The overall win was decided in the last event Season XIV. Now, Team Engcon’s Ida Dahl has taken home the Ski Classics Yellow Champion bib for the first time.

“The overall victory means a lot. It has been a season where many things have gone very well, but there have also been bad parts,” says Ida Dahl.

In 2019, Ida Dahl did her first race in Ski Classics. She immediately showed that long-distance skiing would suit her, finishing ninth at Birkebeinerrennet.

In the following season, she made significant steps, with three times in the top 4 (including Vasaloppet). The next season, she made it onto the podium for the first time. Another winter later came the first victory at Prato Piazza Mountain Challenge.

Season XIV was successful, with five individual victories (which means she is now up to nine wins in total and is making a mark at the Ski Classics Hall of Fame). After the last competition of the season, Dahl was the one who collected the most points.

“The overall victory means a lot, not least considering that I have been so close to the total twice before. And for me, it has been greater to succeed in winning Yellow than to win individual competitions,” says Ida Dahl.

How do you see the entire season?

“It has gone very well in parts but also not so good in some races. Unfortunately, it has been in several of the big races. In some races, skis were good, but then Covid messed it up.”

Ida Dahl missed Engadin La Diagonela due to having tested positive for Covid, and the following weekend she started at Marcialonga.

“I must say that Covid slowed me down more than I thought. I have been much more tired, and recovery after training and competition has taken longer. Sometimes the only thing I wanted to do all the time was sleep. It has caused me to cut back on training during the second half of the season. I have also chosen to cancel my intervals. Instead of doing sessions in three to four hours, I have “split” them into two sessions. And I haven’t done that much speed either.”

What have you done well this season?

“I have gotten much better at the recovery part after races. Both in terms of energy intake and how I train after the races. Before, I was a bit careless in filling up with energy after competition and hard interval sessions. It could have taken several hours. Now I’ve been more careful, which can pay off towards the end of a season.”

What do you want to develop for the coming season?

“I want to become more explosive and better in sprints. More and more women invest in long races, and then speed increases, and good sprints become even more important.”

You have started some traditional cross-country skiing competitions this winter, and Astrid Øyre Slind has shared her time with both long-distance and traditional races. Do you think it will become more common?

“It sounds from the people I talk to that many people are hungry for that combination. Then it must fit in with selection competitions for the traditional races and skiing for a team.”

And for yourself, what do you think about long-distance skiing or race, for example, the 50km race at the 2025 World Championships in Norway?

“Long-distance skiing is definitely my focus. Then it would have been really cool with a 50km World Championships. It is a distance that would suit me. But I’m such a person that I don’t think too far into the future. This season is over, although there may be some smaller races later this spring. But then the focus is on the next season. I haven’t thought any further than that.”

What is your strongest memory from the season?

“I would say the weekend in Bad Gastein. It went well for me, and it was so much fun that we won with the team. I remember that weekend well.”

The Yellow bib wasn’t your only bib this season. How about the Climb bib?

“It is something that I place a lot of prestige in. I have always wanted to win it. To succeed in bringing it home shows strength. I am proud and happy that I managed to bring it home,” says Ida Dahl.

The Season XIV of Ski Classics Pro Tour consisted of 14 events on 10 event weekends in 6 different countries. 

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, 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, Bedřichov, Czech Republic, 50km
• Event 9: February 18, 2023 – Grönklitt Criterium, Orsa Grönklitt, Sweden, 50km
• Event 10: February 19, 2023 – Grönklitt ITT, Orsa Grönklitt, Sweden, 12km
• 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.