The victory in Orsa in Sweden was the fourth consecutive victory for the Swedish long-distance team in the season opener time trial event. 

The Orsa Grönklitt Pro Team Tempo marked the opening of the 12th Visma Ski Classics season, offering emotions and strong performances by the 35 Pro teams present at the event.

New season, new race format
The 9-kilometer Pro Team Tempo featured a new format compared to the prior versions of the time trial. This year, the event was run as an interval start competition with block starts. The Pro Teams started one by one in reversed order according to the Pro Team ranking of last season. 

There was a four-minute gap between each Pro Team block, with the female athletes starting 30 seconds after the male athletes. The combined finishing time for the second-ranked male and the second-ranked female of the Pro Team counted for the overall classification. Accordingly, it was crucial for the athletes to work together and help each other in order to achieve the best overall time. 

Won by more than half a minute
Lager 157 Ski Team was in a class of its own, winning by a solid margin of more than half a minute. 

Behind the Swedish-owned winning team, there was a fierce battle for second and third place. Team Ragde Charge narrowly beat Team Ramudden, less than two seconds separated the two teams. 

In the men’s field, with the best time, Karstein Johaug and Johan Hoel, from Team Ragde Charge, were the fastest with a time of 19:09.3. 

Lager 157 Ski Team, with Pro athletes Emil Persson and Runar Skaug Mathisen, were second with a finishing time of 19:19.0. 

Team Ramudden, with Max Novak and Johannes Eklöf, were third. They clocked in 13 seconds behind the leaders.

In the women’s side, Britta Johansson Norgren and Thea Krokan Murud of Lager 157 crushed the competition. They finished in 21:21.0, good 35 seconds ahead of Lina Korsgren and Ida Dahl of Team Ramudden. 

Former Olympian and most-winning female winter athlete of all time Marit Bjørgen and her teammate Anniken Gjerde Alnæs finished third. They were 46.9 seconds behind the leaders, crossing the line in 22:07.9.

Overall, Lager 157 Ski Team won the opening time trial with a combined time of 40:40.9. 

Team Ragde Charge, finishing in 41:17.12, snagged second place, a scant two seconds ahead of Team Ramudden in third place, 

Top 3, Orsa Grönklitt Pro Team Tempo:
1. Lager 157 Ski Team, 40:40.9
(Emil Persson, Marcus Johansson, Runar Skaug Mathisen, Eddie Edström, Britta Johansson Norgren and Thea Krokan Murud)
2. Team Ragde Charge, 41:17.2 
(Oskar Kardin, Andreas Nygaard, Joar Thele, Anders Aukland, Karstein Johaug, Johan Hoel, Kasper Stadaas, Anikken Gjerde Alnes and Marit Bjørgen)
3. Team Ramudden, 41:19.1
(Max Novak, Johannes Eklöf, Herman Paus, Lina Korsgren, Ida Dahl and Ida Palmberg)

Complete results Pro Team Tempo

The Visma Ski Classics season opening weekend continues tomorrow with the Orsa Grönklitt Individual Prologue 33km. The event features a traditional mass start race format. The women’s race starts at 9:10 am, followed by the men’s race at 11:05 am. All times are CET.

All about the favorites and outsiders for the Visma Ski Classics season opener in Orsa