Cross-country skiing: Stina Nilsson wins the Vasaloppet solo
A few months ago, when Stina Nilsson announced the end of her biathlon career to return to cross-country skiing with Team Ragde Charge, there was some criticism. However, with this choice, the Swede was returning to her first love.
After becoming Olympic sprint champion in cross-country skiing and climbing onto two podiums in the biathlon World Cup, Stina Nilsson tackled the legendary Vasaloppet on Sunday. Over the 90km of the world’s biggest cross-country ski race, contested in a push, the Swede put on a real demonstration. Taking command of the race from the outset, she broke away with Anikken Gjerde Alnæs (Team Engcon) before setting off on her own.
It was then that Stina Nilsson set a hellish pace and opened up monstrous gaps on the competition: 1 min 21 after 24.3 km, 2 min 32 after 34.4 km, 3 min 38 after 47.5 km, 4 min 48 after 62 km, 5 min 28 after 71.1 km and 6 min 0 after 81.4 km.
Finally, in Mora (Sweden), the finish of this legendary race, Stina Nilsson won after 3 h 54 min 0 of effort, becoming the eighth Swede to win the Vasaloppet after Sofia Lind (1997, 1999, 2004, 2005), Ulrica Persson (2001, 2003), Sandra Hansson (2008, 2009), Susanne Nystroem (2010), Jenny Hansson (2011), Britta Johansson Norgren (2017, 2019) and Lina Korsgren (2018, 2020, 2021). She was also 105th overall in the race.
To reach the podium, Norway’s Anikken Gjerde Alnæs and Silje Oeyre Slind (Team Aker Dæhlie) competed in a sprint… which the former won by a narrow margin, 5 min 11 seconds behind the new queen of the Vasaloppet.
Three Frenchwomen in the top 30
Emilie Fleten (Team Ramudden), Louise Lindstroem (Team Eksjöhus), Karolina Hedenstroem (Lager 157 Ski Team), Hedda Baangman (eD System Vltava Fund Team), Moa Hansson (Ski Team Göhlins), Guro Jordheim (Team Aker Dæhlie) and Malin Boerjesjoe (Team Internorm Trentino GSG) rounded off the top 10.
As for the Frenchwomen, it was Laurie Flochon-Joly (TNE Coste – Fromageries Marcel Petit) who put in the best performance of the day, taking 26th place almost 32 minutes behind the winner.
Just a few seconds behind, Hanna Fine (eD System Vltava Fund Team) was 27th, whileAmélie Suiffet (TNE Coste – Fromageries Marcel Petit) finished 30th. Léonie Harivel (TNE Coste – Fromageries Marcel Petit) was 42nd, while Margaux Gaillard (i3 Ski Team) was 46th.
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- Cross-country skiing: sensation in Sweden as Stina Nilsson quits biathlon to sign for Team Ragde Charge, the Ski Classics team
- For Mona Brorsson, Stina Nilsson can be “proud” of her biathlon years
