The Pink Youth bib is given to the best female and male athletes aged 26 or below. The athletes’ age is determined by the year when the Ski Classics final of the season takes place. Points in the Champion competition are used. The athlete’s single best result from a Ski Classics Challengers event is included.  

Last Sunday, Marcialonga saw the Pink bibs in the Youth Competition resting on the shoulders of Amund Riege, Team Ramudden, and Karolina Hedenström, Lager 157 Ski Team. Now, who are the favorites for the Youth overall competition Season XIV? 

Youth Favorites Women – Ski Classics Season XIV – After Marcialonga

After Marcialonga, Karolina Hedenström, Lager 157 Ski Team, is leading the Youth bib competition with 693 points. Ida Palmberg, Team Ramudden, is in second place with 593 points, followed by Hanna Lodin, Ski Team Göhlins, in third place for the Pink bib with 421 points.

The Youth competition on the women’s side is intense this winter. Karolina Hedenström, Lager 157 Ski Team, Ida Palmberg, Team Ramudden, and Hanna Lodin, Ski Team Göhlins, are the three biggest favorites who are having a fierce battle for the pink jersey. 

Karolina is a solid top-10 skier with results close to the top 5. During Season XIV, she was 9th at Bad Gastein Criterium, 6th place at La Venosta Criterium, 12th at Pustertaler Ski Marathon, 10th at Prato Piazza Mountain Challenge, another 6th place at Engadin La Diagonela and 9th position at Marcialonga. 

Ida’s positions were 16th at Bad Gastein Criterium, 21st at La Venosta Criterium, 8th at Pustertaler Ski Marathon, 15th at Prato Piazza Mountain Challenge, and a double 7th place at both Engadin La Diagonela and Marcialonga. 

Hanna started in five Pro Tour events this season and showed good top-15 performances. She was in 15th place at La Venosta Criterium, 16th at Pustertaler Ski Marathon, 11th at Prato Piazza Mountain Challenge, and 14th at Engadin La Diagonela and Marcialonga. 

These three Pro Tour skiers have had a solid performance throughout the season, and it’s difficult to predict the winner in the Youth competition. The development is high in the competition, and a lot can happen during the second part of the season, but in general, Hedenström and Palmberg will have a slight upper hand here. 

Some names of up-and-coming Pro Tour athletes who can get enough points to be in the top 3 at the Youth bib after the season are also worth mentioning. As outsiders, we can mention Jennifer Lambert, Team Nordic Expérience; Rebecca Bergagnin, Team Robinson Trentino; and Tereza Hujerová, from Team Robinson Trentino. 

Youth Bib Favorites Women – Ski Classics Season XIV

Karolina Hedenström

• Nationality: Sweden
• Date of Birth: 03.11.2000
• Pro Team: Lager 157 Ski Team
• Youth Competition: 693 points
• Likelihood to win: 4 out of 5

Ida Palmberg

• Nationality: Sweden
• Date of Birth: 06.02.1999
• Pro Team: Team Ramudden
• Youth Competition: 593 points
• Likelihood to win: 4 out of 5

Hanna Lodin

• Nationality: Sweden
• Date of Birth: 03.07.1999
• Pro Team: Ski Team Göhlins
• Youth Competition: 421 points
• Likelihood to win: 3 out of 5

Jennifer Lambert

• Nationality: France
• Date of Birth: 11.05.1998
• Pro Team: Team Nordic Expérience
• Youth Competition: 296 points
• Likelihood to win: Dark horse

Rebecca Bergagnin

• Nationality: Italy
• Date of Birth: 27.03.1999
• Pro Team: Team Robinson Trentino
• Youth Competition: 290 points
• Likelihood to win: Dark horse

Tereza Hujerová

• Nationality: Czech Republic
• Date of Birth: 22.05.1998
• Pro Team: Team Robinson Trentino
• Likelihood to win: Dark horse

Top 10 Youth Competition After Marcialonga

Youth Favorites Men – Ski Classics Season XIV – After Marcialonga

For some years, the youth invasion has occurred in Ski Classics. Many young skiers, such as Max Novak, Johannes Eklöf, and Herman Paus, have been on the podium or among the top finishers, even winning some stages. The last season’s Youth winner Max Novak is now too old to compete in this competition. However, the fight in this category is again excellent, and many great names show what they are made of.

The three biggest favorites to win the male Youth competition are Amund Riege and his teammate Herman Paus and Axel Jutterström, Team Eksjöhus. There are some other contenders, and most likely, Petter Stakston, Team Aker Dæhlie, Thomas Ødegaarden, Team XPND Fuel, and Alvar Myhlback, Lager 157 Ski Team, are three names who can seriously shuffle the deck in this competition.

