Comments on: Vegard Ulvang: Different Opinions http://fasterskier.com/2009/12/vegard-ulvang-different-opinions/ FasterSkier: Cross-Country Ski, Biathlon, and Nordic Combined Racing, Training and News Fri, 25 May 2012 15:10:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: OldManWinterhttp://fasterskier.com/2009/12/vegard-ulvang-different-opinions/comment-page-1/#comment-1173 OldManWinter Fri, 01 Jan 2010 14:38:56 +0000 http://fasterskier.com/?p=68672#comment-1173 Has xc become so different from track with dramatically different distances and techniques? Can you imagine a Carl Lewis running a marathon, or a Frank Shorter sprinting? The sport needs stars, so here is an opportunity to create new ones(sprint, classical, skating and classical, within sprint and distance disciplines). Leave the overall title for the 'decathlete' of the bunch based upon some formula. I can easily visualize all that happening. In not doing so, my concern is that forcing the same athletes to pull the trigger every few days at wildly variable distances and disciplines will either: 1) promote watered-down performances, or 2) further encourage doping ala the TDF and professional bike racing in general. Has xc become so different from track with dramatically different distances and techniques? Can you imagine a Carl Lewis running a marathon, or a Frank Shorter sprinting? The sport needs stars, so here is an opportunity to create new ones(sprint, classical, skating and classical, within sprint and distance disciplines). Leave the overall title for the ‘decathlete’ of the bunch based upon some formula. I can easily visualize all that happening. In not doing so, my concern is that forcing the same athletes to pull the trigger every few days at wildly variable distances and disciplines will either: 1) promote watered-down performances, or 2) further encourage doping ala the TDF and professional bike racing in general.

]]> By: Larshttp://fasterskier.com/2009/12/vegard-ulvang-different-opinions/comment-page-1/#comment-1165 Lars Fri, 01 Jan 2010 04:17:15 +0000 http://fasterskier.com/?p=68672#comment-1165 I love the tour, but please do not make tours everywhere. It punishes the specialists, they get fewer races to participate. And for say sprint specialists from stronger nations it also can seriously hurt there chances in say the sprint WC. Wile say strong sprinters from nations with less dept might get to participate in the tour and there for get a competitive advantage. Also if last years world cup final is an indication small tours a just bad copy`s and kinda lame. As for the different race types i like most of them but miss the old style interval start 50k. That said mass starts can be very entertaining to like say the 50k in Trondheim last season. In that race the course was so hard that the pack broke up and there was action during the entire race. Unfortunately most mass start i have seen particularly on the mens side have been a large pack skiing together for almost the entire race and a sprint finish (won by Northug) at the end. And that is very boring. Also how about trying to get in 3 races per week ? That could possibly counter some of Bjørndalens criticism that there are so few races for each skier if they are specialists I love the tour, but please do not make tours everywhere.
It punishes the specialists, they get fewer races to participate. And for say sprint specialists from stronger nations it also can seriously hurt there chances in say the sprint WC. Wile say strong sprinters from nations with less dept might get to participate in the tour and there for get a competitive advantage.
Also if last years world cup final is an indication small tours a just bad copy`s and kinda lame.
As for the different race types i like most of them but miss the old style interval start 50k. That said mass starts can be very entertaining to like say the 50k in Trondheim last season. In that race the course was so hard that the pack broke up and there was action during the entire race. Unfortunately most mass start i have seen particularly on the mens side have been a large pack skiing together for almost the entire race and a sprint finish (won by Northug) at the end. And that is very boring.

Also how about trying to get in 3 races per week ? That could possibly counter some of Bjørndalens criticism that there are so few races for each skier if they are specialists

]]>