The Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XV starts this weekend. The winter season kicks off in Bad Gastein, Austria, in a weekend with two events: Bad Gastein PTT on Saturday, December 9, and Bad Gastein Criterium on Sunday, December 10. 

On Saturday, December 9, Ski Classics Season XV will burst into action with the Bad Gastein PTT – Pro Team Tempo, covering a distance of 15km. This event serves as a platform for Pro Teams and their athletes to showcase their brand-new race suits, unveil sponsors, and introduce fresh recruits to the World of long-distance skiing.

Bad Gastein PTT – Pro Team Tempo

The Pro Team Tempo is organized as an interval start competition with block starts. One Pro Team is starting at a time in reversed order according to the Pro Team ranking of the previous season, with the top 5 ranked teams spread out in the starting field.

Bad Gastein PTT – Pro Team Tempo – Ski Classics Pro Tour – Event 1

• Date: Saturday, 09.12.2023 
• Place: Sportgastein, Austria
• Distance: 15km Classic
• Start Time: 9:30 CET (women & men)
• SC Play: Bad Gastein PTT
• Live Center: Bad Gastein PTT

More information about Bad Gastein PTT can be found HERE and HERE.

Bad Gastein Criterium 

Continuing the action-packed weekend, on Sunday, December 10, Season XV continues with the second event: the Bad Gastein Criterium. This long-distance race spans 35km, offering participants breathtaking views of the enchanting surroundings of the Tauern Alps. The Bad Gastein Criterium, characterized by a mass start event, comprises several laps on a challenging course, pushing skiers to their limits.

Bad Gastein Criterium – Ski Classics Pro Tour – Event 2

• Date: Sunday, December 10, 2023
• Place: Sportgastein, Austria
• Distance: 35km Classic
• Start Time: 9:15 CET (women) and 11:15 CET (men)
• SC Play: Bad Gastein Criterium
• Live Center: Bad Gastein Criterium

More information about Bad Gastein Criterium can be found HERE and HERE.

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Raiffeisen Gastein Classics – Ski Classics Challengers

The Ski Classics premiere weekend also offers the Raiffeisen Gastein Classics, a 30-kilometer long-distance skiing race in classic technique, part of the Ski Classics Challengers series.

Raiffeisen Gastein Classics will take place in Sportgastein on Saturday afternoon, and it’s open for professional and recreational skiers as well. 

Raiffeisen Gastein Classics

• Date: Saturday, December 9, 2023
• Place: Sportgastein, Austria
• Distance: 30km Classic 
• Start Time: 13:00 CET (women & men)
• Live Center: Raiffeisen Gastein Classics

More information about the Raiffeisen Gastein Classics can be found HERE and HERE.

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Bad Gastein

Bad Gastein embodies a captivating blend of contrasts and extremes, where tradition meets modernity, untouched natural beauty converges with urban dynamism, and art and culture flourish. One striking feature is the village center’s magnificent Belle Époque-style buildings, complemented by a waterfall. This unique combination has earned Bad Gastein the title of “Monte Carlo of the Alps.”

However, this southernmost town in the Gastein Valley offers much more than meets the eye. With majestic peaks soaring above 3000 meters and its proximity to the Hohe Tauern National Park, it emerges as a veritable paradise for nature enthusiasts and sports fans.

Situated at an altitude of 1600 meters, Sportgastein stands out as a winter wonderland with guaranteed snow from mid-November until the end of April, thanks to its strategic location. Here, long-distance and traditional cross-country skiers can revel in a network of perfectly groomed tracks, both for classic and skating techniques, and can appreciate the winter landscape, encompassed by the magnificent Hohe Tauern National Park. 

Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XV  

Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XV (2023/2024)

• Event 1: December 9, 2023 – Bad Gastein PTT, Austria, 15km
• Event 2: December 10, 2023 – Bad Gastein Criterium, Austria, 35km
• Event 3: December 16, 2023 – La Venosta Criterium, Italy, 35km 
• Event 4: December 17, 2023 – La Venosta ITT, Italy, 10km
• Event 5: January 13, 2024 – 3 Zinnen Ski Marathon, Italy, 62km
• Event 6: January 20, 2024 – Engadin La Diagonela, Switzerland, 56km
• Event 7: January 28, 2024 – Marcialonga, Italy, 70km
• Event 8: February 11, 2024 – Jizerská50, Czech Republic, 50km
• Event 9: February 17, 2024 – Grönklitt Classic, Sweden, 50km
• Event 10: February 18, 2024 – Grönklitt ITT, Sweden, 12km
• Event 11: March 3, 2024 – Vasaloppet, Sweden, 90km
• Event 12: March 16, 2024 – Birkebeinerrennet, Norway, 54km
• Event 13: April 6, 2024 – Reistadløpet, Norway, 50km
• Event 14: April 7, 2024 – Summit 2 Senja, Norway, 60km
• Event 15: April 13, 2024 – Ski Classics Grand Finale – Janteloppet, Norway, 100km

Register HERE as a Member