Cykelvasan 2018 – the biggest Nordic mountain bike race celebrates its tenth anniversary

Vasaloppet's Summer Week and Cykelvasan take place in 2018 for the tenth year in a row. Since the start in 2009 a total of over 111,100 participants have biked across the finish line in Cykelvasan's first nine years. So far over 24,000 cyclists are registered for 2018. The main race, Cykelvasan 90 on Saturday, is fully booked but there are start places available in all other races for those itching for a thrilling bike ride. Here we have collected news, facts, statistics and information about Cykelvasan, the biggest Nordic mountain bike race.

New for this year, the shorter races Ungdomscykelvasan, Cykelvasan 30 and Cykelvasan 45 have been moved to Sunday. Meaning that Cykelvasan Öppet Spår gets its own day on Friday. Here are the days and races to keep track of:
Thursday, August 9:
Cykelvasasprinten Open qualifier. The Cykelvasan stage in Lindvallen, Sälen
Friday, August 10:
Cykelvasan Öppet Spår. 94 km. Start Sälen
Cykelvasasprinten. 1 km. The Cykelvasan stage in Lindvallen, Sälen
Barnens Vasalopp Cykel. Lindvallen, Sälen
Saturday, August 11:
Cykelvasan 90. 94 km. Start Sälen
Barnens Vasalopp Cykel. Start Jalas Arena, Mora
Sunday, August 12:
Ungdomscykelvasan. 32 km. Start Oxberg
Cykelvasan 30. 32 km. Start Oxberg
Cykelvasan 45. 45 km. Start Oxberg

Every year since the start in 2009 Cykelvasan has set a new registration record, and this year is no different! The current total for all Cykelvasan 2018 races is 24,001 registered participants. Cykelvasan 90 is fully booked with 13,000 registrants but the race showing the most growth is Cykelvasan Öppet Spår, going from 2,733 registered in its first year, 2015, to well over 6,000 registered this year.

Registrants Monday 2018-08-06
Registered for Cykelvasan Öppet Spår: 6,451 (leisure race)
Registered for Cykelvasan 90: 13,000 (competition and leisure class)
Registered for Ungdomscykelvasan: 202 (competition)
Registered for Cykelvasan 30: 2,566 (leisure race)
Registered for Cykelvasan 45: 1,782(leisure race)

There are still places available in the Friday and Sunday races. Direct registration for these races can be completed online up until Wednesday and on location from Thursday and on.

In Cykelvasan 90 on Saturday, 13 percent of the registered participants are women. (In total, 22 percent of the Cykelvasan participants are women.)

Cykelvasasprinten – open qualifier for the public and a "dress rehearsal" for the elite
Cykelvasasprinten is an exhibition race for especially invited elite cyclists in Lindvallen, Sälen, where a crowd-friendly, fun and technical track is built in the lower sections of the Lindvallen ski slope near the Ski Lodge. New for this year, the open qualifier for the public is held using Strava. Each participant will make a profile on strava.com and, using the app, they can bike the qualifying lap as many times as they wish.

- Open qualifier for Cykelvasasprinten, on the Cykelvasan stage in Lindvallen, is held on August 6–9, finishing on Thursday, August 9 at 18:00–19:00. Just bring your bike and helmet and you can compete in the qualifier. No pre-registration is required and no participation fee. You bike a lap around the sprint track and the three fastest ladies and gentlemen go on to challenge our invited elite cyclists in Cykelvasasprinten on Friday. Great prizes will be raffled among all participants.

- Cykelvasasprinten, the Cykelvasan stage in Lindvallen, Friday, August 10 at 14.45–16.00. Invited elite cyclists will compete for victory in Cykelvasasprinten 2018. Here they can get a feel for one another before the score is settled in Saturday's Cykelvasan 90. The women's and men's classes consist of 12 and 18 cyclists, respectively. Prize money is awarded to the victor in each class. Each race consists of two laps. Come and cheer!

