Today’s Bad Gastein Criterium in Sportgastein, Austria, was a mass start race completed in three laps of 6.3km plus two laps of 7km and a challenging course in snowy conditions. The Sprint and Climb competitions started here with several chances to collect valuable points for Season XIV. 

The standard points were applied for the Champion competition at the Bad Gastein Criterium, but for the Sprint and Climb competitions, two checkpoints each, Pro skiers got 50% of the standard points.

After a day full of action and thrilling finales, Ida Dahl, Team Engcon, and Emil Persson, Lager 157 Ski Team, showed a strong performance and won the Bad Gastein Criterium, the second event of Ski Classics Season XIV.

With the victory, Ida Dahl, Team Engcon, enters the Hall of Fame, becoming a Ski Classics Legend, as this was her 5th Pro Tour stage win. 

Bad Gastein Criterium Women

The women’s race started at 9:15 CET, and from the beginning, the pace was high, with Ida Dahl and Linn Sömskar, Team Engcon, taking control. With 6.3km into the race, the first Sprint of the season was won by Jenny Larsson, Team Ragde Charge, followed by Ida Dahl, Team Engcon, and Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden.  

After the first Sprint, Jenny Larsson stretched the group, with Sandra Schützová, Vltava Fund Ski Team, soon taking the lead. After the feeding zone and heading to the second Sprint of the day, 12.6km into the race, Jenny Larsson took control of the group, but Ida Dahl, crossed the checkpoint line first, followed by Linn Sömskar and Emilie Fleten. 

The pace was controlled after the Sprints, and with 18km to go, a big group was still in the front towards the first Climb of the Season, 19.2km into the race, containing all the contenders of the day.

Five kilometers later, Ida Dahl moved to the front, preparing the way for the steep Climb checkpoint. Ida started to show her climbing strength and crossed the line first, getting 15 Climb points, followed by Astrid Øyre Slind and Jenny Larsson. 

Not easing the pace after the Climb, Dahl and Øyre Slind kept in the front and opened a gap over the chasers.

Just before the second Climb of the day, 26.3km into the race, Dahl took the lead a crossed the checkpoint first, getting another 15 Climb points, with Øyre Slind in second, 1.3 seconds behind, and Fleten, 41.9 seconds back.

At the 2.4km to-go mark, Emilie Fleten was trying hard to bring Dahl and Øyre Slind back, but no chance for the chaser, who was now 49 seconds behind the leaders.

At the last kilometer, the battle between the leaders was still fierce, but at the end, Ida Dahl, Team Engcon, sprinted to the win, with a time of 1:49:29.9, followed by Astrid Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, 4.9 seconds back. Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, completed the podium in the third position, 1:04.2 behind the winner. 

Bad Gastein Criterium Women – Top 3

1. Ida Dahl, Team Engcon, 1:49:29.9
2. Astrid Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, +4.9
3. Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, +1:04.2

Bad Gastein Criterium Men

The men’s race started at 11:15 CET, and there was no decisive action until they got to the first Sprint checkpoint at 6.3km, with the field setting a controlled pace from the beginning and throughout the race.

At the first Sprint of the day (and Season), Fabián Štoček, Vltava Fund Ski Team, crossed the checkpoint first, followed by Verbjørn Moen, Team Aker Dæhlie, and Fredrik Helgestad, Team Kaffebryggeriet. 

At the second Sprint, 12.6km into the race, Marcus Johansson, Lager 157 Ski Team, was the fastest, getting the Sprint points ahead of Herman Paus, Team Ramudden, and Verbjørn Moen, Team Aker Dæhlie. 

For the first Climb, 19.2km into the race, Johan Hoel, Team Ragde Charge, led the way and crossed the line to win the first Climb points, followed by Emil Persson, Lager 157 Ski Team, and Torleif Syrstad, also from Lager 157 Ski Team.

Approaching the second Climb of the day, 26.3km into the race, Lager 157 Ski Team, and Team Ragde Charge were in the lead and increased the pace. At the line, Johan Hoel, Team Ragde Charge, crossed first, followed by Emil Persson, Lager 157 Ski Team, and Petter Stakston, Team Aker Dæhlie.

After the Climb, Emil Persson, Johan Hoel, Thomas Bing, xc-ski.de A|N Skimarathon Team, and Petter Stakston took the lead and set a fast pace. With 4km to go, the break was 11 seconds ahead of the chase group. 

Under the 1km mark, it was a battle between three strong Pro Tour skiers, Bing, Hoel, and Persson. In the end, Emil Persson, Lager 157 Ski Team, followed by Johan Hoel, Team Ragde Charge, in second place, and Thomas Bing, xc-ski.de A|N Skimarathon Team, in third place and his first Pro Tour podium ever. 

Bad Gastein Criterium Men – Top 3

1. Emil Persson, Lager 157 Ski Team, 1:34:32.9
2. Johan Hoel, Team Ragde Charge, +3.3
3. Thomas Bing, xc-ski.de A|N Skimarathon Team, +6.2

Current Standings Ski Classics Competitions

After the Bad Gastein prologue weekend, Ida Dahl, Team Engcon, and Emil Persson, Lager 157 Ski Team, lead the Champion Bib Competition. Ida Dahl is also carrying the Green bib of the Sprint Competition, together with Marcus Johansson, Lager 157 Ski Team.  

Ida Dahl, Team Engcon, and Johan Hoel, Team Ragde Charge, carry the bib for the Climb Competition. The Pink Bib for the best Youth is now resting on the shoulders of Karolina Hedenström, Lager 157 Ski Team, and Amund Riege, Team Ramudden.

The upcoming Ski Classics event is La Venosta Criterium, a 42km classic technique event, in Italy on December 17, 2022. 

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, 40km 
• Event 4: January 14, 2023 – Pustertaler Ski Marathon, Sexten, Italy, 62km
• Event 5: January 15, 2023 – Prato Piazza Mountain Challenge, Niederdorf, Italy, 30km
• Event 6: January 21, 2023 – Engadin La Diagonela, Engadin Valley, Switzerland, 55km 
• 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 info about the Ski Classics Pro Tour you can find at skiclassics.com.

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