Some registered Pro Team athletes have reached this age barrier, but two favorites are in a league of their own: Anders Aukland, Team Ragde Charge, and Stanislav Řezáč, Slavia Pojišťovna Sport Team Z.S. 

Aukland finished 22nd in the Champion competition last season, while Řezáč was a bit behind in his 28th position. The former turned 50 in September, and the latter will be 50 in April. They are both legends in the Ski Classics Hall of Fame. Aukland has 16 stage wins, while Řezáč’s total number is 14. 

Aukland is still a solid top-20 skier, and on a good day, he can push himself into the top-10 group. Last season, it happened twice, as he was 5th at Tartu Maraton and 9th at Vasaloppet. Řezáč managed to be in the top 10 once when he finished Tartu Ski Marathon as the 10th fastest skier. He was in the top 30 six times and sometimes very close by. Årefjällsloppet’s 19th place was his second-best result of the season. 

As we can see, these two skiers are still capable of skiing almost neck and neck with the best athletes on the Pro Tour, and we often see them in the lead group. If they have a perfect day, they can still be in the top 10, and both of them are Vasaloppet specialists. However, picking the number one favorite in this category is quite easy, as Anders Aukland seems to be just a notch faster than Rezac in most races. 

There is a third name in the Veteran competition that should be mentioned. Florian Göbel, Ski-Willy Marathon Team Austria, from Germany, 50, finished 126th in the Champion competition. His performance was very even throughout the season: 69th at Pustertaler Ski Marathon, 68th at Prato Piazza Mountain Challenge, 82nd at La Diagonela, and 65th at Jizerská50. 

Göbel will not be able to challenge the two big names in this category. Still, he is also a great inspiration to many younger skiers in Cental-Europe, pushing the envelope together with Aukland and Řezáč showing that age is just a number.  

Written by Expert Commentator Teemu Virtanen

Veteran Bib Favorites – Ski Classics Season XIV

Anders Aukland

• Nationality: Norway
• Date of Birth: 12.09.1972
• Pro Team: Team Ragde Charge
• Likelihood to win: 5 out of 5

Stanislav Řezáč

• Nationality: Czech Republic
• Date of Birth: 29.04.1973
• Pro Team: Slavia Pojišťovna Sport Team Z.S.
• Likelihood to win: 3 out of 5

Florian Göbel

• Nationality: Germany
• Date of Birth: 05.04.1972
• Pro Team: Ski-Willy Marathon Team Austria
• Likelihood to win: 1 out of 5

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