Barnens Vasalopp Cykel
Apart from the above mentioned races there will also be a Barnens Vasalopp bike race for the very youngest, up to about 10 years of age: In Sälen on Friday, August 10, and in Mora on Saturday, August 11. All participants will bike a short stretch, wear a number bib, and receive a diploma and medal.

Earlier start for the ladies in Cykelvasan 90 for the third year in a row
2016 saw a new procedure where the women's competition class in Cykelvasan 90 started in Sälen at 07:30, 45 minutes before the men's competition class at 08:15. Cykelvasan's group starts makes it, as opposed to the winter Vasaloppet, relatively simple to have the ladies start earlier. Thereby the elite women can bike on their own and neither be prevented nor helped by the men. About 70 ladies are registered for the competition class 2018, while the men are about 600. (First start in the leisure class will be at 08:30.) Participants in the competition class wear green number bibs while the leisure class wear white number bibs.

From asphalt to gravel in Cykelvasan
Over the years, millions have been invested in the Vasaloppet Arena to reduce the sections run on asphalt. Instead gravel roads and paths have been made. 2017 was the first time the whole stretch ran outside roads with traffic. The course length from Sälen to Mora is 94 km, divided into 87.1 km on forest roads/gravel and 6.9 km on asphalt. (Ungdomscykelvasan and Cykelvasan 30 are 32 km, divided into 28.9 km on forest roads/gravel and 3.1 km asphalt. Cykelvasan 45 has 43.3 km forest roads/gravel and 1.7 km asphalt.)

New for this year is that the roundabout on the finishing stretch (on the Vasagatan/Badstugatan intersection by the belfry) has been lowered. This will make the finishing stretch more safe and fair.

Cykelvasan 90 Favourites 2018
The mountain bike season is in an intensely competitive stage. This weekend saw both the Swedish Marathon Championship, Grenserittet in Halden and Finnmarksturen in Ludvika and today, Tuesday August 7, the European Championship runs in Glasgow.

Emil Lindgren has, with seven starts in Cykelvasan, never placed lower than sixth, but he's not yet won it either. Before this year's race Emil won the Swedish XCO Championship and this past weekend he won both the Swedish Marathon Championship in Motala (80 km) and Finnmarksturen (68 km). With two races to go Emil has already secured his victory in the Swedish Långloppscupen cup, since only the top six results out of nine competitions are counted. Emil has so far won five of the seven cup races and placed second in one!

Michael Olsson won the two races in Långloppscupen not claimed by Emil Lindgren. Moreover there are four cyclists from Serneke Allebike MTB Team taking the lead in Långloppscupen: Lindgren in first place, Dennis Wahlqvist in second, Jonas Norén in third and Olsson in fourth. Lindgren, Olsson and Wahlqvist also took the top three positions in the Swedish Championship this past Saturday.

Michael Olsson and Matthias Wengelin (who won the first Cykelvasan in 2009) are competing in the European Championship in Scotland. Wengelin has had a difficult season with injuries and illness.

Previous Cykelvasan victors such as Alexander Wetterhall and Johan Landström also loom on the starting list. Or will it be a Norwegian victory for the first time in Cykelvasan?

Jennie Stenerhag, who is something of a Cykelvasan queen with her four wins, had a serious injury this year but has made a comeback and won Mörksuggejakten. This past Saturday she took her sixth straight Swedish Championship marathon gold medal. Who could stop her?

Taking the lead in Långloppscupen after seven races is Maria Karlberg who won Finnmarksturen this past Sunday. Second is Emmy Thelberg who also came third in the Swedish Championship this past Saturday after Jennie Stenerhag and Sandra Salinger.

From Norway the biggest threat against Swedish victory are Hildegunn Gjertrud Hovdenak, winner of Cykelvasan 2014 (and fourth in 2017) and Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjå, Olympic gold medallist in Athens 2004, participating in her first Cykelvasan this year.

