The race in Orsa Grönklitt, Sweden, saw Emil Persson, Lager 157 Ski Team, and Ida Dahl, Team Engcon, winning the ninth event of Ski Classics Season XIV.

Grönklitt Criterium – Women’s Race

In the women’s race, which started at 8:00 CET, the speed was high from the gun, with Ida Dahl, Team Engcon, taking control of the race and setting a furious pace, splitting the leading group already in the first kilometers. 

The real action started before the Sprint checkpoint when a leading group was formed by Ida Dahl, Team Engcon, Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, Magni Smedås, Team Eksjöhus, Karolina Hedenström, Lager 157 Ski Team, and Tove Ericsson, Team Engcon, with seven chasers trying to close the gap about 20 seconds behind.  

In the only Sprint point of the day, 8.4km into the race, Ida Dahl showed her strength and crossed the line first, followed by Emilie Fleten and Magni Smedås.

After the Sprint, Dahl kept the pace high and got a break, with only Fleten following. Meanwhile, Smedås looked like having stomach problems and left the front group, trying to keep up with the chasing group.  

With about 33km to go, Dahl and Fleten had a gap of 45 seconds over Hedenström and Ericsson and another 43 seconds over the next group of chasers, including Smedås.  

Over the kilometers, the gaps were increasing, and about mid-race, the first chasers were 1:06 behind, with the second chasing group another 1:22 back. With 20km to go, gaps were 1:21 and 1:30, respectively.

At the Climb checkpoint of the day, 41.7km into the race, Ida Dahl and Emilie Fleten increased the gap over the chasers, showing their strength and crossing the Climb first and second, 2:01.0 ahead of Karolina Hedenström in third position. 

Right after the Climb and the feeding zone, with 7km to go, Dahl was still looking strong and got a gap over Fleten, who also felt some stomach issues. The gap grew to 19 seconds with 5km to go and 28 seconds with 3km to the finish line. 

In the end, Ida Dahl, Team Engcon, showed her winning form in another Pro Tour event and crossed the finish line in first place in a solo victory. 

Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, finished second, 40.9 seconds back, and Tove Ericsson, Team Engcon, completed the podium in third place at her Ski Classics Pro Tour debut, 2:51.4 behind the winner. 

Grönklitt Criterium – Top 3 Women

1. Ida Dahl, Team Engcon, 2:09:56.8
2. Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, +40.9
3. Tove Ericsson, Team Engcon, +2:51.4

Results can be found HERE.

Grönklitt Criterium – Men’s Race

The men’s race started at 10:30 CET, and it all started with a controlled pace from a big group and no real moves before the Sprint checkpoint, with all the favorites in the front group.

Well placed for the Sprint checkpoint of the day, 8.4km into the race, Alfred Buskqvist, Team Ramudden, crossed the line first, followed by Vebjørn Moen, Team Aker Dæhlie, and Paul Combey, Team Nordic Expérience.

Right after the Sprint, a small break was formed but soon brought back by the leading group. Over the kilometers, the pace was high, and with 32km to go, the main group was already only about 30 strong Pro Tour athletes. 

With 30km to go, another break attempt now succeeded in getting some seconds over the field. By 27km into the race, in a clear tactical move by Lager 157 Ski Team, Nils Dahlsten was 12 seconds ahead of his nearest chaser Klas Nilsson, Team XPND Fuel, and 22 seconds over the chasing group. 

Dahlsten’s gap increased over the kilometers, and with 20km to go, the main group was almost 1 minute behind. A couple of kilometers later, the gap decreased and reached 52 seconds over the chasers.    

Heading to the Climb point, a large group was still in the chase, working to bring the break back. With 15km to go, the gap was already only 28 seconds, and the gap was closed four kilometers later. 

At the only Climb point of today’s race, 41.7km into the race, Emil Persson, Lager 157 Ski Team, showed his strength and crossed the line first, followed by Max Novak, Team Aker Dæhlie, and Tord Asle Gjerdalen, Team XPND Fuel.

After the Climb, and with about 7km to go, a small but powerful skiers’ group was formed, setting a fast pace toward the finish line. 

Under 5km to go, Magnus Vesterheim, Team Kaffebryggeriet, and Max Novak, Team Aker Dæhlie, were on the offensive but couldn’t get a break, leaving the race open for a thrilling final sprint. 

In the end, the fight for positioning was tight. With 300m to go, Emil Persson, Lager 157 Ski Team, hit the front, pushed hard, and won the race, followed by Max Novak, Team Aker Dæhlie, in second place, and Stian Hoelgaard, also from Team Aker Dæhlie, completing the podium in the third position.

Grönklitt Criterium – Top 3 Men

1. Emil Persson, Lager 157 Ski Team, 1:55:14.9
2. Max Novak, Team Aker Dæhlie, +0.4
3. Stian Hoelgaard, Team Aker Dæhlie, +1.2

Grönklitt Criterium results can be found HERE.

SKI CLASSICS COMPETITIONS – CURRENT STANDINGS

After the Grönklitt Criterium, Magni Smedås, Team Eksjöhus, and Emil Persson, Lager 157 Ski Team, lead the Champion bib competition. Ida Dahl, Team Engcon, is now carrying the Green bib of the Sprint competition, together with Alfred Buskqvist, Team Ramudden.

Ida Dahl, Team Engcon, and Emil Persson, Lager 157 Ski Team, carry the bib for the Climb competition. The Pink bib for the best Youth is resting on the shoulders of Karolina Hedenström, Lager 157 Ski Team, and Amund Riege, Team Ramudden. 

Grönklitt Criterium program, start lists, results, and live timing can be found here.

Next up is Grönklitt ITT tomorrow, Sunday, February 19. The event marks the tenth event of Ski Classics Season XIV.

The Season XIV of Ski Classics Pro Tour consists 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.

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