Stefano Mich and Oda Nerdrum were unbeatable on the Seiser Alm. © Sportissimus

200 cross-country skiers in the Seiser moonlight – Mich and Nerdrum victorious

Stefano Mich from Trentino and Oda Nerdrum from Norway were the first to cross the finish line on Friday evening in the classic distance race of the 18th South Tyrol Moonlight Classic Seiser Alm. With nearly 200 participants from 12 nations, the Moonlight Classic, which this year also counted towards the Ski Classics Challengers series, was once again a resounding success.

30 January 2026

From: pm

Stefano Mich won the 30-kilometer race of the 18th South Tyrol Moonlight Classic Seiser Alm in 1:28:56.6 hours. "Nöckler, Amhof, and I had a thrilling three-way battle, pushing each other to peak performance. I wasn't feeling my best at the beginning, so I'm all the happier to have won this race for the first time. It's something I've always dreamed of," said the winner.

The 32-year-old from Team Futura contested a large part of the race alongside Dietmar Nöckler (GS Fiamme Oro) and Manuel Amhof (Team Futura), both from the Puster Valley. In the final sprint, Mich prevailed against the other two cross-country skiers and won. Nöckler from Bruneck, who had already won the Moonlight Classic in 2015, took second place, finishing one second behind, closely followed by Amhof (Team Futura) 4,9 seconds back.

Dietmar Nöckler © Sportissimus

In the women's race, Norwegian Oda Nerdrum, who completed the 30 kilometers in 1:42:49.8, won by a clear margin. "I wasn't even aware that I was so far ahead. I was out on the course with a teammate for a long time and enjoyed the scenery. It's truly beautiful here, I'd love to come back," the Scandinavian athlete said happily.

The 30-year-old from Team Slavia Pojistovna Robinson Trentino led the entire race, securing a start-to-finish victory with a remarkable lead over her competitors. Second-placed Dariia Semiletenko crossed the finish line almost eleven minutes behind Nerdrum (+10:42.1 minutes). Julia Kuen from Team Futura, also from Puster Valley, took third place (+11:48.7 minutes).

The 15 kilometers in the spirit of Fanton and Debertolis

The fastest in the 15-kilometer race, which, like the 30-kilometer race, was held using the classic technique, was Paolo Fanton from Val di Fiemme, who had finished third the previous year. The cross-country skier from Team Futura prevailed against all competitors with a time of 41:18.6 minutes. Thanks to his high pace, he was at the front from the start, along with Tommaso Dellagiacoma (Team Internorm Trentino), who finished second 26,5 seconds behind. Felix Pider (Freienfeld/Team Internorm Trentino) from South Tyrol finished the race in third place.

The winner of the 15-kilometer race was Maria Eurosia Debertolis (Team Slavia Pojistovna Robinson Trentino) from Trentino. The cross-country skier from Carano (Val di Fiemme) won with a time of 49:00.7 minutes, keeping all her competitors at bay. Two South Tyrolean biathletes finished second and third on the women's podium. Eva Hutter (Laas/CS Aeronautica Militare) came in second, 4:16.7 minutes behind the winner. Denise Planker (CS Esercito) from Val Gardena finished third (+4:31.6 minutes).

The organizers' conclusion

“We are very pleased with today’s races. The atmosphere at the South Tyrol Moonlight Classic Seiser Alm was fantastic once again this year, the race ran smoothly, and all the athletes crossed the finish line happy. A huge congratulations to them all! We would also like to thank all the volunteers, our partners, and sponsors who once again made it possible for us to host this unique event,” the organizers happily concluded.

Europe's largest high-altitude alpine pasture has another sporting highlight in store this summer. The Seiser Alm Half Marathon will take place on Sunday, July 5th. As in previous years, there will again be a combined ranking for all athletes who also participated in the Moonlight Classic. Entry slots for the Seiser Alm Half Marathon are already sold out, but it is still possible to be placed on the waiting list.

The results

30km Men:
1. Stefano Mich ITA/Team Futura Trentino 1:28:56.6 hours
2. Dietmar Nöckler ITA/GS Fiamme Oro 1:28.57,7
3. Manuel Amhof ITA/Team Futura Trentino 1:29.01,5
4. Florian Knopf GER/SLV Bernau 1:35.07,8
5. Eskil Bakken NOR/NTNUI long race 1:40.01,7

30km Women:
1. Oda Nerdrum NOR/Team Slavia Pojistovna Robinson Trentino 1:42.49,8 hours
2. Dariia Semiletenko Goldfinch 1:53.31,9
3. Julia Kuen ITA/Team Futura 1:54.38,5
4. Jenny Ramstedt SWE/Sauerland Ski Team 2:03.56,0
5. Caterina Cozzolino ITA/Team Slavia Pojistovna Robinson Trentino 2:04.31,9

15km Men:
1. Paolo Fanton ITA/Team Futura 41:18.6 minutes
2. Tommaso Dellagiacoma ITA/Team Internorm Trentino 41.45,1
3. Felix Pider ITA/Team Internorm Trentino 44.25,7
4. Mattia Zamboni ITA/Sci Club Gromo 46.38,1
5. Samuel Ploner ITA/Ski Club Gröden ASD 47.00,5

15km Women:
1. Maria Eurosia Debertolis ITA/Team Slavia Pojistovna Robinson Trentino 49.00,7 minutes
2. Eva Hutter ITA/CS Aeronautica Militare 53.17,4
3. Denise Planker ITA/CS Esercito 53.32,3
4. Greta Haselrieder ITA/Südtiroler Laufverein Sparkasse 59.06,6
5. Giulia Macucci ITA/ASC Seiser Alm 1:00.26,9 hours