Madshus racer Johan Kjoelstad (NOR), who was second in La Diagonela last year, will not be racing this weekend after slipping on the ice and breaking his ankle on his way to the Ski Classics race Jizerska 50 last weekend. But his teammates have promised to race their brains out in his honor until his ankle is healed and Kjoelstad can return to competition.
And they didn’t waste any opportunities. At the Jizerska 50 last weekend, Madshus teammate Oeystein Pettersen (NOR) secured more sprint points and snagged the green points bib, which he is eager to defend in La Diagonela on Saturday, the fourth event in the 2015 Ski Classics.
Last year, Kjoelstad and fellow Madshus marathon team racer John Kristian Dahl (NOR) finished second and third in the event.
La Diagonela was introduced to the race series last winter as a replacement for the Jizerská 50 which had to be cancelled, but was such a success that the Ski Classics included the race as a new, permanent race on the Ski Classics calendar for this season.
This year, the 65-kilometer La Diagonela race was supposed to be held on a picturesque new course through the villages of St Moritz, Zuoz and Pontresina in the Engadin Valley. However, due to lack of snow, the organizers only have a 15km loop to offer, and that course will be skied three times for a total of 45km.
“Once again we have weather problems, this time lack of snow, we are thankful to the local organizer that have put in enormous efforts in order to secure the event. Now the weather forecast says 65cm of snow in the area Friday to Saturday. It will be an interesting race,” says David Nilsson, who is the CEO of the Ski Classics.
After the stop in Switzerland the Ski Classics moves to Italy for the Marcialonga in the valleys of Val di Fassa and Val di Fiemme on January 25. The 70-kilometer race is famous for its notorious final uphill climb, the Cascata, to the finish in Cavalese town square.
While the Ski Classics is tackling its fourth race of the season, the FIS Marathon Cup takes on the Dolomitenlauf in Austria with both a 42km and 20km option on Sunday, January 18. In addition to the FIS Marathon Cup skate race on Sunday, the Dolomitenlauf also offers a classic version over the same distances on Saturday. However, due to lack of snow, the original 60-kilometer racecourse was reduced to 42km. The event is also a part of the Worldloppet schedule.