Kati Roivas, Team Næringsbanken Stora Enso, and Noora Kivikko, Team Edux, finished sixth and tenth, respectively, in the first Grand Classics Season XIV, the 70km-long Marcialonga in Italy.

On the course from Moena to Cavalese, the athletes double-poled on village streets and through narrow tunnels. The Marcialonga battle culminated in a brutal two-kilometer final climb; from which the steepest part, most people had to fight their way up on a herringbone technique. 

Team Naeringsbanken Stora Enso’s Roivas finished four minutes behind Norway’s Magni Smedås, Team Eksjöhus, who took the win.

Roivas has placed 8th, 9th, 6th, 6th, 4th, and 6th in this winter’s Ski Classics competitions.

“I did not feel as sharp this weekend as in Engadina La Diagonela (4th). Now it is good to take some time to recover and get in some training, as the next race is two weeks away. The podium is still quite far away, but the results this season have been good,” Roivas sums up.

Team Edux’ Kivikko finished in the top ten for the first time in the Ski Classics Pro tour.

“I am really happy. My shape and skis were good, and the service team did a great job. The race course was great, and many people were cheering along the way,” Kivikko says.

Kivikko’s placement could have been even better.

“I fell at around 30 kilometers when I tried to dodge a skier that had fallen in front of me. One of my skis came off and slid. Luckily one of the race officials found it quickly, but skiers in the seventh and eighth place got away,” Kivikko says.

Kivikko’s placings in this winter’s Ski Classics have been 28th at Bad Gastein Criterium, 21st at Pustertaler Ski Marathon, 18th at Engadin La Diagonela, and now 10th at Marcialonga.

Noora’s father, Heikki Kivikko, won the 50 km at Finnish Nationals and represented Finland in the Olympic Games back in the day.

“My father’s best finish in Marcialonga is 13th, so now I have the best result in my family.”

Team Mäenpää’s Viktor Mäenpää was the best Finn in the men’s race, finishing 38th. He was in the lead group with only five kilometers to go but was finally beaten by two minutes by the day’s winner Emil Persson, Lager 157 Ski Team. Olympic Champions Petter Northug, Team Northug Crucible, and Anders Aukland, Team Ragde Charge, finished just ahead of Mäenpää.

“My skiing felt strong up to 65 kilometers, and the skis were very good, but I could not keep up in the last five kilometers, and others were stronger,” Mäenpää admits.

The upcoming Ski Classics Pro Tour event is Jizerská50, a 50km classic technique event in the Czech Republic on February 12.

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, 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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