After a day full of action, Ida Dahl, Team Engcon, and Emil Persson, Lager 157 Ski Team, showed a strong performance and won La Venosta Criterium, the third event of Ski Classics Season XIV.

LA VENOSTA CRITERIUM – WOMEN’S RACE

The women’s race started first, at 8:15 CET, and with a controlled pace at the beginning. With 34km to go, the group started to stretch with Ida Dahl, Team Engcon, double poling, and Silje Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, diagonal striding, at the front. 

Just before the only Sprint of the day, Ida increased the pace, and only Astrid Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie could follow. With 6km into the race, the Sprint checkpoint was won by Ida Dahl, closely followed by Astrid Øyre Slind and Jenny Larsson, Team Ragde Charge, 10 seconds back.  

After the Sprint, Jenny Larsson and Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, could bring back the leaders, and a strong leading group was formed. At the start of the second lap climbs, with 25km to go, Ida and Astrid took the lead, with Jenny and Emilie starting to lose some time to the leaders. 

With 12km into the race, starting lap 3, the leading duo had a gap of 12 seconds over the two chasers and a minute over the chasing group behind. With 22km to go, Jenny and Emilie could increase the tempo and close the gap to the leaders with the chasing group already 1 minute and 20 seconds back. 

The climbing part of lap 3 started with a controlled pace, with Ida and Astrid leading the front group of four. A couple of kilometers later, Ida Dahl moved to the front, preparing the way for the first Climb checkpoint of the day 20km into the race. In the line, Ida Dahl crossed first, followed by Emilie Fleten and Astrid Øyre Slind.

Not easing the pace after the Climb, the front group kept compact and entered lap 4 with almost 2 minutes of advantage over the group of five chasers: Karolina Hedenström, Lager 157 Ski Team; Hedda Bångman, Team Nordic Expérience; Silje Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie; Magni Smedås, Team Eksjöhus; and Kati Roivas, Team Næringsbanken Stora Enso. 

Just before the second Climb of the day, with 28km into the race and 8km to go, Ida took the lead and crossed the checkpoint first, with Øyre Slind in second and Fleten in third.

On the final lap and at the 3km to go mark, the leading group was still strong, with the skiers changing positions and preparing for the final steep Climb before the finish line.

At the last kilometer, the battle between the leaders was still fierce, but at the end, Ida Dahl, Team Engcon, attacked and sprinted to the win, with a time of 1:53:06.0, followed by Jenny Larsson, Team Ragde Charge, in a close finish, 1.6 seconds back. Astrid Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, completed the podium in the third position, 11.8 seconds behind the winner. 

La Venosta Criterium – Top 3 Women

1. Ida Dahl, Team Engcon, 1:53:06.0
2. Jenny Larsson, Team Ragde Charge, +1.6
3. Astrid Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, +11.8

BAD GASTEIN CRITERIUM MEN

The men’s race started at 10:30 CET, and there was no decisive action until they got to the first Sprint checkpoint, with the field setting a controlled pace from the beginning.

At the only Sprint of the day, with 6km into the race, Alfred Buskqvist, Team Ramudden, crossed the checkpoint first, followed by Lorenzo Busin, Team Internorm Alpenplus Trentino, and Eddie Edström, Team Engcon.

The pace was controlled after the Sprint and heading to the climb parts of the course, and a big group was in the front with a famous face, Andreas Nygaard, Team Ragde Charge, back to the game after missing last weekend’s races. 

With 21km to go, the group was still solid, with the top contenders for the day positioning themselves at the front of the pack. Soon after, with 19km to go, Max Novak, Team Aker Dæhlie, and Kasper Stadaas, Team Ragde Charge, tried to get a break, with all the favorites attentive and closing the gap.

Before the first Climb of the day, 20km into the race, Johan Hoel moved to the front, preparing the way for the steep Climb checkpoint. At the line, Johan Hoel, Team Ragde Charge, crossed first and won the points, followed by Kasper Stadaas, Team Ragde Charge, and Max Novak, Team Aker Dæhlie.

With 10km to go, 17 strong skiers were still in front, all within 3 seconds of the front. Approaching the second Climb checkpoint, 28km into the race, and just 8km to the finish, Team Ragde Charge was in the lead and increased the pace. At the line, Johan Hoel, Team Ragde Charge, crossed first, followed by Kasper Stadaas, Team Ragde Charge, and Johannes Eklöf, Team Ramudden.

After the Climb and with 3km to go, the group was still solid with 13 skiers, with Morten Eide Pedersen, Team Eksjöhus, in the front and taking control. At this point of the race, positioning was crucial for the final Climb to the finish line. 

Under the 1km to go mark, it was a fight between a solid group of Pro Tour skiers. In the end, Emil Persson, Lager 157 Ski Team, followed by Andreas Nygaard, Team Ragde Charge, in second place and Max Novak, Team Aker Dæhlie, in third place. 

La Venosta Criterium – Top 3 Men

1. Emil Persson, Lager 157 Ski Team, 1:34:59.3
2. Andreas Nygaard, Team Ragde Charge, +4.3
3. Max Novak, Team Aker Dæhlie, +4.4

CURRENT STANDINGS SKI CLASSICS COMPETITIONS

After La Venosta Criterium, Ida Dahl, Team Engcon, and Emil Persson, Lager 157 Ski Team, lead the Champion Bib Competition. Ida Dahl is also carrying the Green bib of the Sprint Competition, together with Alfred Buskqvist, Team Ramudden.  

For the Climb Competition, Ida Dahl, Team Engcon, and Johan Hoel, Team Ragde Charge, carry the bib. The Pink Bib for the best Youth is resting on the shoulders of Karolina Hedenström, Lager 157 Ski Team, and Amund Riege, Team Ramudden.

The upcoming Ski Classics Pro Tour event is Pustertaler Ski Marathon, a 62km classic technique event in Italy on January 14, followed by Prato Piazza Mountain Challenge, a 30km race also in Italy on January 15, 2023.

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, 36km 
• Event 4: January 14, 2023 – Pustertaler Ski Marathon, Sexten, Italy, 62km
• Event 5: January 15, 2023 – Prato Piazza Mountain Challenge, Niederdorf, Italy, 30km
• Event 6: January 21, 2023 – Engadin La Diagonela, Engadin Valley, Switzerland, 55km 
• 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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