Ebba Andersson Triumphs in 2025 Gällivare Season Opener 10K Classic Race

Ebba Andersson secured a commanding victory in the 10-kilometer classic race at the 2025 season opener in Gällivare, finishing 13.5 seconds ahead of fellow Swede Moa Ilar. Ilar had kept close for the first two kilometers but Andersson took control thereafter, widening the gap substantially. Swiss skier Nadine Fähndrich completed the podium in third place, trailing Ilar by 44.5 seconds. Andersson described the race as "quite tough" and noted there were still areas to improve upon.

This event marked Andersson's season debut, following her notable success at last year's World Championships where she won three gold medals, as well as her strong showing at the World Championships in Trondheim earlier this year. Several top competitors, such as Frida Karlsson, Maja Dahlqvist, Jonna Sundling, and Johanna Hagström abstained from the classic race to focus on the upcoming 10-kilometer freestyle race later in the weekend.

Experts praised both Andersson and Ilar for their performances. Mathias Fredriksson awarded them "gold stars," while sports commentator Anders Blomquist observed that Andersson's victory confirmed her status this season. The next competition on the schedule is a 10-kilometer freestyle event, followed by the World Cup season start in Ruka next weekend.