Ulvang apre all'introduzione del cross-country cross in Coppa del Mondo

Nordic SkiingCross country skiing

Ulvang opens all''introduzione of cross-cross country at the World Cup

Last February, on the occasion of the Youth Olympic Winter Games in Lillehammer, the cross-country cross was for the first time at international level tested. Nine months later, Vegard Ulvang opened the inclusion of the specialty in the calendar of the World Cup.

Monday 14 November 2016 3 minutes reading time

"The welcome I received from the cross-country cross in countries like Switzerland, France, Germany, and Canada has been very positive," said Ulvang to Verdens Gang. "In these countries, it is widely believed that the specialty helpful in acquiring the technical bases. No doubt that will be put forward shortly a proposal for its inclusion in the World Cup. " Words very different from those spoken by the Albertville Olympic tri-champion at the time of the Games: "I think this is an event destined to be relegated to the junior categories, I see no need to take him to the World Cup." According to Ulvang, the possible introduction of cross-country cross in the maximum circuit would be dependent on a change in the format. In Lillehammer, the batteries could see the away ten athletes, who had to confront on a path comprising pitfalls which ports slalom and jumps. "For the Youth Olympic Games, you could afford to compete ten competitors for battery because there were marked differences between one and the other," explained Ulvang. "In terms of the World Cup, the number should be reduced. In addition, we review the types of difficulties to face. " To those who object that such a test would alter the essence of skiing, Norway replied that "cross-country skiing is a sport that requires technique; in a sense, this specialty it would bring back to the origins, when the slopes were not prepared to perfection as today. All technicians agree that young people benefit from the exercise on more bumpy tracks. " There is currently a deadline for the possible entry in the cross calendar, but Ulvang speculates that a discussion can open "next summer". In any case, before attending to the format's debut in the CDM, it is necessary to wait a few years to lower levels test.