The German has two main goals
This week Tobias Angerer (GER), overall Cross-Country World Cup winner of the season
2005/2006 and 2006 Olympic Bronze Medalist in the 15 km individual race in
the classical style, answers some questions for the FIS Newsflash about the upcoming season.
By Sandra Spitz, FIS
It is only 17 days to go until the start of the new “Viessmann” FIS World Cup Cross-Country season 2006/2007. As in the 4 years, the female and male top athletes will gather on 28th and 29th October in Düsseldorf (Ger) for the Individual and Team sprints to begin the competition season. At the end of December the Tour de Ski will celebrate its premiere, with eight competitions taking place in five different places. In February, the world will be focusing on Sapporo (JPN), where the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships will take place from 22nd February to 4th March 2007.
Sandra Spitz: Mr. Angerer, we stand shortly before the start of the new
Cross-Country World Cup season. How have you prepared for it?
Tobias Angerer: The preparations were actually going on like last year. Fortunately, I did not have any problems and up until now I could go through my program as planned. The bad weather in August also barely disturbed me. In May, we were in Tuscany (ITA) with our Oberhofer training group around Cuno Schreyl to go cycling for a week. Then Lake Garda (ITA) was on the program, not to go swimming or recovering but for mountain roller training. In August, we were in Switzerland training on snow for the first time, before the traditional training courses at the Dachstein (AUT) in September and now in October. Concerning the training quantities and the intensities, I have essentially orientated myself on my last year’s program.
Sandra Spitz: What are your aims for the upcoming season?
Tobias Angerer: My greatest goals this year are the Tour de Ski and the World Championships. Afterwards we will see which place I can reach at the overall World Cup.
Sandra Spitz: As the current title holder of the overall World Cup victory, of course all eyes are turned towards you. How you deal with this pressure?
Tobias Angerer: Honestly I do not feel the pressure everyone talks about. I simply look forward enormously to the new season and I will not start to put pressure on myself. My overall World Cup victory cannot be taken away from me by anyone; therefore I can go quite relaxed into the first World Cup competitions. But of course I would be a bad athlete if I did not have sufficient ambition for this winter.
Sandra Spitz: In your opinion, who are your strongest opponents at the Tour de Ski and the FIS Nordic Ski World Championships in Sapporo?
Tobias Angerer: For sure, these will be again the “usual characters”. At first my team colleagues from Germany: Axel Teichmann, after his many injuries and illnesses I wish him a finally a little bit more luck, as well as René Sommerfeldt and Jens Filbrich. In addition for sure the Norwegians, the Swedes or the Italians. I am curious about what Lukas Bauer (CZE) can reach, I assess that he will be very strong this season, too. All in all approximately 15 to 20 athletes are able to win. So it will become a thrilling season with many tight races.
Source: FIS
