Jenny Rissveds and Simon Andreassen won Cykelvasan 90 2024

There was an Olympic shine over Cykelvasan 90 2024. Double Olympic medallist Jenny Rissveds from Falu Cykelklubb won the women’s class convincingly, finishing over five minutes ahead of runner-up Lejla Njemcevic from Bosnia and Herzegovina. The men's class saw a Norwegian-Danish duel with Simon Andreassen, who also competed in the Paris Olympics, winning the sprint on Vasagatan in Mora ahead of Norway’s Emil Hasund Eid. This marked Denmark's first victory in Cykelvasan. A total of over 14,000 participants registered for the various Cykelvasan races this year, a cycling fest where the last participants are expected to finish in Mora this evening. Vasaloppet's Summer Week 2024 continues next weekend with running events in the Vasaloppet Arena.

Due to the previous day's rain and a wet and muddy track, some minor adjustments were made to the course for Cykelvasan 90. This included a small re-routing about 1.5 km from the finish, which extended the total distance by approximately 100 metres.

Elite women

It had rained quite a bit over the past 24 hours, but the Vasaloppet start in Sälen offered sunshine, 12 degrees Celsius, and light winds as the 67 women started at 07:30 to embark on the 96 kilometres from Sälen to Mora.

Jenny Rissveds, who won a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics just 13 days ago, was the first to reach the top of the first climb. At this sprint prize, marking the highest point of Vasaloppet, 528 metres above sea level and about three kilometres from the start, she had a 23-second lead over a group of six cyclists, including last year's winner Amanda Bohlin.

Two Norwegian former Cykelvasan winners, Hildegunn Gjertrud Hovdenak and Elisabeth Sveum, had to withdraw earlier in the week, so the main international competition came from Bosnian world number one Lejla Njemcevic. Norway's Hedda Brenningen Bjørklund was also in the running.

Jenny Rissveds claimed the sprint prize in Smågan but the following pack, now consisting of twelve cyclists, including all other favourites to win, had caught up with her.

Jenny Rissveds also took the sprint prize in Mångsbodarna ahead of Linn Gustafzzon, and the group began to split up. In Risberg, the leading group consisted of Jenny Rissveds, Lejla Njemcevic, Amanda Bohlin, and Nathalie Eklund, and they had extended their lead to half a minute.

Amanda Bohlin had to drop back, leaving the two internationally experienced mountain bikers, Rissveds and Njemcevic, followed by Nathalie Eklund, who competed in the Giro d’Italia in July.

Eklund also had to drop back and was over a minute behind when Lejla Njemcevic took the hill prize in Evertsberg, just one second ahead of Rissveds. As they approached the Lundbäcksbackarna hills, the leading duo had extended their lead by another minute. At this point, Jenny Rissveds made her move and, after the climb, with 30 kilometres to go, she had pulled ahead by half a minute. At the Oxberg checkpoint, her lead was 52 seconds, and the race was effectively decided.

Jenny Rissveds won by 5 minutes and 6 seconds, the largest winning margin in Cykelvasan's history. Lejla Njemcevic finished second, and Nathalie Eklund came third.

Jenny Rissveds, who last competed in Cykelvasan in 2015, was a delighted winner today:
"It was really fun to do Cykelvasan. I had no idea what to expect from a race like this, so I pushed hard on the first climb and figured they could catch up, and we’ll see what happens. I got a bit annoyed when no one wanted to take the lead. But then we were in a group, all willing to push, and it was more enjoyable. When there were still four of us, I stood up on a climb and felt like they were struggling a bit behind; that's when I felt I might be the strongest in the group after all."

Elite men

338 elite men started the race. Norway’s Emil Hasund Eid, who finished second in Cykelvasan 2018, did the same as Jenny Rissveds and broke away on the first climb. He took the sprint prize at the highest point, just ahead of Rissveds' boyfriend, Simon Andreassen from Denmark. Carl Kagevi also caught up, and the three were first to the checkpoint in Smågan, with Andreassen in the lead.

The course was slippery, and Carl Kagevi took a fall but completed the race. Emil Hasund Eid and Simon Andreassen had a 45-second lead over the large following group in Mångsbodarna. The Norwegian took the sprint prize.

In Risberg, the leading duo’s advantage was one minute. They took turns winning the sprint prizes, with the Dane winning in Risberg and the Norwegian taking the hill prize in Evertsberg, where their lead was 1 minute and 40 seconds – he also took the Oxberg sprint prize, where they had pulled away by a few more seconds. About 20 cyclists followed, led by Matthias Wengelin.

