Visma Ski Classics continues with Reistadløpet on Saturday, April 2. The 50km classic race marks Season XII’s 13th Pro Tour event and one of the most demanding courses in the circuit.

The 50km long Reistadløpet is the northernmost race in Visma Ski Classics, and it has one of the most challenging courses in the Pro Tour. Many skiers claim that the race is the most demanding one.

Reistadløpet starts in Setermoen, which is in the municipality of Bardu in Norway, and goes through arctic landscapes and mountain tops before reaching the finish line in Bardufoss in the municipality of Målselv.

So far, no one has won the race by only double-poling, as most skiers use diagonal striding. The course has two challenging climbs up to the mountains, but the scenery is undoubtedly breathtaking.

A LONG HISTORY

The race has a long history going all the way back to 1958. The event commemorates a local ski legend Colonel Ole Reistad, a Norwegian champion in the pentathlon in 1922 and the ski patrol leader that won Olympic gold in St. Moritz in 1928.

Setermoen has one of the oldest army camps in Norway, and military education was established there in 1898 because of its strategic location amid the mountains. The Norwegian Armed Forces have shaped the community through its presence in many ways, and there are 1.000 soldiers and 500 officers stationed there, making it the largest garrison in Norway.

HIGHLY ACCESSIBLE AND YET SO FAR AWAY

Bardufoss has a civilian and military airport, and it is located about 82km north of the town Narvik and about 70km south of the city of Tromsø, the largest city in Northern Norway. 

Both Setermoen and Bardufoss are very small, but they have their appeal and quirks, and the majestic nature around these places certainly takes your breath away.

If you have some extra time on your hands, a day in Tromsø is highly recommended. The city center contains the highest number of old wooden houses in Northern Norway, and the oldest one dates back to 1789.

You can enjoy the city’s vast offering of places to eat and comfortable cafés with tasty pastries. In Tromsø, you can relax and let time standstill. 

TOP 3 SEASON IX (2019)

WOMEN

1. Astrid Øyre Slind, 2:19.06.0
2. Masako Ishida, 2:19:17.9
3. Anna Svendsen, 2:20:48.4

MEN

1. Mikael Gunnulfsen, 2:00:59.3
2. Johan Hoel, 2:01:00.5
3. Erik Valnes, 2:01:01.4

REISTADLØPET 

• Date: Saturday, April 2
• Place: Setermoen-Bardufoss, Norway
• Distance: 50km Classic Technique
• Start Times: 10:00 CET Women / 10:30 CET Men

Next up in the Visma Ski Classics is Reistadløpet. The 50-kilometer classic race takes place in Norway on April 2, 2022.

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