The Holmenkollen 50 km is probably the toughest 50 km track in the XC Skiing World Cup circus – with 1998 meter of ascent. Here is a 3D course preview – see what the skiers have to go through six times!

Just to put the course into perspective: How much is really 1998 meters? Compare it to the famous L’Alp-d’Huez – the Queen stage of Tour de France. The L’Alp-d’Huez has around 1100 meters of ascent…

1998 meter of ascent

The Holmenkollen 50 km track is actually 53 kilometers long – with a total of 1998 meters of ascent. That is only 2 meters less than the maximum allowed by FIS (maximum allowed is 2000 meters, rules changed in 2004). Below you see the course profile for each of the six loops. Each loop has 333 meter of ascent – more than half of the ascent coming in the first 3 kilometers of the loop.

Toughest 50 km courses in World Champs/Olympics

Here is the list of the toughest 50 km courses in the World Championships/Olympics.

1. 1998 meter, nye Holmenkollen (52 860 meter long)
2. 1810 meter, OL Torino
3. 1794 meter, OL i Salt Lake City
4. 1760 meter, OL i Vancouver
5. 1759 meter, VM i Liberec
6. 1713 meter, Holmenkollen (2007 edition of the course)
7. 1698 meter, Granåsen

Source: FIS/Norges Skiforbund

Favourites for 2011-edition of 50 km

A full preview of the favourites is given here:

• 50 km Holmenkollen favourites