Start lists available at http://results.vasaloppet.se/2018/?lang=EN&pid=startlist&_ga=2.159115130.1929913073.1533489298-636431179.1463675417

Bike Safe 2018
The Vasaloppet organization has been working hard for years on the "Bike Safe" project, Vasaloppet's initiative for safer biking during Cykelvasan. Vasaloppet wants all participants to feel safe and secure on their journey down to the finish in Mora.

For those participating in Cykelvasan 2018 it is important to keep track of signs and markings. There are also educational films to view. Read more and view the films at:
http://www.vasaloppet.se/lopp/cykellopp/cykelvasan90/traning-och-kost/vasaloppsskolan

You can also view completely new cycling videos at http://www.vasaloppet.tv

At the start places in Sälen and Oxberg it is, in connection with Cykelvasan, possible to go over your bike and equipment in special quick controls.

Time penalty for littering
Vasaloppet has been an eco-labelled event since 2006. Since the Winter Week 2017 Vasaloppet has applied a time penalty of 15 minutes in the event that a participant is found to have littered in the track or in nature. This rule will also apply during the Vasaloppet Summer Week 2018 races. A number of officials will be assigned along the course. Photographic evidence is required to apply the time penalty to a participant.

Disposing of litter will be allowed in three different ways during Vasaloppet's Summer Week. If you are seen disposing of litter in other ways you will be penalized with a time penalty of 15 minutes. You may dispose of litter:
- In the bins at the Vasaloppet checkpoints
- In the marked littering zones between each Vasaloppet checkpoint
- Where you as a participant know that a team leader or associate will pick up what you throw

Counties and nations 2018
All counties of Sweden have at least 100 registered participants in Cykelvasan 2018. The following six counties have more than 1,000 registered cyclists: Västra Götaland (4,011 registered participants), Stockholm (3,902), Dalarna (1,894), Skåne (1,316), Uppsala (1,178), Gävleborg (1,021).

Cykelvasan's five 2018 races have participants from 45 different nations, including Sweden. A new record! The five biggest nations (excluding Sweden) are Norway, Denmark, Finland, Germany and Great Britain. About 800 Norwegian participants are registered. Participants in Cykelvasan 2017 range between ages 8 and 90! (County and national information is from August 3, 2018.)

Previous winners
14 different cyclists have taken home the 18 victory garlands in Cykelvasan since the start in 2009. Jennie Stenerhag has won four times and Jesper Dahlström twice. Most top three placements in the men's class is split between Magnus Darvell, Matthias Wengelin and Emil Lindgren, each with three top three placements, and in the women's class it's split between Hanna Bergman and Jennie Stenerhag, who have each been in the top three five times. In the men's class there have only been Swedish victories, while the women's class has seen two international winners (one Finnish and one Norwegian).

Previous winners in Cykelvasan, women
2009 Hanna Bergman, Falu CK, 3.09.05
2010 Emmy Thelberg, Härnösands CK, 2.54.53
2011 Pia Sundstedt, Finland, 2.56.19
2012 Jennie Stenerhag, Falu CK, 3.02.06
2013 Alexandra Engen, GHOST Factory RT/Jönköpings CK, 2.55.37
2014 Hildegunn Gjertrud Hovdenak, Norway, 2.53.44 (Record time!)
2015 Jennie Stenerhag, Falu CK, 2.57.22
2016 Jennie Stenerhag, Falu CK, 3.07.49
2017 Jennie Stenerhag, Falu CK, 3.05.26

Previous winners in Cykelvasan, men
2009 Matthias Wengelin, Cykloteket RT, 2.43.27
2010 Magnus Darvell, Team Kalas/Pedalogerna, 2.39.00 (Record time!)
2011 Jesper Dahlström, Motala AIF Cykelklubb, 2.47.32
2012 Jesper Dahlström, Team Cykelcity, 2.47.20
2013 Fredrik Ericsson, CK Cykelcity.se, 2.43.01
2014 Johan Landström, Motala AIF/SCOTT 2.45.59
2015 Alexander Wetterhall, Team Tre Berg - BIANCHI, 2.44.35
2016 Lucas Eriksson, Serneke Allebike CK, 2.40.04
2017 Jonas Ahlstrand, Team ORMSALVA, 2.41.26

