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6th edition of Tour de Ski - What to expect?
With challenging weather conditions, the Organizing Committee in Oberhof has worked 24/7 the last days to ensure the best possible conditions for the initial stages of the highlight event of this season: the Viessmann FIS Tour de Ski performance by Craft Sportswear. The weather gods have not been on the OC's side this time, with fog and mild temperatures and additionally a warm wind moving in. Despite that, a mixture of artificial snow and natural snow brought in from the forest has secured the snow base in Oberhof. The tracks for tomorrow's race will be set at 9pm Wednesday night, and with cold temperatures overnight, everything should be set for the first stage of a total of nine.
Race Director Jürg Capol was relaxed on Wednesday afternoon but still proud to see how the Tour de Ski has evolved in the last couple of years: "I am really excited that the sixth Tour de Ski starts tomorrow in Oberhof and am proud of how the Tour de Ski has developed in the past years. We have nine challenging races and eleven tough days ahead of us, but I am sure that everybody in the Cross-Country family is looking forward to it. We have a lot of media on-site already here in Oberhof and expect even more to be joining during the Tour".
A total of 75 ladies and 104 men have entered the competition, which will lead to several exciting stages in the coming days. Last year's winners Justyna Kowalczyk (POL) and Dario Cologna (SUI) are seen as the strongest athletes aiming for the win along with the Norwegians Marit Bjoergen and Petter Northug, who will both fight to become the first Norwegian to win Tour de Ski. Before the traditional team presentation which took place in Oberhof this afternoon, the international press were invited for a short press conference with the four athletes. All of them are of course eager to win, but they know it will be hard. Marit Bjoergen has chosen not to compete in the last two editions of the Tour de Ski to focus on the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships and Olympic Winter Games, but this year she wants to be the first up the famous Alpe Cermis in Val di Fiemme; "This is my goal this year, I've been out of TdS the last two years but I've always said that the Tour fits me well as I can do a good job in both sprint and longer distance. I have a second place from 2006, but my goal is definitely to win this year".
Tour de Ski starts with a prologue on Thursday and continues with a pursuit handicap start stage on Friday (10 km ladies and 15 km men) in Oberhof. So far, there are three athletes who won't make the start due to illness. These are Vibeke Skofterud and Martin Johnsrud-Sundby from Norway and Calle Halfvarsson from Sweden.
Please follow the latest news and developments on www.fiscrosscountry.com
Contributed by Sofie Torlei Olsen