The Norwegian-Danish duo stayed together the whole way. Emil Hasund Eid was first at the Hökberg and Eldris checkpoints. He was also first to turn onto the final stretch in Mora, but Simon Andreassen pushed a little harder, and the first Danish victory became a reality. He won three seconds ahead of Emil Hasund Eid. The first to congratulate the men's winner was his girlfriend, Jenny Rissveds!

"I didn’t really have any tactics. I didn’t know what to expect from the race," Simon Andreassen said after finishing. "It was a quite impulsive decision to sign up and go and do it. We’ve actually been on holiday after the Olympics, so it was quite a shock to the system to go up that first hill."

"I didn’t know anything about Cykelvasan, I only knew there was a cross-country skiing event. But I learned that it is a very, very big race here in Sweden and I could feel it out there. It was full gas and so many people out there. I really, really enjoyed it, even though it was probably the hardest race I’ve done this year."

Regarding the duel with Emil Hasund Eid, Simon Andreassen said:
"He was really, really strong. I felt pretty good the first hour and a half. After that it was pure survival for me and he was super strong driving the speed. I hoped that I could keep his wheel until the end because I knew I have quite a good sprint, so that would be my only chance. I felt a little bit bad, just sitting there and then sprinting in the end, but I couldn’t help anything. I would have slowed the pace if I went to the front."

Østen Brovold Midtsundstad from Norway, who finished second last year, came third, 1 minute and 53 seconds behind the winner. The best Swedish finisher was Matthias Wengelin in fifth place.

RESULTS
Cykelvasan 90, 96 km Sälen-Mora, women, 2024-08-10
1 Jenny Rissveds, (SWE), Falu CK, 3.06.41.1
2 Lejla Njemcevic, (BIH), Allebike Factory team, 3.11.47.7
3 Nathalie Eklund, (SWE), Roland Cycling Team, 3.15.45.4
4 Clara Lundmark, (SWE), Hess Cycling Team, 3.21.51.5
5 Amanda Bohlin, (SWE), CK Hymer, 3.21.52.5
6 Moa Gustafzzon, (SWE), Team Vostroblock Evolite Cycling, 3.21.52.5
7 Terese Andersson, (SWE), Team Serneke-Allebike, 3.21.52.8
8 Nellie Larsson, (SWE), Team Motorhalland/Bukten MTB, 3.21.53.0
9 Linn Gustafzzon, (SWE), Falun, 3.22.00.9
10 Hedda Brenningen Bjørklund, (NOR), Lillehammer Cykleklubb, 3.23.59.6

Cykelvasan 90, 96 km Sälen-Mora, men, 2024-08-10
1 Simon Andreassen, (DEN), Cannondale Factory Racing, 2.42.10.7
2 Emil Hasund Eid, (NOR), Team Hunton Hard Rocx, 2.42.13.6
3 Østen Brovold Midtsundstad, (NOR), Solør CK, 2.44.03.7
4 Martin Røste Omdahl, (NOR), Team Hunton Hard Rocx, 2.44.03.7
5 Matthias Wengelin, (SWE), Säter, 2.44.04.5
6 Hugo Forssell, (SWE) CK Hymer, 2.44.04.6
7 Eskil Evensen-Lie, (NOR), Slemdal, 2.44.05.1
8 Vidar Mehl, (NOR), Team Hunton Hard Rocx, 2.44.05.8
9 Edvin Elofsson, (SWE), Allebike Factory team, 2.44.05.9
10 Anton Olars, (SWE), Falu CK, 2.44.06.1

Footnote: The hill prizes in Evertsberg were won by Lejla Njemcevic with a time of 1.49.18 and Emil Hasund Eid in 1.32.28.

Photos from Cykelvasan 2024 which may be freely published:
https://www.mynewsdesk.com/se/vasaloppet/latest_media

Results and app
Start lists, live results, split times, and statistics are available here:
https://media.vasaloppet.se/2024/?lang=EN_CAP
username: vasa
password: media

Follow participants in the Vasaloppet app:
https://www.vasaloppet.se/en/summer/follow/

The 100th Kranskulla and 36th Kransmas
This year’s Kranskulla is Elsa Hermansson (Kranskulla no. 100), and the Kransmas is Gustav Johnsson (Kransmas no. 36), both are elite ski orienteers from IFK Mora.

