Visma Ski Classic: Eliassen and Kowalczyk win the Birkebeinerrennet on the run

Two solo leaks deliver Birkebeinerrennet's victory to the Norwegian Peter Eliassen and the Polish Kowalczyk.

Saturday 16 March 2019 3 minutes reading time

On the Norwegian snow of the Birkebeinerrennet to impose itself is for the second time is Peter Eliassen (Team BN Bank), who with a solo attack from afar has dominated on all 54 km of the route. The Norwegian already holds the record in this race and although he has not beaten it today, he has nevertheless demonstrated his dominance in this race. Eliassen attacked immediately, remaining alone at more than two minutes on Raudfjellet at kilometer 20. With a maximum advantage of three minutes he finished his triumphal ride in Lillehammer stadium in 2:23:47. In second place at 2''03 '' 'Andreas Nygaard (Team Ragde Eiendom) took the top spot, adjusting the group of trackers to win the final sprint. Third to Simen Oestensen, companion of the winner, down from the podium instead is finished Tore Bjoerseth Berdal followed by Morten Eide Pedersen. In the general classification Nygaard leads with 1079 points in front of Eliassen at 1008 points with games for the first place still open for the penultimate stage of the Visma Ski Classic on 6 April with the Reistadlopet. Another spectacular escape was staged in the women's field with the test of Justyna Kowalczyk, athlete of the Italian team Team Trentino Robinson Trainer. The Polish had to insist to be able to detach the competition succeeding and winning the victory in 2:51:31. Britta Johansson-Norgren (Lager 157 Ski Team) arrived second, 2''41 '' ', which tried to pursue the winner without succeeding. Third Astrid Oeyre Slind (Team Koteng) at 4''23 '' '' also she protagonist in the first part of the race, committed in first person to the pursuit of the Polish. In general, Johansson-Norgren remains in the lead with 1370 points, with a good advantage over Smutna at 1085 points, while in third position Korsgren at 1021 points.