Cross-country skier Stina Nilsson fights her way to the podium: "It was so much fun!"

Stina Nilsson fought her way up to the podium in her first official Ski Classics race, finishing third after a strong final lap that took her from fifth place in Bad Gastein's 36 km event. She expressed her joy, saying, "It was so much fun, and so much can happen in such a long race. It's really cool that it was enough for the podium, and it felt right all along to make this switch to long-distance skiing.

During the race, she was trailing but managed to leave Hedda Bångman behind and overtook Silje Öyre Slind just a couple of kilometers before the finish, catching up with Anniken Gjerde Alnaes.

Nilsson reflected on her performance, emphasizing that when one commits to the effort, the investment pays off, leading to a fulfilling race experience.

She was at one point 53 seconds from podium contention and was 1:44 behind the overall winner, Emilie Fleten, who dominated the race from the start.

Final Results for Ski Classics 36 km Bad Gastein:
1) Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, 1:56:46.5
2) Anniken Gjerde Alnaes, Team Engcon, +30.5
3) Stina Nilsson, Team Ragde, +47.0
4) Silje Öyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, +1:55.2
5) Hedda Bångman, Vltava Team, +2:06.2

The race had its challenges, particularly with the harsh weather conditions affecting visibility, but Nilsson's strong performance towards the end proved her resilience and skill on the track, showing her potential in the long-distance skiing arena.