Italian National Team member and Worldloppet winner Roberto De Zolt

How many hours did you train last year? Are you increasing this year?

Last year I trained about 600 hours, but this year, because of my back, I did about 50 hours less. In percentage I did less running.

How much of your training is done with your team or club, and how much training do you do alone?
About half of the time I train with the club and the National Team, the rest by myself.

Do you have a favorite workout that you think is particularly beneficial to your training?

I like a lot to go on the bicycle, but I think that the best training is running.

What is your take on the issue of doping and related penalties in Cross-Country ski racing these days?

I'm against the doping, we have to race with our own strengths.

What hobbies/interests do you have other than skiing?

My hobbies are to work/cut wood in the forest and “do it yourself” projects for the house.

Where is your favorite place to train?

I most of all like to ski on my town's ski tracks, because of the technical quality.

Have you spent much time skiing in North America? What is your impression of Cross-Country ski racing in North America?

I've been 5 times in North America for races and I liked very much the beauty and the size of those places.

Can you give a few words of advice on training or racing to our readers, perhaps young skiers especially?

My advice to the readers is that if they want to reach their goal in a sport they must train a lot and well, but at the same time consider the needs for appropriate recovery and rest relative to their physique.