Top 10 in Cykelvasan 90 2017
Women
1 Jennie Stenerhag, (SWE) Falu CK, 03.07.49
2 Ida Jansson, (SWE) Falu CK/Team Lapierr..., 03.08.04
3 Felicia Ferner, (SWE) Borlänge CK, 03.08.48
4 Nellie Larsson, (SWE) CKX, 03.11.29
5 Angelica Edvardsson, (SWE) Cykloteket Racing Team, 03.17.10
6 Louise Rundqvist, (SWE) Värnamo CK/Boddan Cycl..., 03.17.11
7 Åsa Erlandsson, (SWE) Varbergs MTB/Haibike, 03.17.13
8 Erika Jepson, (SWE) Ckx, 03.17.18
9 Johanna Sömskar, (SWE) Norbergs CK, 03.18.25
10 Fanny Kjellqvist, (SWE) Godegårds SK cykel, 03.18.26

Men
1 Lucas Eriksson, (SWE) Serneke Allebike CK, 02.40.04
2 Matthias Wengelin, (SWE) Almby IK/Team Bergsl..., 02.40.04
3 Alexander Wetterhall, (SWE) Team Tre Berg - BIANCH..., 02.40.04
4 Edwin Wilson, (SWE) Tranemo CS, 02.40.05
5 Emil Lindgren, (SWE) Serneke Allebike, 02.40.05
6 Calle Friberg, (SWE) Järfälla CK/Team Scott..., 02.41.46
7 Fredrik Haraldseth, (NOR) Hard Rock AB AX bu SWI..., 02.41.46
8 Alexander Vincent Blomqvist, (SWE) Serneke Allebike, 02.41.46
9 Vidar Mehl, (NOR) Sepura Toyota racing w..., 02.41.46
10 Jocke Bernström, (SWE) Motala Aif Cykel, 02.41.46

Footnote: The hill prizes in Evertsberg were won in 2017 by Jennie Stenerhag, time 1.41.10, and Emil Lindgren, 1.29.12. Jennie Stenerhag won all seven spurt prizes in 2017!

Cykelvasan's development over ten years
2009: The first ever Cykelvasan 30, Cykelvasan 45 and Cykelvasan 90. The terms "Vasaloppet Winter Week" and "Vasaloppet Summer Week" are coined. With near 2,000 participants, Cykelvasan immediately becomes Sweden's biggest mountain bike race.
2010: Cykelvasasprinten ran for the first time in Lindvallen. Barnens Vasalopp on bike (originally called Barnens Cykelvasa) for young children has also been arranged since 2010.
2011: The start in Sälen moves from Tjärnhedens IP to the Vasaloppet start in Berga by.
2012: Ungdomscykelvasan starts, a competition for youths aged 11–16 (run on the same course as Cykelvasan 30).
2015: Cykelvasan Öppet Spår is introduced, based on the winter version of Öppet Spår.
2018: Cykelvasan is arranged for the tenth year in a row.

Participant statistics through the years (all distances)
Cykelvasan 2009: Registered/Starting/Finishing: 1,911/1,760/1,747
Cykelvasan 2010: Registered/Starting/Finishing: 4,479/4,077/4,045
Cykelvasan 2011: Registered/Starting/Finishing: 7,874/7,180/7,031
Cykelvasan 2012: Registered/Starting/Finishing: 12,840/10,629/10,475
Cykelvasan 2013: Registered/Starting/Finishing: 16,855/14,811/14,546
Cykelvasan 2014: Registered/Starting/Finishing: 16,927/15,291/15,122
Cykelvasan 2015: Registered/Starting/Finishing: 19,991/18,000/17,708
Cykelvasan 2016: Registered/Starting/Finishing: 22,094/19,305/18,987
Cykelvasan 2017: Registered/Starting/Finishing: 24,167/21,705/21,426
Cykelvasan 2018: Registered so far: 24,001

Nine races in a row
136 people have completed the main race Cykelvasan 90 all nine years 2009-2017. 126 people are registered to participate in Cykelvasan 90 for the tenth time!

