Jizerská50’s eighth stage in the Visma Ski Classics and the second Grand Classics event Season XII took place today in the Czech Republic.

In the women’s race, which started at 7:50 CET, the speed was high right out from the start, and soon eight athletes formed the first group, including all the favorites, with Anniken Gjerde Alnes, Team Ragde Charge, in front setting the pace after 5km into the race.

At the first Climb point in Na Kneipě, with 11.1km into the race, Lina Korsgren, Team Ramudden, crossed first, followed by her teammate Ida Dahl, and Britta Johansson Norgren, Lager 157 Ski Team.

With 23.4km at Jizerka, the battle for the Sprint points saw Anniken Gjerde Alnes, Team Ragde Charge, crossing first, with Astrid Øyre Slind, Team Koteng Eidissen, in second and Britta Johansson Norgren, Lager 157 Ski Team, in third.

After the Sprint, a group of five Pro Tour skiers was formed, with Øyre Slind, Dahl, Korsgren, Murud and Johansson Norgren in the front, leading the group.

Before the second Climb checkpoint, with 20km to go, Dahl attacked the small leading group, and only Johansson Norgren could follow.

A kilometer later, Ida Dahl made a decisive attack and dropped Johansson Norgren. 

At Smutná Louka, the second Climb point of today’s race, Ida Dahl crossed in the first position, Øyre Slind in second, and Johansson Norgren in third, with the gap behind the leader growing to 21 seconds.

From there, the women’s race was about Ida Dahl in the lead and the small chasing group behind.

In the end, Ida Dahl, Team Ramudden, cruised to the finish line, winning this year’s Jizerská50 in a superior style, 1:18.3 ahead of Britta Johansson Norgren, Lager 157 Ski Team. Thea Krokan Murud, Lager 157 Ski Team was third, 1:36.9 behind.

In the men’s race, which started at 8:00 CET, the action started early with Ermil Vokuev, Russian Winter Team, in the front setting a high pace and stretching the field.

At Na Kneipě, the first Climb checkpoint at the 11.1km mark, we saw Ermil Vokuev, Russian Winter Team, crossing first, ahead of Andreas Nygaard, Team Ragde Charge, in second, and Johannes Eklöf, Team Ramudden, in the third position. 

Max Novak, Team Ramudden, one of the favorites for Jizerská50, was struggling at the Climb checkpoint and crossed 43 seconds back. With 33km to go, he was already more than one minute behind.

With 23.4km into the race, at the Jizerka Sprint checkpoint, Torgeir Sulen Hovland, crossed first with Andreas Nygaard, Team Ragde Charge, in second, and Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget, Team Eksjöhus, in third.

Things started to happen towards the second Climb when, Vokuev, Nygaard, and Nyenget attacked and got a gap, forcing the main group to chase, with only Eklöf and Grebenko able to follow.

Vokuev was first at the Climb point Smutná Louka after 32.4km, followed by Eklöf and Nygaard. The group of five looked strong, with Vokuev always in front when going down the long hill towards the finish.

With about 9km to go, an active Eklöf tried his chances and attacked the leading group. A couple of kilometers later, Eklöf increased the pace again, and Grebenko could not follow, reducing the group to 4 Pro Tour skiers (Eklöf, Vokuev, Nyenget, and Nygaard).

At the last kilometer before the finish, Ermil Vokuev, Russian Winter Team, led the group, but Andreas Nygaard, Team Ragde Charge, with super-fast skis, got at the last downhill turns a small gap and never looked back, winning Jizerská50 in grand style. 

Second place was Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget, Team Eksjöhus, 1.0 seconds back. Johannes Eklöf, Team Ramudden, completed the podium in the third position, 1.2 seconds behind.

Jizerská50’s results can be found here 

Next up in the Visma Ski Classics is Tartu Maraton. The 63-kilometer classic long-distance race takes place in Otepää, Estonia, on February 20, 2022.

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