar is great, and the other half is a disaster,” says Marek.

From a team perspective, Marek adds:

“There are relatively few races in January, which is a bit odd. On the other hand, they added a sprint, which is a nice refresh and could be interesting. Many big names have raced it in the last 2–3 years, so I’m not surprised.”

He also understands that due to the Olympics and TV rights, no Ski Classics races are scheduled for February. And what does he think about the time trial?

“The individual time trial in Grönklitt is interesting. Where else to hold it if not there? If it were held on the Marcialonga course, it would be a nightmare, but the Grönklitt course is super fun, full of turns, so even skiing it solo is really enjoyable. You can’t really ski in a pack there anyway, so I think racers will like it, and it’s great to bring that format back. The only thing is – I don’t know who’s going to want to commentate it on TV, because that’ll be brutal.”

Marek’s vision for the future

Marek also reflected more on the Scandinavian leg of the Ski Classics Pro Tour:

“It’s a shame there isn’t a weekend off after Birken – then we’d have three weekends in Scandinavia, one weekend off, and then two more. That would make a big difference. However, we might see a repeat of what happened last year at the final Ski Classics events, where not all teams participated and only about 50–60 men raced. That’s a noticeable drop compared to other races.”

He also highlighted the direction Ski Classics seems to be taking:

“I think in the future, the gap between the top elite teams and the rest will only widen, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The top ten teams will be fully professional, with their own coaches, physiotherapists, and budgets. They can go to training camps, train together, and receive salaries. The problem is that teams below the top 10 often don’t have the resources to sustain a full season. So, in my opinion, the clear direction is that Ski Classics will become more professionalized, like in cycling, with an ‘A series’ of 10–15 top teams and a ‘B series,’ where teams get invited with wild cards for individual races. I think that’s the way it’s going.”

Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XVII (2025/2026)

• Event 1: December 13, 2025 – Bad Gastein Pro Team Tempo – Sportgastein, Austria, 7km
• Event 2: December 14, 2025 – Bad Gastein Criterium – Sportgastein, Austria, 36km
• Event 3: January 17, 2026 – Engadin La Diagonela – Pontresina-Zuoz, Switzerland, 55km
• Event 4: January 25, 2026 – Marcialonga – Moena-Cavalese, Italy, 70km
• Event 5: January 30, 2026 – Bedřichov Sprint – Bedřichov, Czech Republic, 1.5km
• Event 6: February 1, 2026 – Jizerská50 – Bedřichov, Czech Republic, 50km
• Event 7: March 1, 2026 – Vasaloppet – Sälen-Mora, Sweden, 90km
• Event 8: March 7, 2026 – Grönklitt 50k ITT Women – Grönklitt, Sweden, 50km
• Event 9: March 8, 2026 – Grönklitt 50k ITT Men – Grönklitt, Sweden, 50km
• Event 10: March 14, 2026 – Birkebeinerrennet – Rena-Lillehammer, Norway, 54km
• Event 11: March 21, 2026 – Marcialonga Bodø – Bodø, Norway, 50km
• Event 12: March 28, 2026 – Reistadløpet – Setermoen-Bardufoss, Norway, 46km
• Event 13: March 29, 2026 – Grand Finale Summit 2 Senja – Bardufoss-Finnsnes, Norway, 60km

For more updates and detailed information about the Ski Classics Pro Tour, make sure to visit skiclassics.com

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