Cykelvasan 2019 – the biggest Nordic mountain bike race with over 23,000 cyclists

Vasaloppet's Summer Week, started in 2009, has one weekend of mountain biking and one weekend of running – ten races, put together. First out is Cykelvasan, now with over 23,000 registered cyclists. The main race, Cykelvasan 90 on Saturday, is fully booked but there are still start places available in all other races for those itching to participating. Just like for our winter races, we've collected news, facts, statistics and information in preparation for Cykelvasan, the biggest Nordic mountain bike race. Follow the race live via radio or stream it online. On Sunday a 45-minute summary will be broadcast on SVT1.

Cykelvasan is held for the eleventh time – here are dates and races to keep track of:

Friday, August 9:
Barnens Vasalopp cykel. Sälen at 11:30. Children's race where everyone bikes a short distance, wears a number bib, gets a diploma and a medal. This race is free.
Cykelvasan Öppet Spår. 94 km. First start in Sälen at 09:00.
Cykelvasasprinten. 1 km. The Cykelvasan stage in Lindvallen, Sälen, heats and finals at 14:45–16:00. (Open qualifier for Cykelvasasprinten for the public throughout the week, finishing on Thursday, August 8 at 18:00–19:00.)

Saturday, August 10:
CYKELVASAN 90. 94 km. First start in Sälen at 07:30 (women's competition class). Men's competition class starts at 08:15. First leisure class start (women and men) is at 08:30. Leisure class group starts take place every five minutes with 200–250 people in each group.
Barnens Vasalopp cykel. Mora at 09:00. Children's race where everyone bikes a short distance, wears a number bib, gets a diploma and a medal. This race is free.

Sunday, August 11:
Ungdomscykelvasan. 32 km. First start in Oxberg at 09:00.
Cykelvasan 30. 32 km. First start in Oxberg at 09:10.
Cykelvasan 45. 45 km. First start in Oxberg at 11:45.

Registrants Tuesday 2019-08-06
Registered for Cykelvasan Öppet Spår: 5,819 (leisure race)
Registered for Cykelvasan 90: 13,000 (competition and leisure race) (FULL 2019-06-27)
Registered for Ungdomscykelvasan: 258 (competition)
Registered for Cykelvasan 30: 2,327 (leisure race)
Registered for Cykelvasan 45: 1,930 (leisure race)

There are still places available in all races except Cykelvasan 90 on Saturday. Direct registration for these races can be completed at vasaloppet.se 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.)

Competition Manager Cykelvasan Öppet Spår: Calle Hagström
Competition Manager Cykelvasan 90 km: Lasse Strand
Competition Manager Ungdomscykelvasan, Cykelvasan 30 and Cykelvasan 45: Louise Bergfeldt

Cykelvasasprinten – "dress rehearsal" for the elite
Cykelvasasprinten tends to attract thousands of spectators to Lindvallen in Sälen. This year, heats and finals will run on Friday, August 9 at 14:45–16:00. Invited elite cyclists compete for victory. 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!

Earlier start for the ladies in Cykelvasan 90
Since 2016 the women's competition class in Cykelvasan 90 has 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. Over 100 ladies are registered for the competition class 2019 and there are about 700 men. 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, large amounts 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 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.)

Some small changes have been made for 2019 to improve the overall experience; for example about 200 metres of decking has been built before the Risberg checkpoint. But the Cykelvasan track largely looks the same as last year.

Cykelvasan 90 Favourites 2019
Ladies
Hildegunn Gjertrud Hovdenak, Norway, previous winner of Cykelvasan 2014 and 2018 @hghovdenak
Jennie Stenerhag, Falu CK, winner of Cykelvasan 2012, 2015, 2016 and 2017 @jenniestenerhag
Hanna Bergman, Falu CK, winner of Cykelvasan 2009 @hanna_cykel
Emmy Thelberg, Team TCM, winner of Cykelvasan 2010 @emmythelberg
Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjå, Norway, fourth in Cykelvasan 2018 @mtbgunnrita

With seven of eight Långloppscupen races complete (Bockstensturen is still to come) Jennie Stenerhag has already secured a total victory. She has won all six of the races she's participated in. At the latest one, Finnmarksturen 81 km, which also counted as the Swedish Championship, she won ahead of Hanna Bergman and Emmy Thelberg. Can the Swedish trio challenge last year's winner Hildegunn Gjertrud Hovdenak in Cykelvasan? Last year the Norwegian was first down Vasagatan in Mora. Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjå, Norway, Olympic Gold medallist 2004 and multiple World Champion came fourth last year and now knows the track. (Worth noting, Emmy Thelberg also participated in Vasaloppet this past winter and came 78th.)

Men
Cykelvasan's men's class has in ten years had nine different winners, which shows how hard it is to predict victory. Emil Lindgren has taken the lead in Långloppscupen ahead of Michael Olsson and Johan Norén, all cycling for Serneke Allebike CK. Emil came third in Cykelvasan 2018, Michael won and Johan was in sixth place. But in this year's cup Emil has four wins and is in the lead ahead of Michael.