Some celebrities in Cykelvasan 90 on August 11, 2018
Daniel & Henrik Sedin, former NHL professional hockey players (their two brothers Peter and Stefan are also participating)
Patrik Klüft, former pole vaulter with World Championship bronze and European Championship silver, and hockey coach
Robert Tennisberg, sports journalist
Robert Kronberg, former hurdler with European Championship bronze
Frida Nordstrand, sports journalist
Christian Olsson, former triple jumper with Olympic gold and 3 World Championship golds
Emma Igelström, four-time swimming World Champion
Susanne Ljungskog, road cycling World Champion in 2002 and 2003, awarded the Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal in 2002
Tomas Gustafson, three-time ice skating Olympic gold medallist, awarded the Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal in 1988
Lina Korsgren, Vasaloppet victor 2018
Johan Olsson, double Olympic golds and double World Championship golds in skiing
Emil Jönsson Haag, Olympic and World Championship silvers in skiing
Staffan Larsson, Vasaloppet victor 1999
Rikard Tynell, marathon skier Team Tynell
Anders Jonell, mogul skiing competitor in the Olympics 1994
Petter Wastå, former football goalkeeper in Kalmar FF, Swedish Championship gold in 2008

Estimated passing times for Cykelvasan 90 on August 11, 2018
If the leading cyclists hold an average speed of 35 km/hour and the slowest bike travels at 14 km/hour the average passing times for the elite women, elite men, and final cyclists will be:
Start Sälen – 07:30 08:15 13:15
Smågan – 07:48 08:30 13:55
Mångsbodarna – 08:17 08:55 14:55
Risberg – 08:38 09:13 15:35
Evertsberg – 09:15 09:45 16:45 (closing at 16:45)
Oxberg – 09:46 10:11 18:00
Hökberg – 10:05 10:27 18:45 (closing at 18:45)
Eldris – 10:27 10:46 19:25
Finish Mora – 10:46 11:02 20:00

In order to continue the race, participants must arrive at the checkpoint in Evertsberg before 16:45 and in Hökberg before 18:45. Checkpoints must be left within 10 minutes after each closing time.

Swedish Television broadcasts
SVT continues their tradition of showing a 45 minute summary of Cykelvasan 90. The summary will be broadcast on SVT1 and SVT Play on Sunday, August 12 at 18:15–19:00. Host/reporter: Björn Becksmo. The programme can be viewed on SVT Play for the next six months. It can only be viewed in Sweden.
https://www.svt.se/sport

Live broadcast at Vasaloppet.TV
There will be live broadcast during all three Cykelvasan days on Vasaloppet's own streaming service Vasaloppet.TV. Broadcast times:
Friday, August 10: 08:45–20:30
Saturday, August 11: 07:15–21:30
Sunday, August 12: 08:45–18:30

During Cykelvasan 90 on Saturday, Vasaloppet.TV will, among other things, follow the leading group with live cameras on two electric bikes. There will also be features from the start, along the track and, of course, the finish line in Mora. You can also see all the starts and finishes in all races live at Vasaloppet.tv.
http://www.vasaloppet.tv

Preem greeting
This year Vasaloppet, in collaboration with main sponsor Preem, will, for the first time, offer all participants in the finish area the opportunity to record a greeting to their loved ones directly to Vasaloppet.tv.

