Engadin La Diagonela took place last weekend in Switzerland. Once again, Pro Team athlete Kati Roivas achieved the best Finnish result, securing a spot on the podium for the third consecutive time.

Apart from Kati Roivas, Team Eksjöhus, Finnish Pro Team athletes did not perform at their best. On the men’s side, the best result was achieved by Juuso Mäkelä from Team Kaski-Ekovilla, finishing in 30th place.

“The men’s performances were reasonably good. Miro had to ski five kilometers with just one pole, which hindered his chances of a good race. The women had a somewhat lackluster day. Both skiers were involved in early crashes, and their best form was missing from Saturday’s race,” said Kari Varis, Team Kaski-Ekovilla Pro Team Director, to Maastohiihto.com.

Among Team Kaski-Ekovilla’s male skiers, Veli-Matti Räsänen finished 43rd, and Miro Karppanen finished 57th. On the women’s side, Oona Kettunen came in 20th, and Eerika Konu in 38th.

From Team Edux, Isac Holmström finished 51st, and Olli Tyrväinen came in 54th. Pro Team Director Tyrväinen mentioned that the team was satisfied with Swedish addition Sofia Lindberg’s 12th place and that the men’s results were an improvement from the previous race. The team also included newcomer Joonas Sarkkinen, who has excelled more in traditional distance races.

“In this competition, there are significantly more variables compared to traditional skiing, as we ski one continuous loop. The importance of the team is emphasized because the result is achieved together with the team. The race is built around the team’s performance, and if the plan doesn’t work out, the race is over. For example, in case of a pole break, you might have to ski several kilometers before getting a new one. Experience in this sport brings routine, which gives the confidence to make decisions during the race. Even if you are a good skier in traditional distances, those specialized in double poling stand out with their upper body capacity, track knowledge, tactical skills, and game sense,” Sarkkinen analyzed the experience of his debut.

Team Mäenpää’s Viktor Mäenpää had a very tough day and decided not to finish the race.

“I don’t know what happened, but I felt completely powerless after the first ten kilometers. Then, I decided to stop when the course returned to the starting point in Pontresina after about 23 kilometers. The cold weather wasn’t a problem. Hopefully, my body will be in good shape for the Marcialonga, as it is one of the main goals of the season. Hopefully, we’re heading in the right direction,” Viktor pondered thoughtfully.

While the Finnish Pro Team skiers may not have been entirely satisfied with their performances, Kati Roivas once again stood out with her outstanding skiing.

“It was a more challenging race than last weekend in Toblach, as the cold doesn’t really suit me. I was a bit worried when we drove to the race venue. However, I managed to stay warm, I was struggling with the lungs and breathing in the first half. Then, when Magni Smedås and Emilie Fleten broke away, I didn’t feel quite at my best, so I had to let them go,” said Roivas and added:

“We had quite a large chasing group. I didn’t really feel at my best, but the climbs went well, which is my strength, so I tried to break up the group on the uphill sections. Of course, when you reach the podium, you can’t be disappointed. It was great when I managed to secure that third place in the final sprint. Once again, my skis were fantastic, and I want to give a big thanks to the service team,” Kati enthused about her historic achievement.

Last Sunday, the Ski Classics Challengers series race Dolomitenlauf took place in Austria, and Heli Heiskanen from Team Internorm Alpenplus Trentino dominated the women’s category.

The Ski Classics Pro Tour continues next Sunday with the legendary Marcialonga in Italy. You can follow the race on SC Play.

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