Team Cross Sportswear moving through the winter forest Photo: Peder Sundström

A few hours into the fourth day of racing the two Swedish teams, Cross Sportswear and Lundhags, are still in the lead. Cross left Saxnäs a little after 23.00 last night, after five hours of sleep and rest. The 25 kilometre bike ride, with skis, crampons and mountaineering gear on their back took over two and a half hour. “That was the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” said Björn Rydvall on Lundhags when they arrived at CP 36.

Lundhags are 33 minutes after Cross, skating fast on their skis. At CP36 they changed from skis to crampons, for the about 200 m descent up the Durrienjaeive. They also had time to eat some chocolate, some of the 1400 SEK worth of candy they bought for this race!

“We are not trying to chase Cross, but we will do our best and see where that leads,” said Björn Rydvall. Team Lundhags are on much faster skis than Cross, so there is the possibility that they catch up to them.

About two hours after Lundhags are Salomon Suisse, still on their bikes, and about an hour after them are Montrail.

By: Emma Wichardt