VIESSMANN FIS World Cup Cross-Country in Val di Fiemme (Italy), Men 30 km Free Mass Start, 14.01.2006
Angerer won the Mass Start race
Tobias Angerer was the fastest racer of the 30 km freestyle Mass Start race in Val di Fiemme. The German skier finished in a tight race 0,3 seconds ahead of 22-years-old Evgenji Dementiev from Russia. The home favourite Pietro Piller Cottrer (Italy) finished the race as the third just 0,6 seconds behind the winner.
It was the fourth victory and total the sixth podium place in this season for Angerer. The man from Germay widened the gap at the top of the overall standings to Tor Arne Hetland (Norway) and the today's 9th Vincent Vittoz from France. For the young Russian Evgenji Dementiev it was the first podium place in this season.
No Americans raced. The US Olympic team will travel to Europe after being announced this coming week. Canadian Dan Roycroft was the lone Canadian in 64th place.
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Spectators: 3.500
Weather: sunny
Temperature: – 5,5°C
Snow Condition: Hard snow
Quotes of the top three athletes:
Tobias Angerer: “I was a little bit surprised about my today's race. We trained the last 10 days in high altitude at the “Passo Lavaze” and it was a tough training camp. I was very tried in the last two days. In the competition of today I start fast and try to follow the 10- 15 good athletes. I know that I'm quite strong in the last kilometre, faster than the most other athletes. My self-confidence is good also in the view to the Olympics.”
Evgenji Dementiev: “I started my race very slow because I was not so good in this season. I'm very happy about my first podium place this season but I wasn't surprised. I wait a long time to could show that I'm in a good shape. Now I'm selected for the Olympic Games.
Pietro Piller Cottrer: “It was a good race for me today. I'm very satisfied. The race was very fast and tight. But I felt good and my ski's were quite well prepared. The Italian fans push my a lot. Know I'm sure that I will be qualified for the Olympic Games. Maybe we will have shortly before the Olympics a high altitude training at Livigno (Italy).”
VIESSMANN FIS World Cup Cross-Country in Val di Fiemme (Italy), Women 15 km Free Mass Start, 14.01.2006
Third World Cup Victory for Neumannova
Katerina Neumannova is the winner of the mass start race in Val di Fiemme. The skier from Czech Republic finished the 15 km course 13,9 seconds clearly ahead of the World Champion in the Pursuit, Julija Tchepalova from Russia. Neumannova attacked in the last lap there opponent and nobody could follow her. The overall World Cup leader Marit Bjoergen (Norway) took the third position 22,9 seconds behind Neumannova after a strong finish.
For the 32 year-old Neumannova it is the third victory after Kuusamo and Nove Mesto in a free style race in this season. Bjoergen is still in the lead of the overall World Cup standing, second is Julija Tchepalova (the leader of the distance World Cup) followed by the German Claudia Kuenzel which took today the 22nd place.
Sara Renner was 12th for Canada. She was the only North American in the women's race.
Spectators: 3.000
Weather: sunny
Temperature: -10°C
Snow Condition: Hard snow
Quotes of the top three athletes:
Katerina Neumannova: “I was a little bit surprised about my today's race. Last week I was ill and out of training for 4 days. That is also the reason why I didn't compete in Otepää. But now I feel better. My tactic for the race was to be fast behind the other good athletes and than attack 3km before the finish and this works very well. During the Olympics I will compete in all individual races except the Sprint.”
Julija Tchepalova: “I felt good today but it wasn't enough. During the first three laps I was in the lead but Katerina was so strong in the last one. I had no problems to make the choice of my skies and wax today. Especially in the first lap I had very good skies. For the next weeks I will take part in the World Cup competitions in Oberstdorf and Davos. Between this both races I will make a training camp in the high altitude in Davos.”
Marit Bjoergen: “I started slow in today's race. I'm not in my best shape and I felt not so good. I know that Katerina is really strong in the free technique so I wasn't wondering about her attack in the last lap on the uphill. In December and at the beginning of January I trained quite hard and that is the reason why I was a little bit tried in Otepää (Estonia) and here in Val di Fiemme. Next week I will compete in our Norwegian Championships in Kongsberg.”
