The Grand Classics are the four largest and most prestigious events in Ski Classics: Marcialonga, Jizerská50, Vasaloppet, and Birkebeinerrennet. The skier that wins all four events in the same season completes a Grand Slam. 

During Season XI, the Grand Classics events and the Grand Slam were introduced in Ski Classics. The concept was an immediate success and a great motivation among the best Pro Team athletes of Ski Classics. Nobody has completed a Grand Slam in the history of long-distance skiing, but it might happen in Season XIV.

If you win all four Grand Classics, Marcialonga, Jizerská50, Vasaloppet, and Birkebeinerrennet, in the same season, you complete a Grand Slam.

The races in the Grand Classics have a higher value than the other events in the Tour. There are 300 points for victories and a more considerable prize sum, whereas the other events in the Pro Tour hand out 200 or 100 points. 

The Grand Classics events have a minimum of 30.000 euros in total prize money. Pro Tour events have a minimum of 20.000 euros for 200 points events and 10.000 euros for 100 points events.

Several Contenders For Season XIV

After an exciting start to the season, Ski Classics continues this weekend with its seventh event of Season XIV, and the battle for the win promises to be fierce.

Marcialonga, the 70-kilometer classic race, not only marks the first Grand Classics event this season but, for the Sunday’s winners, the start of the long road to the Grand Slam Triumph.

Strong names this season that could complete a Grand Slam, to name a few, are: Emil Persson, Lager 157 Ski Team; Max Novak, Team Aker Dæhlie; Andreas Nygaard and Kasper Stadaas, in the men’s side. And in the women’s field, Ida Dahl, Team Engcon; Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden; Magni Smedås, Team Eksjöhus; and Jenny Larsson, Team Ragde Charge. 

For Emil Persson, Lager 157 Ski Team, the winner of all individual events this season, starting the road to a Grand Slam will be challenging at Marcialonga. 

“With last weekend’s results, a lot of people are counting on me as a favorite. Marcialonga is a big race; every skier standing on the start line wants to win. To be on the podium, the race will be equal or harder than the races before,” and continues:

“I think Andreas Nygaard (Team Ragde Charge) really wants to win Marcialonga, as he has never done before, so I think it’s a dream for him. I’ve talked to him, and it’s a big goal for the season. But of course, there’s a lot of other strong guys; Max Novak (Team Aker Dæhlie) showed that his shape is improving, so I think there will be a lot of guys out there fighting to the podium places,” concludes Emil Persson.

Now, we can only wait, as only time will tell who the first Pro Tour athlete will be to win a Grand Slam.

Impressive Achievements 

Historically, no one has ever managed to complete a Grand Slam, winning all four Grand Classics events. The Italian Cristina Paluselli has twice been close to reaching this goal. In 2005 she only missed winning Vasaloppet, and the year after, she only missed Birkebeinerrennet. The Swede Sven Åke Lundbäck has also been close. He won all races but Jizerská50 in 1981. 

Most recently, during Season XI, Lina Korsgren won all but the last event, as the week before Vasaloppet, the Birkebeinerrennet was canceled. In Season XII, Andreas Nygaard had a triple win at Jizerská50, Vasaloppet, and Birkebeinerrennet. Still, he was fourth at Marcialonga, the first Grand Classics of the season, keeping the Grand Slam myth alive.  

Grand Classics Winners Season XII

Marcialonga

• Ida Dahl (former Team Ramudden and now Team Engcon)
• Ermil Vokuev (Russian Winter Team)

Jizerská50

• Ida Dahl (former Team Ramudden and now Team Engcon)
• Andreas Nygaard (Team Ragde Charge)

Vasaloppet

• Astrid Øyre Slind (former Team Koteng Eidissen and now Team Aker Dæhlie)
• Andreas Nygaard (Team Ragde Charge)

Birkebeinerrennet

• Astrid Øyre Slind (former Team Koteng Eidissen and now Team Aker Dæhlie)
• Andreas Nygaard (Team Ragde Charge)

Grand Classics Season XIV

Marcialonga – Ski Classics Pro Tour – Event 7 

• Location: Trentino, Italy 
• Date: January 29, 2023
• Distance: 70km Classic Technique

Jizerská50 – Ski Classics Pro Tour – Event 8

• Location: Bedřichov, Czech Republic
• Date: February 12, 2023
• Distance: 50km Classic Technique

Vasaloppet – Ski Classics Pro Tour – Event 11

• Location: Sälen-Mora, Sweden
• Date: March 5, 2023
• Distance: 90km Classic Technique

Birkebeinerrennet – Ski Classics Pro Tour – Event 12

• Location: Rena-Lillehammer, Norway
• Date: March 18, 2023
• Distance: 54km Classic Technique

Read More: Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XIV

The upcoming Ski Classics Pro Tour event is Marcialonga, a 70km classic technique event in Italy on January 29.

Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XIV (2022/2023)

• Event 1: December 10, 2022 – Bad Gastein PTT, Bad Gastein, Austria, 15km
• Event 2: December 11, 2022 – Bad Gastein Criterium, Bad Gastein, Austria, 35km
• Event 3: December 17, 2022 – La Venosta Criterium, Val Venosta, Italy, 40km 
• Event 4: January 14, 2023 – Pustertaler Ski Marathon, Sexten, Italy, 62km
• Event 5: January 15, 2023 – Prato Piazza Mountain Challenge, Niederdorf, Italy, 32km
• Event 6: January 21, 2023 – Engadin La Diagonela, Engadin Valley, Switzerland, 48km 
• Event 7: January 29, 2023 – Marcialonga, Trentino, Italy, 70km
• Event 8: February 12, 2023 – Jizerská50, Bedrichov, Czech Republic, 50km
• Event 9: February 18, 2023 – Grönklitt Criterium, Orsa Grönklitt, Sweden, 50km
• Event 10: February 19, 2023 – Grönklitt ITT, Orsa Grönklitt, Sweden, 15km
• Event 11: March 5, 2023 – Vasaloppet, Sälen-Mora, Sweden, 90km
• Event 12: March 18, 2023 – Birkebeinerrennet, Rena-Lillehammer, Norway, 54km
• Event 13: April 1, 2023 – Reistadløpet, Setermoen-Bardufoss, Norway, 40km
• Event 14: April 2, 2023 – Summit 2 Senja, Bardufoss- Finnsnes, Norway, 67km

More information about the Ski Classics Pro Tour you can find at skiclassics.com.

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