After Marcialonga, Amund Riege, Team Ramudden, leads the Youth bib competition with 733 points. Herman Paus, also from Team Ramudden, is in second place with 715 points, and Axel Jutterström, Team Eksjöhus, with 605 points, is in third place for the Youth bib overall.

Amund is the strongest so far this season with a 9th place at Bad Gastein Criterium, a top 10 at La Venosta Criterium, a 4th at Pustertaler Ski Marathon, a 19th at Prato Piazza Mountain Challenge, a 5th at Engadin La Diagonela, and a 6th place in Marcialonga last weekend. 

Herman has had four top-10 finishes this season so far. He started the winter with a 21st place at Bad Gastein Criterium but improved from there: 8th at La Venosta Criterium, 7th at Pustertaler Ski Marathon, 5th at Prato Piazza Mountain Challenge, 11th at Engadin La Diagonela and 5th at Marcialonga. 

Axel had a slow start to the season but is building up to the final part of the winter. At Bad Gastein Criterium and La Venosta Criterium, he was 18th but improved at Pustertaler Ski Marathon, finishing in 11th place. After that, he had three top 10: 9th at Prato Piazza Mountain Challenge, 7th at Engadin La Diagonela, and 10th at Marcialonga.

As we can see, based on past results, any one of these skiers can be number one in the Youth class. Young skiers tend to develop fast and raise the bar if their training and rest between events have proceeded well. Selecting one name is always challenging, but Amund Riege and Herman Paus are the biggest favorites.

Youth Bib Favorites Men – Ski Classics Season XIV

Amund Riege 

• Nationality: Norway 
• Date of Birth: 21.10.2000
• Pro Team: Team Ramudden
• Youth Competition: 733 points
• Likelihood to win: 4 out of 5

Herman Paus

• Nationality: Norway
• Date of Birth: 21.08.2000
• Pro Team: Team Ramudden
• Youth Competition: 715 points
• Likelihood to win: 4 out of 5

Axel Jutterström

• Nationality: Sweden
• Date of Birth: 14.11.1998
• Pro Team: Team Eksjöhus
• Youth Competition: 605 points
• Likelihood to win: 3 out of 5

Petter Stakston

• Nationality: Norway
• Date of Birth: 11.03.1997
• Pro Team: Team Aker Dæhlie
• Youth Competition: 570 points
• Likelihood to win: 2 out of 5

Alvar Myhlback

• Nationality: Sweden
• Date of Birth: 22.03.2006
• Pro Team: Lager 157 Ski Team
• Youth Competition: 498 points
• Likelihood to win: Dark horse

Thomas Ødegaarden 

• Nationality: Norway
• Date of Birth: 14.12.1998
• Pro Team: Team XPND Fuel
• Youth Competition: 440 points
• Likelihood to win: Dark horse

Top 10 Youth Men After Marcialonga

The upcoming Ski Classics Pro Tour event is Jizerská50, a 50km classic technique event in the Czech Republic on February 12.

Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XIV (2022/2023)

• Event 1: December 10, 2022 – Bad Gastein PTT, Bad Gastein, Austria, 15km
• Event 2: December 11, 2022 – Bad Gastein Criterium, Bad Gastein, Austria, 35km
• Event 3: December 17, 2022 – La Venosta Criterium, Val Venosta, Italy, 36km 
• Event 4: January 14, 2023 – Pustertaler Ski Marathon, Sexten, Italy, 62km
• Event 5: January 15, 2023 – Prato Piazza Mountain Challenge, Niederdorf, Italy, 32km
• Event 6: January 21, 2023 – Engadin La Diagonela, Engadin Valley, Switzerland, 48km 
• Event 7: January 29, 2023 – Marcialonga, Trentino, Italy, 70km
• Event 8: February 12, 2023 – Jizerská50, Bedrichov, Czech Republic, 50km
• Event 9: February 18, 2023 – Grönklitt Criterium, Orsa Grönklitt, Sweden, 50km
• Event 10: February 19, 2023 – Grönklitt ITT, Orsa Grönklitt, Sweden, 15km
• Event 11: March 5, 2023 – Vasaloppet, Sälen-Mora, Sweden, 90km
• Event 12: March 18, 2023 – Birkebeinerrennet, Rena-Lillehammer, Norway, 54km
• Event 13: April 1, 2023 – Reistadløpet, Setermoen-Bardufoss, Norway, 40km
• Event 14: April 2, 2023 – Summit 2 Senja, Bardufoss- Finnsnes, Norway, 67km

More information about the Ski Classics Pro Tour you can find at skiclassics.com.

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