9.2.2025

Sunday Sunshine Smiles Most on Team Engcon at the ČEZ Jizerská 50

The main Sunday race of the ČEZ Jizerská 50 in the elite categories belonged to Team Engcon. Both the men's winner, Ole Joergen Bruvoll, and the women's winner, Anikken Gjerde Alnaes, wore the team's yellow-black racing suit. The racers enjoyed beautiful weather and fast snow, making the course a delight even for recreational skiers. A total of 4,460 skiers set off in the main race. The participant counter for the 58th edition of the ČEZ Jizerská 50 stopped at 8,413.

After three years, race day in the Jizera Mountains was graced with picture-perfect weather. The morning frost created patterns reminiscent of those crafted by Jizera Mountain glassmakers for centuries. As the day progressed, the temperature in the sunshine rose above freezing.

Organizers chose a format where the women started at 8:00 AM, giving them a 30-minute lead over the men. This ensured the best female racers had more space on the course and made the race fairer. The men followed half an hour later. Spectators witnessed intriguing tactical moves by some competitors who focused solely on intermediate prizes, expending all their energy on them while completing the rest of the race at a more relaxed pace. Once again, prizes were offered by ORLEN, ČEZ, and the Czech Mint.

Only after them did those who embody the spirit of the ČEZ Jizerská 50 take to the track – the recreational skiers, the people facing a regular workday tomorrow. Their colleagues might tease them about how many hours they lost to the winners, but they will be warmed by the sense of accomplishment and participation in an event unparalleled in Central Europe.

Gjerde Alnaes Shows Sprint Super Form

The first woman to pass the ORLEN mountain prize at Knajpa was sprint winner Anikken Gjerde Alnaes, signaling how the race would unfold. Shortly afterward, a group of six competitors broke away and passed through the refreshment station at Jizerka.

As every year, the steep climb from Smědava to Knajpa proved to be a crucial section. Anikken Gjerde Alnaes set the pace once again, but the most significant acceleration at the end of the climb, where the Czech Mint prize was awarded, came from Stina Nilsson. The leading five also included Emilie Fleten, Hanna Lodin, and Jenny Larsson.

About three minutes behind them, the fastest Czech woman, Sandra Schützová, was holding seventh place. Tereza Hujerová was in twelfth.

The leading group of five stuck together until the final kilometers, where the decisive moments came in the sprint finish, with positioning and downhill skills playing a key role. In the end, the same athlete as in the sprint crossed the finish line first. However, this time, Anniken Gjerde Alnaes had to fight hard against Jenny Larsson, and the winner was uncertain until the very last meters. About 15 meters behind them, Stina Nilsson, Hanna Lodin, and Emilie Fleten followed. The fastest women completed the course in just 2 hours and 9 minutes, three minutes faster than the official course record.

"I realized early on that it would come down to a sprint, so I tried to save energy. The snow at the top was a bit dry, and at the finish, it had a sugar-like texture, making it challenging to find the perfect track and keep balance. I’m happy that Jenny Larsson made it to the podium as well – she’s been aiming for this for a long time," said the winner.

ČEZ Jizerská 50 Results – Women

Anikken Gjerde Alnaes (NOR, Team Engcon) 2:09:24
Jenny Larsson (SWE, Lager 157 Ski Team) +0:00.2
Hanna Lodin (SWE, Team Engcon) +0:02

Men’s Race Dominated by Team Engcon

The first significant split in the men's field occurred on the climb to Rozmezí. However, the ORLEN mountain prize was positioned further up at Knajpa this year. The fastest to reach it after half an hour was Runar Skaug Mathisen from Norway.

A large group of more than twenty racers arrived at Jizerka together, leading to a fierce battle for the ČEZ sprint prize. Norwegian Mikael Gunnulfsen, who lacks extensive experience in long-distance races but has won a World Cup relay event, surprised everyone by taking the prize.

On the climb to Smědava, the race favorites, led by Max Novak and Andreas Nygaard, set the pace. However, Frenchman Jérémy Royer managed to break away and claim the Czech Mint prize.

Before Krásná Máří, Team Engcon shocked the peloton – the pace set by Torleif Syrstad, Ole Joergen Bruvoll, and Johan Tjelle was matched only by Johan Hoel from Team Radge Charge. Tactical maneuvering in the main group allowed the leaders to gain a sufficient gap. Ultimately, Tjelle dropped out of the fight for victory, leaving the remaining Engcon duo, Syrstad and Bruvoll, to watch out for Hoel. Syrstad had the best skis for the downhill, but in the final stretch, Bruvoll overtook him to claim victory.

"Yes, it was a tough race, and we kept a high pace throughout. In the end, it came down to a four-man sprint finish. It was so close that I wasn’t even sure I had won. The conditions were really nice. There wasn’t much snow in the Jizera Mountains, but I was pleasantly surprised by how well the organizers prepared the tracks," praised the winner, Ole Joergen Bruvoll.