In cloudy and light rainy conditions, the men and women started together in Berga By – Sälen at 8:00 CET. The action started early, and there was a thrilling race among the men and women, with Torleif Syrstad, Lager 157 Ski Team, and Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, winning the 100th edition of Vasaloppet, the eleventh stage of Ski Classics and a Grand Classics event, Season XV.

VASALOPPET – MEN’S RACE

In the men’s race, the speed was high from the beginning, with Thomas Ødegaarden, Team Eksjöhus, taking the reins and stretching the field on the first climb, followed by Alvar Myhlback, Lager 157 Ski Team, and Thomas Bing, eD system Silvini Team.

Thomas Ødegaarden, Team Eksjöhus, crossed first at the First Hill Climb checkpoint, 2.9km into the race, followed by Thomas Bing, eD system Silvini Team, and Johan Hoel, Team Ragde Charge.

Right after the climb, a small group of four skiers got a break, with Thorleif Syrstad, Alvar Myhlback, Johan Hoel, and Thomas Ødegaarden skiing fast at the front.

At the first Sprint checkpoint of the day at Smågan, 10.7km into the race, Torleif Syrstad, Lager 157 Ski Team, took maximum points, followed by Johan Hoel, Team Ragde Charge, and Alvar Myhlback, Lager 157 Ski Team. The next group of skiers, with all the favorites, crossed almost one minute behind.

At the Mångsbodarna checkpoint, 24.3km into the race, Syrstad crossed first, followed by Hoel, Myhlback, and Ødegaarden. The main chasing group crossed 2:12.3 back and was down to 34 strong skiers. 

At the Risberg checkpoint, 34.4km into the race, the leading group was already 1:41.1 ahead of Johan Tjelle, Team Engcon, the first chaser, with the main group already 2:59.3 behind the leaders. 

At the second Ski Classics Sprint point of the day at Evertsberg, within 48km into the race, Torleif Syrstad, Lager 157 Ski Team, crossed first, followed by Johan Hoel, Team Ragde Charge, and Thomas Ødegaarden, Team Eksjöhus.

With 30km to go, the main chasing group, with 24 skiers, was struggling to increase the pace and bring the breakaway back. The gap between the groups was already at the 4:46 mark. At the Oxberg checkpoint, 62km into the race, Tjelle, the lonely chaser, was 4:04.4 back, with the chasing group of now 18 skiers, was 4:35.0 behind the four leaders.

With about 20km to go, Torleif Syrstad attacked and got a considerable gap. When the group reached Hökberg, 71.1km into the race, the gap was already 25.9 seconds over the three chasers and 4:24.6 over the main chasing group.

At Eldris, with 9km to go, Syrstad looked strong, and the lead was 2:23.1 over Ødegaarden, Hoel, and Myhlback, with the main chasing group 4:42.3 behind. 

In the end, Torleif Syrstad, Lager 157 Ski Team, paced himself perfectly to win this year’s 100th edition of Vasaloppet in superior performance, in a total time of 3:52:43.7, and his first-ever Ski Classics Pro Tour victory.

Second place, after a tight fight for the remaining podium places, went to Johan Hoel, Team Ragde Charge, 3:55.4 back. A remarkable performance from Alvar Myhlback, Lager 157 Ski Team, granted him the third position on the podium, 3.58.3 behind the winner.

Vasaloppet – Top 5 Men

1. Torleif Syrstad, Lager 157 Ski Team, 3:52:43.7
2. Johan Hoel, Team Ragde Charge, +3:55.4
3. Alvar Myhlback, Lager 157 Ski Team, +3:58.3
4. Thomas Ødegaarden, Team Eksjöhus, +4:10.9
5. Emil Persson, Lager 157 Ski Team, +4:58.7

Vasaloppet results can be found HERE 

VASALOPPET – WOMEN’S RACE

In the women’s race, which also started at 8:00 CET, together with the men, the speed was high right out from the start, with the women trying to hold on to the men’s peloton. 

