Last year, he caught the entire elite athletes off guard in the long-distance race at Toppidrettsveka. This year, Amund Riege is back on the start line to defend his victory, where Pro Team athletes meet World Cup skiers on the same stage.

Last year, the Team Ramudden talent was an outsider to win the 54-kilometer classic race on Hitra, which was the first competition at Toppidrettsveka. This year, the 23-year-old must bear the favorite’s burden.

Also Read: Toppidrettsveka starts today – Who will win the long-distance race?

However, defending champion Amund Riege believes there are others who are bigger favorites than he is when the men’s class starts at 18:35 CET on Wednesday evening. He points to the Brit who shattered the course record and won the Blink Classics by a clear margin two weeks ago.

“Even though I might not be completely under the radar, I think most people will be paying a bit more attention to Andrew Musgrave after what he showed at Blink. It also seems like several national team skiers will be racing, and there are always many to watch out for there. But if it’s a large group heading towards the finish line, there are probably several who can fight for the win,” Riege told Langrenn.com.

For him, a mass sprint is preferable. Last year, the long-distance race on Hitra ended in a massive sprint finish, where Riege narrowly took the victory ahead of Frenchman Thomas Joly. Only one-tenth of a second separated the two, who are now teammates in Team Ramudden.

The Frenchman finished third at Blink Classics this year, while Riege finished in 14^th place.

Also Read: Øyre Slind and Riege winners on the first day of Toppidrettsveka 2023

The story continues below.

Clear favorite in the women’s field

In the women’s field, last year’s winner, Astrid Øyre Slind, is the clear favorite to win the long-distance race on Hitra.

The 36-year-old from Team Aker Dæhlie won both the double-poling class in Lysebotn Opp and the Blink Classics two weeks ago. In the Blink Classics, Øyre Slind had nearly a one-minute margin to national team veteran Heidi Weng, and down to the overall winner of last winter’s Ski Classics, Emilie Fleten from Team Ramudden, in third place, it was almost a minute and a half.

Also Read: Øyre Slind wins Blink Classics 2024

A lot of prestige

For Riege and the other elite skiers from both long-distance and traditional cross-country skiing, Toppidrettsveka is one of the major highlights of the offseason. Not least, the race weekend in Trøndelag and Aure is one of the few arenas where the world’s best from both disciplines meet at the same start line.

“Toppidrettsveka and the other roller-skiing races in August are a great part of the training towards winter. There’s also a bit of extra prestige in having the long-distance skiers face the all-arounders,” says Riege.

New course

This year, the course for the long-distance race on Hitra has been slightly altered and is now 56 kilometers instead of 54 kilometers. The start will take place at Knarren Brygge, while the finish line remains at Fillan. But Riege does not believe the course change will have any major impact on the race development or the outcome.

“I think it will be relatively similar to previous years, with quite high speed all the way,” he says.

The strongest starting field ever

The organizers expect the most star-studded starting field ever for the prestigious competition weekend, which this year, incidentally, celebrates its 20th anniversary.

Toppidrettsveka is not just a chance to test the World Championship courses with a race number. It is the last opportunity to compete against the World Cup elite in the World Championship venue before the actual championship in just over six months.

Last year, it was Tiril Udnes Weng and Johannes Høsflot Klæbo who won Toppidrettsveka. Klæbo is only signed up for three of the four races this year.

Start List – Toppidrettsveka – Hitra – 56km mass start classic technique 

Toppidrettsveka 56km C – Start List Women
Toppidrettsveka 56km C – Start List Men

FACTS: Toppidrettsveka 2024

• Who: Senior athletes – women and men
• What: International roller ski competition over four days. Toppidrettsveka is being held for the 20th time this year
• Where: Hitra (Trøndelag), Aure (Møre og Romsdal), and Granåsen (Trondheim)
• When: August 14-17, 2024
• Reigning Champions: Tiril Udnes Weng and Johannes Høsflot Klæbo
• TV: All competitions will be broadcast on NRK
• Website: Toppidrettsveka 2024

Competition Program for Toppidrettsveka 2024

Wednesday, August 14, Hitra:
Long-distance race 56km from Knarren Brygge to Fillan, mass start, classic technique

• 18:10 CET: Women’s start at Knarren Brygge
• 18:35 CET: Men’s start at Knarren Brygge
• 20:40-20:50 CET: Finish for women and men at Fillan
• 20:50 CET: Award ceremony

Thursday, August 15, Aure:
Sprint, 1.4km classic technique

• 17:05 CET: Women’s prologue
• 17:40 CET: Men’s prologue
• 19:20 CET: Quarterfinals
• 20:10 CET: Semifinals
• 20:35 CET: Women’s final
• 20:45 CET: Men’s final
• 20:50 CET: Award ceremony

Friday, August 16, Granåsen:
20km mass start, classic

• 19:20 CET: Start 20km women
• 20:05 CET: Finish women
• 20:10 CET: Start 20km men
• 20:50 CET: Finish men
• 21:00 CET: Award ceremony

Saturday, August 17, Granåsen:
Finale 12km pursuit, free technique

• 15:20: Start 12km women
• 15:50: Finish women
• 16:00: Start 12km men
• 16:25: Finish men
• 16:35: Award ceremony

All competitions will be broadcast on NRK.

Also Read: Klæbo misses another competition

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