A solid name for the overall Champion competition at the upcoming Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XV, Magni Smedås, Team Eksjöhus, will miss the premiere this weekend.

The Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XV starts this weekend in Austria. The winter season kicks off in Bad Gastein on December 9 and 10, featuring two events: Bad Gastein Pro Team Tempo and Bad Gastein Criterium. Magni Smedås, Team Eksjöhus, is now forced to skip the season premiere and the La Venosta weekend due to a back injury.

“Ski Classics will be happening this weekend in Austria. I would really look forward to it, but unfortunately, it will be without me at the beginning. An overload injury in my back forces me to train alternatively for a short period of time to come, so it is better to hit the brake now than risk my health and the entire season. I’m back on the road in 2024 and I can’t wait for it,” says Magni Smedås, Team Eksjöhus, in a post on her Instagram.

After a challenging dryland season, and now with the injury, Smedås is looking forward to her comeback:

“It’s not super serious, but I want to stop this before it gets serious. If I don’t take it seriously now, it could affect me for the rest of the season, and I don’t want that. I have therefore decided in consultation with the team management in Team Eksjöhus that I will take it easy before Christmas and do a period of alternative training so that the bulging disc can go back and the back pain disappears,” says Smedås to SVT and adds:

“Of course, it’s hard not to be able to start straight away because I’ve been training much more and better than ever, so the form was fantastically good. I had been looking forward to the season premiere with the team because we are a strong team, but health must come first. The injury time will certainly not make me a worse skier; I have faith that the alternative training will instead lift me in other areas.”

Also Read – Battling challenges: Magni Smedås’ journey to skiing success

Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XV

The Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XV starts next Saturday. The winter season kicks off in Bad Gastein, Austria, on December 9 and 10, 2023. The season opener features a weekend with two events: Bad Gastein PTT – Pro Team Tempo and Bad Gastein Criterium.

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, 55km
• 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

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