Matthias Wengelin, Länna Sport CK, who won the very first Cykelvasan in 2009 has, this summer, won double Swedish Championships, both in Olympic distance XCO and marathon XCM!

Or will a Norwegian man finally win Cykelvasan? Perhaps Emil Hasund Eid, who came second last year, wants to claim that historic victory?

Lehvi Braam from the Netherlands has also seen international success in sprint XCE, and Mark Vennix.

Start list https://results.vasaloppet.se/2019/?lang=EN_CAP

Previous winners
15 different cyclists have taken home the 20 victory garlands in Cykelvasan since the start in 2009. Jennie Stenerhag has won four times, Hildegunn Gjertrud Hovdenak twice and Jesper Dahlström twice. In the men's class there have only been Swedish victories, while there's been a international winner (Norwegian and Finnish) three times in the women's class.

Most top three placements in the women's class goes to Hanna Bergman and Jennie Stenerhag with six each and among the men Emil Lindgren has reached the top three four times. Emil Lindgren can brag that he's been in the top ten more than anyone else; eight times! Matthias Wengelin and Hanna Bergman have been in the top ten seven times each.

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
2018 Hildegunn Gjertrud Hovdenak, Norway, 3.04.39

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
2018 Michael Olsson, Team Serneke Allebike, 2.40.16

Footnote: The hill prizes in Evertsberg were won in 2018 by Linn Gustafzzon, time 1.41.35, and Emil Lindgren, 1.30.13. Spurt prizes are awarded at the other six checkpoints (manually checked in Smågan).

All top ten placements in the Cykelvasan 90 competition class over the years
https://www.vasaloppet.se/nyheter/200-tio-i-topp-deltagare-i-cykelvasan-90-2009-2018

Time penalty for littering
Since 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 2019 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.
- In the bins at the Vasaloppet checkpoints, as well as the start and finish
- 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

Bike Safe 2019
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 2019 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

There is basic bike service available at the official checkpoints in all races, as well as the start places in Sälen and Oxberg. Spare parts can be paid for by the cyclist on location using Swish.

Counties and nations 2019
All counties of Sweden have at least 100 registered participants in Cykelvasan 2019. The following six counties have more than 1,000 registered cyclists: Västra Götaland (3,819 registered participants), Stockholm (3,576), Dalarna (1,762), Skåne (1,244), Uppsala (1,156), Jönköping (1,006).

Cykelvasan's five 2019 races have participants from 38 nations, including Sweden. The five biggest nations (excluding Sweden) are Norway, Finland, Denmark, Germany and Great Britain. Over 900 Norwegian participants are registered.

Participants in Cykelvasan 2019 range between ages 8 and 91! The average age is 44.0 years old.
(County and national information is from Friday, 2019-08-02.)

Bike-in weddings in Mora
Just like this past winter's ski-in weddings there will be bike-in weddings arranged in collaboration with the Swedish Church in connection with Cykelvasan Öppet Spår on Friday August 9 and Cykelvasan 90 on Saturday, August 10. Seven couples have signed up to join their wheels together.
https://www.vasaloppet.se/sommar/vigsel

Cykelvasan's development 2009–2019:
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.
2016: First time the women's class start in Cykelvasan 90 takes place before the men's class start (previously there was a joint start).
2017: First year the race runs completely off roads with traffic.
2018: Cykelvasan's races are distributed across three different days.
2019: Cykelvasan is arranged for the eleventh year in a row.

Ten races in a row
127 people have completed the main race Cykelvasan 90 all ten years 2009–2018. 97 people are registered to participate in Cykelvasan 90 for the eleventh time!

Some celebrities in Cykelvasan 90 on August 10, 2019
Adam Alsing, TV and radio host
Anna Beck, para-cyclist (WC3) with multiple World Championship golds
Stefan Brykt, Olympic cyclist 1984, Mora's first pro cyclist
Tomas Gustafson, three-time ice skating Olympic gold medallist, awarded the Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal in 1988
Peter Helander, Member of Parliament
Lina Korsgren, Vasaloppet victor 2018, second in 2019 (22nd in Cykelvasan 90 2018)
Lars Lewén, former ski cross skier with five X Games medals and five world cup wins, biking for SVT
Klara Myrén, former national hockey team player
Henrik Sedin, former NHL professional hockey player
Ferry Svan, Junior World Champion in Timbersports 2017, sixth in Champions Trophy 2019
Mattias Särnholm, carpenter and Kanal 5 TV host
Rikard Tynell, cross-country skier Ski Classics (has participated in every Cykelvasan 90 since the start)
Petter Wastå, former football goalkeeper in Kalmar FF, Swedish Championship gold in 2008

Estimated passing times for Cykelvasan 90 on August 10, 2019
If the leading cyclists hold an average speed of 34 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 (closing at 18:00)
Hökberg – 10:05 10:27 18:45 (closing at 18:45)
Eldris – 10:27 10:46 19:15 (closing at 19:15)
Finish Mora – 10:46 11:02 20:00

Checkpoints must be left within 10 minutes after each closing time.

