The last chance for World Cup skiers to step it up, feel good about themselves and build confidence before next years Olympic season is coming up with races in Lahti, Drammen, Oslo, Goteborg and Falun.
The World Championship is over and the World Cup continues next weekend with individual classic sprint and 10/15-kilometer freestyle races in Lahti, Finland. From there the Cup continues in Drammen and Oslo, Norway and ends in Goteborg and Falun, Sweden.
These races will determine the overall World Cup winners as well as the overall sprint World Cup winners.
Those who were successful at Worlds in Oberstdorf want to finish strong, build even more confidence, add to their winnings, cash in and add negotiation power for future personal contracts with their ski, poles, boots, binding suppliers as well as other products and sponsors.
Skiers like Bjorgen, Estil, Hetland and Hofstad of Norway, the Swedish Female sprinters, Vittoz of France, Italian gold and silver medal skaters should be able to add some zeroes to their personal accounts.
With this in mind, these races are also of utmost importance for those who didn’t succeed at Worlds. It’s the last chance to redeem themselves for those who were sick or didn’t peak. This is the time to close the gap to the top skiers, rock the confidence of the medal winners from Worlds, be convinced that what you are doing for training is what you should be doing in order to be at the top at the Turin, Italy Olympics less than one year from now.
Everyone wants to go out on top and have the most confidence ending the season. Those who win at the end can and will feel that they are the best all the way to next season. That’s a huge boost before the summer training starts at the end of April.
The atmosphere in Norway will be electric and enormous. Huge crowds are expected in Drammen and Holmenkollen, Oslo to see and supports the heroes from Oberstdorf Worlds. It will be a welcome worthy of Rock Stars! 30,000-50,000 people showed up in Drammen last year. This year it might be UNREAL!
The people of Oslo will be able to see their national heroes do an all time favorite event, the 30 and 50-k classic at the famous Holmenkollen arena. Expect thousands to sleep in tents next to the courses the night before, smoke from campfires will fill the air, flags will be seen all over, huge crowds on every hill, corners, flat and a jam-packed stadium. This will be the hottest ticket in town. A huge party!
And finally it will be the season ending in Goteborg and Falun, Sweden. The Swedish female sprinters will get a warm welcome and the Swedish cross country fans knows that their skiers have more potential that what they showed at Worlds. They are coming out to support their heroes as well.
The remaining World Cup Schedule:
March 5 and 6
Lahti Finland: classic sprint and 10/15-kilometer freestyle
March 9
Drammen, Norway: classic sprint
March 12
Holmenkollen, Oslo, Norway; 30/50-kilometer classic
March 16
Goteborg, Sweden: Freestyle sprint
March 19 and 20
Falun, Sweden: 15/30-pursuit and 4 x 5 and 4 x 10-kilometer relays
