Vasaloppet 2016 was decided with exciting final spurts in both the men's and ladies' class. Norwegian John Kristian Dahl won one of the largest group spurts in Vasaloppet history and took his second victory ahead of his compatriot Stian Hoelgaard. Czech/Austrian Katerina Smutná won the ladies' class two seconds ahead of Britta Johansson Norgren.

Due to fresh snow in the tracks, this year’s Vasaloppet became a group effort where the elite female skiers stayed ahead with the main leading group for a very long time. After about 38 kilometres of skiing, between Risberg and Evertsberg, Norwegian Kjetil Hagtvedt Dammen and Christoffer Callesen, from Team LeasePlan Go, picked up the pace. In Evertsberg this duo were separated from the group by a lead of almost a minute.

In Oxberg they had increased this lead to 2.07. But Dammen got tired on the way in to the Hökberg checkpoint and Callesen ended up alone in the lead. When he reached the last checkpoint, Eldris, his lead had shrunk to about half a minute.

Things happened quickly when the group caught his scent and it was a large company that approached the finish in Mora together, making it one of the largest mass spurts ever seen in Vasaloppet. 29 skiers did battle on the final stretch and the winner from 2014, John Kristian Dahl from Team United Bakeries, turned out to be strongest.
Dahl, who had almost given up hope in Hökberg, played a large part in catching up to Callesen and Dammen.

“Sink or swim, I thought. So I started driving hard but it was difficult to pull the others with me. So I spent a lot of energy there,” Dahl tells us. In the end Dahl had a clear tactic.“I defended my position. I had a track to myself for the last four kilometres. It went faster and faster towards the finish. The last 200 metres I used everything I had. I didn’t know that I’d won until after I crossed the finish line. It was a very intense experience.”

This second Vasaloppet victory means a lot to Dahl who has had a tough season.
“It’s wonderful to be able to defend my 2014 win. We’ve had a lot of setbacks in the team this year. This saves our whole season,” said Dahl.

The ladies’ class

Britta Johansson Norgren, Lager 157 Ski Team, started strong and in Oxberg she had a lead of 51 seconds over Katerina Smutná, Team Santander. In Hökberg the distance to Smutná had shrunk to 21 seconds and Lina Korsgren, Team Pioneer Investment – Craft, was also getting closer.

“My group wasn’t moving too fast but I decided not to try and increase its speed. I knew that the others would catch up but it felt better to stay in the group and conserve my energy.”

Britta had a 14 second lead in Eldris but, with a few kilometres to go, the others caught up and Johansson Norgren, Smutná and Korsgren came up on the final stretch together. Smutná snatched the victory two seconds ahead of Britta and seven seconds ahead of Korsgren. “I’m very happy. This was my big goal for the season,” said Smutná who lost ground at the start of the race but had a very strong finish. “Everything went perfectly at the end.”

The complete article is available HERE. 

RESULTS Vasaloppet 2016, gents
1 John Kristian Dahl, (NOR) Norway, 4.08.00
2 Stian Hoelgaard, (NOR) Norway, 4.08.01
3 Anders Mölmen Höst, (NOR) Norway, 4.08.02
4 Öyvind Moen Fjeld, (NOR) Norway, 4.08.02
5 Dario Cologna, (SUI) Switzerland, 4.08.02
6 Markus Ottosson, (SWE) Skellefteå SK, 4.08.02
7 Jerry Ahrlin, (SWE) Team Swedemount Sport, 4.08.03
8 Stanislav Rezác, (CZE) Czech Republic, 4.08.03
9 Johan Kjölstad, (NOR) Norway, 4.08.03
10 Oskar Kardin, (SWE) Östersunds SK, 4.08.03

RESULTS Vasaloppet 2016, ladies
1 Katerina Smutná, (AUT) Austria, 4.17.56
2 Britta Johansson Norgren, (SWE) Sollefteå Skidor IF, 4.17.58
3 Lina Korsgren, (SWE) Åre Längdskidklubb, 4.18.03
4 Seraina Boner, (SUI) Switzerland, 4.20.38
5 Astrid Öyre Slind, (NOR) Norway, 4.20.50
6 Sara Lindborg, (SWE) Östersunds SK, 4.23.58
7 Emilia Lindstedt, (SWE) Falun Borlänge SK, 4.24.58
8 Masako Ishida, (JPN) Japan, 4.33.24
9 Heli Heiskanen, (FIN) Finland, 4.42.24
10 Kristina Roberto, (SWE) Karlslunds IF SF, 4.44.40

Source: fis-ski.com