Yesterday the sun was shining over Sportgastein, where this season’s Ski Classics kicks off on Saturday. Team Engcon’s Ida Dahl had just finished her first training session on the race course:

“The track is very nice. At first glance, it may look flat, but it will be challenging. You have to be on all the time, and the climbing is tough. Besides, it looks on the weather reports that there will be snow during the weekend,” says Dahl, who has been preparing in Livigno, Italy, for the past few weeks.

Dahl starts Season XIV as one of the big favorites to take home the Ski Classics Yellow Champion bib:

“I like it. The reason I am mentioned among the favorites is that I did something good. I’m good at dealing with outside expectations but also have higher expectations. And I expect to be high up there,” says Dahl, who has shown excellent form in recent weeks.

Ida was fourth and fifth place in the traditional cross-country skiing races at Bruksvallarna in Sweden, and during the long-distance premiere in Edsåsdalen, she was the strongest woman.

“Those results bring me confidence, and if I have a good day, I know I’m up there. But anything can happen; it has to work mentally, physically, and with the equipment,” says Dahl.

Season XIV starts tomorrow with the Bad Gastein Pro Team Tempo, a 15km event. In addition to Dahl, Linn Sömskar and Frida Hallquist also race for Team Engcon:

“It’s a fun way to compete together as a team. We haven’t practiced it, but we will talk to each other during the evening, and then we will test the team skiing during training on Friday.”

On Sunday, it is time for the first individual competition of the season, and the men’s and women’s competitions are separated:

“Very good that we get to race our own race. That’s how I want it to be, and there will be a lot of strong girls on the starting line. It feels like lots of fun that it’s finally getting started. I have waited a long time,” concludes Ida Dahl.

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, 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 info about the Ski Classics Pro Tour you can find at skiclassics.com.

Access videos and follow the complete broadcasts from Ski Classics Season XIV through SC Play.

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