Prizes
Sprint prizes (3,000 SEK) are awarded to the first cyclist in the women's and men's classes to pass the highest point of Vasaloppet, after the first uphill slope, as well as the checkpoints in Smågan, Mångsbodarna, Risberg, Oxberg, Hökberg, and Eldris. A hill prize (5,000 SEK) is awarded to the first woman and man to reach Evertsberg. To receive the sprint and hill prizes, participants must complete the race. Garlands to the winners and placement medals to the top three. Training scholarships to the top ten women and top ten men in the competition class. The 2024 first prize in both the women's and men's classes is 40,000 SEK. The total prize sum is 288,000 SEK.

Watch the TV broadcasts from Cykelvasan 90 2024 after the fact
SVT Play Cykelvasan 90 2024
https://www.svtplay.se/cykelvasan-1

Vasaloppet.TV (including all finishes)
https://vasaloppet.tv

All Cykelvasan winners 2009–2023, 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
2019 Elisabeth Sveum, Norway, 3.08.41
2020 Cykelvasan was part of Hemmavasan. No winner was crowned.
2021 Jennie Stenerhag, Falu CK/Åbro, 3.11.23
2022 Sandra Salinger, Mix Sports Club, 3.04.00
2023 Amanda Bohlin, CK Hymer, 3.25.57

All Cykelvasan winners 2009–2023, 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
2019 Emil Lindgren, Serneke Allebike MTB TEAM, 2.48.41
2020 Cykelvasan was part of Hemmavasan. No winner was crowned.
2021 Kristian Klevgård, IK Hero, Norway, 2.45.29
2022 Emil Lindgren, Serneke Allebike CK, 2.43.00
2023 Kristian Klevgård, X-Speed United Continental team, Norway, 2.51.31

FACTS All top ten placements in Cykelvasan 90 2009–2023
(PDF in Swedish)
https://www.vasaloppet.se/wp-content/uploads/sites/1/2023/09/Cykelvasan_90_genom_tiderna_tio-i-topp_2023-09-01.pdf

2025
Registration for Cykelvasan 2025 and Vasaloppet's Summer Week 2025 open now with an "early bird discount" on Vasaloppet's website https://www.vasaloppet.se/en/summer2025

Vasaloppet upcoming events

Vasaloppet’s Summer Week 2024 – biking and running
Friday, August 9, Ungdomscykelvasan, start Oxberg, 32 km
Friday, August 9, Cykelvasan Öppet Spår, start Sälen, 96 km
Friday, August 9, Cykelvasan 30, start Oxberg, 32 km
Friday, August 9, Cykelvasan 45, start Oxberg, 45 km
Saturday, August 10, Cykelvasan 90, start Sälen, 96 km
Friday, August 16, Funkisvasan, start Mora, 4 km
Friday, August 16, Trailvasan 10, start Mora, 10 km
Saturday, August 17, Ultravasan 90, start Sälen, 92 km
Saturday, August 17, Vasastafetten, running relay, ten legs, start Sälen, 92 km
Saturday, August 17, Ultravasan 45, start Oxberg, 45 km
Saturday, August 17, Trailvasan 30, start Oxberg, 30 km

Vasaloppet’s Winter Week 2025 and the 101st Vasaloppet – cross country skiing
Friday, February 21, Vasaloppet 30, start Oxberg, 30 km
Saturday, February 22, Tjejvasan, start Oxberg, 30 km
Sunday, February 23, Öppet Spår Sunday, start Sälen, 90 km
Sunday, February 23, Ungdomsvasan, start Eldris, 9 km, start Hökberg, 19 km
Monday, February 24, Öppet Spår Monday 90, freestyle, start Sälen, 90 km
Monday, February 24, Öppet Spår Monday 45, freestyle, start Evertsberg, 45 km
Monday, February 24, Öppet Spår Monday 30, freestyle, start Oxberg, 30 km
Tuesday, February 25, Vasaloppet 45, start Oxberg, 45 km
Friday, February 28, Stafettvasan, ski relay, five legs, start Sälen, 90 km
Friday, February 28, Nattvasan 30, individually or two-person teams, freestyle, start Oxberg, 30 km
Friday, February 28, Nattvasan 45, individually or two-person teams, freestyle, start Oxberg, 45 km
Friday, February 28, Nattvasan 90, individually or two-person teams, freestyle, start Sälen, 90 km
Saturday, March 1, Vasaloppet 10, freestyle, start Eldris, 9 km
Sunday, March 2, The 101st Vasaloppet, start Sälen, 90 km

Vasaloppstrippeln – ski, bike and run, all in one year
Vasaloppstrippeln is a challenge where you complete three races – skiing, cycling and running – during one and the same calendar year. Choose between 30, 45 or 90 kilometres.

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High-resolution photos from Vasaloppet
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Text and photos may be freely published.

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

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