When the women reached the First Climb checkpoint, Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, and Magni Smedås, Team Eksjöhus, crossed the climb first and second, with already a good lead over the women chasers. Kati Roivas, Team Eksjöhus, and Ida Dahl, Team Engcon, some of the favorites for the day, crossed 53.0 and 57.6 seconds behind, third and fourth places, after just 2.9km into the race.

The leading duo was soon dissolved, and Fleten worked well with the men in front and got a gap over Smedås. At the Smågan Sprint at the 10.7km mark, Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, crossed first, followed by Magni Smedås, Team Eksjöhus, 21.0 seconds behind, and Ida Dahl, Team Engcon, 1:24.7 back, with Kati Roivas, Team Eksjöhus, crossing in the fourth position, 1:46.1 behind.

At the Mångsbodarna checkpoint, 24.3km into the race, Fleten crossed first, with Smedås 1:19.2 behind and the next skier, Dahl, 2:28.2 back. About ten kilometers later, at the Risberg checkpoint, Fleten was already 2:55.4 ahead of Smedås and 3:11.0 over Roivas. 

At the second Sprint point of the day at Evertsberg, within 48km into the race, Emilie Fleten crossed first. With a gap of 3:51.7, Magni Smedås was second, with Kati Roivas following 3:52.2 behind the leader. Ida Dahl was already 6:32.8 back.

When the leading Pro Team athlete reached Oxberg, Fleten had a lead of 4:05.1 over Roivas and Smedås. From there, the women’s race was about Emilie Fleten in the lead and the chasers behind fighting for the remaining podium places.

At Hökberg, Emilie was still in the lead but started to feel sick from the stomach. The gap was still solid, and the lead was 3:59.5 over Roivas and Smedås and more than 11 minutes over Ida. 

In the end, Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, won Vasaloppet with a solid performance in a total time of 4:23:06.7, and her second Vasaloppet win in a row.

Second place went to Magni Smedås, Team Eksjöhus, 2:52.7 back. Kati Roivas, also from Team Eksjöhus, completed the podium in the third position, 3:24.9 behind the winner.

Vasaloppet – Top 5 Women

1. Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, 4:23:06.7
2. Magni Smedås, Team Eksjöhus 
3. Kati Roivas, Team Eksjöhus, +3:24.9
4. Karolina Hedenström, Lager 157 Ski Team, +15:57.2
5. Ida Dahl, Team Engcon, +16:20.8

Vasaloppet results can be found HERE 

SKI CLASSICS COMPETITIONS – CURRENT STANDINGS

After Vasaloppet, Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, and Kasper Stadaas, Team Ragde Charge, lead the Champion Bib Competition. Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, and Amund Hoel, Team Engcon, are carrying the Green bib of the Sprint Competition.  

Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, and Thomas Bing, eD system Silvini Team, carry the bib for the Climb Competition. The Pink Bib for the best Youth rests on Karolina Hedenström, Lager 157 Ski Team, and Axel Jutterström, Team Eksjöhus.

Team Eksjöhus is the best-ranked Pro Team after Vasaloppet Season XV.

Next up is Birkebeinerrennet on March 16. The event marks the twelfth Ski Classics stage and another Grand Classics event, Season XV.

The Season XV of Ski Classics Pro Tour consists of 15 events on 11 event weekends in 6 different countries. 

SKI CLASSICS PRO TOUR SEASON XV (2023/2024)

• Event 1: December 9, 2023 – Bad Gastein PTT, Austria, 13km
• Event 2: December 10, 2023 – Bad Gastein Criterium, Austria, 36km
• Event 3: December 16, 2023 – La Venosta Criterium, Italy, 37km 
• 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, 60km
• Event 10: February 18, 2024 – Grönklitt ITT, Sweden, 13km
• 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

More information about the Ski Classics Pro Tour can be found at skiclassics.com

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