Birkebeinerrittet

Birkebeinerrittet (lit. The Birkebeiner cycling race) is a long-distance mountain bike cycling race held annually in Norway. It is the world's largest mountain bike race in number of contestants.^[1] In 2009, 17,164 riders signed up, and 15,140 cyclists completed the race.

The race[]

The race starts at Rena and ends at Håkons Hall in Lillehammer. Birkebeinerrittet is 92km^[2] long along fire roads, with some paved and some single/dualtrack segments.

The race has been held since 1993 and commemorates a trip made by the Birkebeiner loyalists to save the heir to the Norwegian throne, Håkon Håkonsson, in 1206. All participants carry a backpack weighing at least 3.5 kg, symbolizing the weight of the then one-year-old heir.

Past winners[]

Men[]

Year	Name	Club/Nation	Time
2014	Fredrik Wilmann	Norway	02.33.18
2013	Fredrik Ericsson	Sweden	02.41.17
2012		Norway	02.43.24
2011	Stian Remme	Norway	02.54.45
2010		Germany	02.57.04
2009		Switzerland	03.02.05
2008		Norway	02.40.50
2007		Italy	02.52.29
2006	Lars Petter Nordhaug	Norway	02.43.08
2005	Thomas Frischknecht	Switzerland	03.52.01

Women[]

Year	Name	Club/Nation	Time
2014		Norway	03.05.04
2013		Norway	03.12.38
2012	Pia Sundstedt	Finland	03.06.42
2011	Pia Sundstedt	Finland	03.08.26
2010	Pia Sundstedt	Finland	03.19.45
2009	Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjå	Norway	03.27.02
2008	Pia Sundstedt	Finland	03.09.06
2007	Pia Sundstedt	Finland	03.24.43
2006	Pia Sundstedt	Finland	03.08.32
2005	Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjå	Norway	04.05.18

External links[]

Official homepage (in Norwegian)

References[]

^ Birkebeinerrittet is the world's largest cross country bicycle race with 18.000 participants Archived August 6, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
^ "Løype Birkebeinerrittet". birkebeiner.no. Retrieved 2 September 2013.

[1] Birkebeinerrittet is the world's largest cross country bicycle race with 18.000 participants Archived August 6, 2011, at the Wayback Machine

[2] "Løype Birkebeinerrittet". birkebeiner.no. Retrieved 2 September 2013.

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