Awards Ceremony Cykelvasan 90
Ceremony will be held on stage by the Vasaloppet finish on Saturday, August 10 at 13:00.

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 11 at 22:40–23:25. Hosts/reporters: Rickard Ekman and Gunilla Wikström. Also in SVT1 on Monday, August 12 at 11.30–12.15 and SVT1 on Saturday, August 17 at 15.20–16.05. (Only viewable 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 9: 08:45–19:30
Saturday, August 10: 07:15–20:00
Sunday, August 11: 08:45–18:00

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

Follow participants via live results, text and app
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:
https://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 107.6 MHz, Oxberg/Älvdalen 89.1 MHz and Mora 94.1 MHz, on the web, or in the app Vasaloppet Sommar:
Friday August 9 at 07:00–14:00.
Saturday August 10 at 07:00–14:00.
Sunday August 11 at 09:00–14:00.
http://www.vasaloppsradion.se

Kranskulla and Kransmas in Cykelvasan 2019
This year's Kranskulla and Kransmas are Emma Höglund and Victor Sticko (both from Mora).

Functionaries
3,000 fantastic functionaries work during Vasaloppet's Summer Week 2019.

Blueberry soup
The total consumption during Vasaloppet's Summer Week 2019 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.

Vasaloppstrippeln 90 and Vasaloppstrippeln 45 – 3×90 km and 3x45 km
2014 was the first calendar year it was possible to complete "Vasaloppstrippeln"; that is completing Vasaloppet/Öppet Spår (skis), Cykelvasan 90/Cykelvasan Öppet Spår (bike) and Ultravasan 90 (running).

There are currently 295 people who in 2019 intend to take on 90 km of skiing, cycling and running. Cycling makes up the second part of Vasaloppstrippeln.

It's also possible to complete Vasaloppstrippeln 45 (Halvvasan, Cykelvasan 45 and Ultravasan 45) which 166 people intend to do this year

Events
There is a lot happening in Sälen and Mora during Vasaloppet's Summer Week 2019. Take part in the whole programme:
http://www.vasaloppet.se/program/vasakalendern

Registration for the twelfth Cykelvasan in 2020
Registration opens on Sunday, September 15, 2019, at 09:00 on vasaloppet.se

Watch last year's SVT summary from Cykelvasan 90 on SVT Play
(Only viewable in Sweden.)
https://www.svtplay.se/cykelvasan

See web broadcasts from Cykelvasan last year at Vasaloppet.TV
https://www.vasaloppet.tv/?id=8316644

Upcoming events in the Vasaloppet Arena

Vasaloppet's Summer Week 2019
Fri 9 Aug: Cykelvasan Öppet Spår. 94 km. Start Sälen
Fri 9 Aug: Cykelvasasprinten. 1 km. Lindvallen, Sälen (Open qualifier on Thursday)
Sat 10 Aug: Cykelvasan 90. 94 km. Start Sälen (FULL 190627)
Sun 11 Aug: Cykelvasan 30. 32 km. Start Oxberg
Sun 11 Aug: Ungdomscykelvasan. 32 km. Start Oxberg
Sun 11 Aug: Cykelvasan 45. 45 km. Start Oxberg
Sat 17 Aug: Ultravasan 45. 45 km. Start Oxberg
Sat 17 Aug: Ultravasan 90. 90 km. Start Sälen
Sat 17 Aug: Vasastafetten. 4.5–15 km. Running relay for ten-person teams. Start Sälen
Sat 17 Aug: Vasakvartetten. 19.1–24.2 km. Running relay for four-person teams. Start Sälen

Vasaloppet Winter Week 2020
Fri 21 Feb: Kortvasan. 30 km. Start Oxberg.
Sat 22 Feb: Tjejvasan. 30 km. Start Oxberg.
Sun 23 Feb: Ungdomsvasan. 9/19 km Start Eldris/Hökberg.
Sun 23 Feb: Öppet Spår Sunday. 90 km. Start Sälen.
Mon 24 Feb: Öppet Spår Monday. 90 km. Start Sälen.
Tue 25 Feb: Halvvasan. 45 km. Start Oxberg.
Fri 28 Feb: Stafettvasan. 9–24 km. Five-person teams. Start Sälen.
Fri 28 Feb: Nattvasan 90. 90 km. Two-person teams. Start Sälen.
Fri 28 Feb: Nattvasan 45. 90 km. Two-person teams. Start Oxberg.
Sat 29 Feb: Blåbärsloppet. 9 km. Start Eldris.
Sun 1 Mar: Vasaloppet. 90 km. Start Sälen.

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

Text and photos may be freely published.

For more information

Camilla Sandy, Press Manager
+46 (0)70-384 95 00
camilla.sandy@vasaloppet.se

More on Vasaloppet?
www.vasaloppet.se
Press room: mynewsdesk.com/se/pressroom/vasaloppet
Facebook: facebook.com/vasaloppetofficial
Instagram: @vasaloppet
Twitter: @vasaloppet