Towards the Tour de Ski 2021: first inspection of the FIS in Dobbiaco and confirmed races

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On January 5-6, free practice tests and classic pursuits: "The program will not change, unless the pandemic upsets everything".

Tuesday 21 July 2020 7 minutes reading time

During this period, the meeting between the organizers of the individual World Cup events and the leaders of the International Federation is customary. Dobbiaco, in cross-country skiing, will also play a leading role in 2021 with the two days of the Tour de Ski on 5 and 6 January, re-proposing the classic format with the free technique race on Tuesday 5 January, an individual on the distance of 10 and 15 km respectively for the women's and men's sectors, replicating Wednesday 6 with the classic pursuit on the same distances, before the grand finale in Val di Fiemme. The competition will be the tried and tested Nordic Arena, an authentic show area for narrow skis. At today's inspection, the coordinator of FIS for cross-country skiing, Sandra Spitz, the heads of FIS Marketing, of Swiss Timing, the coordinator of cross-country skiing representing FISI Marco Selle, and a delegation from Infront, were present deals with television production, headed by director Luigi Catalfamo. The delegation of the organizing committee was led by President Gerti Taschler, flanked by the deputy and race director Eugenio Rizzo, the general secretary Sarah Dapoz and Marina Rizzo, assistant to the race director. It is clear that the situation following the pandemic from Covid-19 still leaves some doubts about the competitive activities, the organizing committee and the FIS have dealt with the various aspects point by point, with an operational plan that contemplates any limitations; what is irrefutable is that the two stages of the Tour de Ski in Dobbiaco are very confirmed and will once again be highly spectacular, due to the shape of the track and the "central" positioning in the Tour program. Sandra Spitz, on behalf of FIS, thanked the South Tyrolean committee for the concrete and lasting collaboration, saying she was convinced that the Tour de Ski 2021 in Dobbiaco will be a "new great success despite the current situation". He also wanted to praise the staff for their tireless efforts and the contribution of many new ideas and suggestions. President Gerti Taschler, in welcoming the committee and the group of volunteers who make it possible to organize the events, underlined that "the goal is to make the Tour de Ski and cross-country skiing more and more interesting in Dobbiaco. The organizing committee has many ideas and hopes that they will be supported by both FIS and FISI ". Specifically, Taschler illustrated the track renewal project for future races, such as sprints and above all the "special classic climb" that in the future should bring athletes from the Nordic Arena to the natural arena of Prato Piazza along an unprecedented, hard and spectacular climb, already tested by the Pustertaler Ski Marathon in the 2020 version and which the coordinator of the cross-country World Cup wanted to personally test on skis last January. The conclusion of the work was clear, the tenders of 5 and 6 January will take place at all costs, unless a new pandemic peak, perhaps with some extra attention and in any case in compliance with all the rules of social distancing that the authorities will impose next winter. “We continue in our work - said Gerti Taschler - as if there were no limitations. The possible plan B will be discussed in detail after September ". Race director Eugenio Rizzo, having received the compliments for the last edition, underlined that the preparation of the slopes will start, as always, well in advance, first of all preparing a layer of artificial snow waiting for the natural one that has always made the Nordic Arena a jewel for television images radiated all over the world. In the meantime, the roller ski slope is open in Dobbiaco, also the scene of a stage for the Italian national team. The meeting ended with a convivial toast and see you in January, with the classic squeeze of ... elbows.

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