Gjerdalen and Norgren won the 43rd Marcialonga and 3rd FIS Worldloppet Cup stage
Almost 8.000 participants showed up in Moena this morning and roughly 20 athletes immediately pushed harder than anybody else. All the favourites remained in the leading group for over 65 kilometers and the very last uphill played once again a decisive role. The four Norwegians Petter Eliassen, Berdal Bjoerseth, Stian Hoelgaard and Tord Asle Gjerdalen got rid of anybody else and the latter eventually managed to climb up the track faster than the other three. He made his final move in the last 600 meters and triumphantly arrived in Cavalese all by himself. “I was not supposed to increase the speed that early, but I took the risk and made it in the end. I want to thank all the people working for this event, the snow was incredibly good despite the fact that it was all dry around us.” Britta Johansson Norgren seized the first Marcialonga in career.“I’m so tired, the very last part together with Katerina Smutna was overly important. In the last few tens of meters I managed to keep her behind and win, I’m so happy I made it.”
The Light version of Marcialonga, 45 kilometers as a whole, was won by Russian Sergey Spirin and Italy’s Lisa Bolzan.
No major changes in FIS Worldloppet Cup overall ranking
The 43rd Marcialonga caused only a few changes in the FIS Worldloppet Cup overall ranking. The leaders are still the same like before the 3rd stage, but they could increase their edge: With her 10th place today Aurelie Dabudyk, winner of the first two stages, could forge ahead with another 26 points and goes into a race-free weekend with a comfortable lead of 66 points to the second Elisa Brocard. With place 13 today Klara Moravcova (CZE) could jump on the 3rd place in the FIS Worldloppet Cup.
The men’s overall ranking still leads last week’s winner Bastien Poirrier, who could not cross the finishing line among the first 30, so he couldn’t collect any points. His lead remains 5 points ahead of Ivan Perrillat Boiteux. Jean Marc Gaillard remains on the 3rd place togethernow with the big winner of today, Tord Asle Gjerdalen. Toni Livers with his 15th place today could climb up the rankings to the 4th place, missing 4 points form the podium.
So everything is still open in 2016’s fight for the FIS Worldloppet Cup victory. The next race in two weeks in France, La Transjurasienne, probably will show the first indications of a winner.
Find all standings and results
According to athletes, skimen and spectators as well, the OC made some sort of a miracle today in arranging a 70k-long track only with artificial snow from Moena to Cavalese. “As a single race, I believe Marcialonga is unique and absolutely fantastic – said Gjerdalen – the setting is simply amazing, the people along the track keep cheering you up and the last Cascata uphill is just perfect.”
You can find all pictures
