Tore Ruud Hofstad placed 9th in the Norwegian national opening race last weekend. On Saturday he was 2nd in the 15 kilometer World Cup opening race at Beitostolen. He was only 4 seconds behind the winner Pietro Piller Cottrer from Italy.. I felt that something (positive) was going on but was still uncertain how I would feel and race this weekendâ€, said Hofstad</p>
<p>Hofstad was (again) the one that the press wanted to talk to. They wanted to know how he could be second today after being beaten by last weekend’s winner, Kristen Skjeldal by one minute.</p>
<p>‘I went home from Beitostolen last weekend. I have been training at Sjusjoen this week. I used guidelines that our coach Krister Soregard and I had agreed upon. That worked well. I did not do anything special, mostly easy training and some speedâ€.</p>
<p>It’s not uncommon that Hofstad’s performance is swinging substantially. This also happened two years ago in Nove Mesto.</p>
<p>Hofstad know that things can change dramatically but he was not overly optimistic ahead of today’s race. He was not thinking about a podium spot.</p>
<p>‘This was (way) above the expectations. I had hoped for a top-twenty, but (now) it would have been fun to win since I was only four seconds from “the big oneâ€.</p>
<p>Hofstad has, from junior age, made a habit of performing his best when it really counts. He knows the difference between a National caliber race and a World Cup race.</p>
<p>“It was today it was World Cup racing†said Hofstad with a smile.</p>
<p>His goal is now to reach the podium in more upcoming World Cup races. The main season goal is to win an individual World Cup race — he was 4 seconds from doing that today.</p>
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The Big Difference for Tore Ruud Hofstad
FasterSkierNovember 22, 2003