Follow participants
Live results will, as usual, be available at vasaloppet.se. It is also possible to follow specific participants via text message and in the updated free app "Vasaloppet Sommar". Read more:
http://www.vasaloppet.se/en/races/bike-races/cykelvasan90/follow-participants

Vasaloppet Radio broadcasts
Vasaloppet Radio broadcasts everything about the races, traffic and festivities. Listen in Sälen at 107.5 MHz, Oxberg/Älvdalen 89.1 MHz and Mora 94.1 MHz, on the web, or in the app Vasaloppet Sommar:
Friday August 10 at 07:00–14:00.
Saturday August 11 at 07:00–14:00.
Sunday August 12 at 09:00–14:00.
http://www.vasaloppsradion.se

Kranskulla and Kransmas in Cykelvasan 2018
This year's Kranskulla and Kransmas are Sara Wadman and Joakim Kullberg (both from Mora).

Blueberry soup
The total consumption during Vasaloppet's Summer Week is expected to be about: 10,000 litres of Ekströms blueberry soup, 13,500 litres Enervit sports drink, 17,000 bananas and 500 kg of pickles.

3 x 90 km or 3 x 45 km
2014 was the first calendar year it was possible to complete "Vasaloppstrippeln" in its entirety, that is completing Vasaloppet/Öppet Spår (skis), Cykelvasan 90/Cykelvasan Öppet Spår (bike) and Ultravasan 90 (running). Interest has increased every year. In 2017 there were over 121 people who managed the achievement and in 2018 there are currently 221 people planning to take on the 90 km on skis, bike and foot. Cycling makes up the second part of Vasaloppstrippeln. From this year it's also possible to complete Vasaloppstrippeln 45 (Halvvasan, Cykelvasan 45 and Ultravasan 45).

Events
There is a lot happening in Sälen and Mora during Vasaloppet's Summer Week 2018. Take part in the whole programme:
http://www.vasaloppet.se/en/programme/calendar

Register for the eleventh Cykelvasan in 2019
Registration opens on Sunday, September 16, 2018, at 09:00 on vasaloppet.se

Vasaloppet Summer Week 2018
Fri 10 Aug: Cykelvasan Öppet Spår. 94 km. Start Sälen.
Fri 10 Aug: Cykelvasasprinten. 1 km. Lindvallen, Sälen. (Open qualifier on Thursday)
Sat 11 Aug: Cykelvasan 90. 94 km. Start Sälen. (FULL 180319)
Sun 12 Aug: Ungdomscykelvasan. 32 km. Start Oxberg.
Sun 12 Aug: Cykelvasan 30. 32 km. Start Oxberg.
Sun 12 Aug: Cykelvasan 45. 45 km. Start Oxberg.
Sat 18 Aug: Ultravasan 45. 45 km. Start Oxberg.
Sat 18 Aug: Ultravasan 90. 90 km. Start Sälen.
Sat 18 Aug: Vasastafetten. 4,5–15 km. Running relay for ten-person teams. Start Sälen.
Sat 18 Aug: Vasakvartetten. 19.1–24.2 km. Running relay for four-person teams. Start Sälen.

Vasaloppet Winter Week 2019
Fri 22 Feb: Kortvasan. 30 km. Start Oxberg.
Sat 23 Feb: Tjejvasan. 30 km. Start Oxberg.
Sun 24 Feb: Ungdomsvasan. 9/19 km Start Eldris/Hökberg.
Sun 24 Feb: Öppet Spår Sunday. 90 km. Start Sälen.
Mon 25 Feb: Öppet Spår Monday. 90 km. Start Sälen.
Tue 26 Feb: Halvvasan. 45 km. Start Oxberg.
Fri 1 Mar: Stafettvasan. 9–24 km. Five-person teams. Start Sälen.
Fri 1 Mar: Nattvasan. 90 km. Two-person teams. Start Sälen.
Sat 2 Mar: Blåbärsloppet. 9 km. Start Eldris.
Sun 3 Mar: Vasaloppet. 90 km. Start Sälen. (FULL 180318)

High-resolution photos from Vasaloppet:
http://www.mynewsdesk.com/se/pressroom/vasaloppet/image/list

Text and photos may be freely published.

For more information

Per Källgren, Press Manager
+46 (0)70-745 40 48
per.kallgren@vasaloppet.se

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