The second annual “Tour de Ski†begins December 28 in Nove Mesto and continues for ten days with eight races in the Czech Republic, Germany, and Italy. Team Atomic dominated last year’s event with Tobias Angerer taking the overall title. This team, known as “The Thin Red Line†is currently undergoing extensive preparations for this year’s event. We called team director Roman Toferer during a break from testing in Ramsau, Austria.
RICK HALLING: How did Team Atomic get the name “The Thin Red Line?â€
ROMAN TOFERER: It was some journalists in Sweden who first called us that. Our skis are bright red, like a Ferrari, and in the past, the uniforms of our technicians and our factory racers were also bright red. We show up at major races with just one technician and just one or two racers and yet we win the major events, that is why we are called “thin.†Look at USA, we send just one racer, Billy DeMong, to Boulder Mt. Tour and he wins the race. I saw pictures from that race and the other teams had very many racers. Same thing in Europe, we send just one woman or one man to major races and we still win while other companies have many dozens of racers.
RICK HALLING: You guys are able to train at that level and still take care of your regular job responsibilities?
ROMAN TOFERER: Yes, it makes for very long days and our wives and girlfriends are not happy about it. But they are Austrians and they know how important this victory can be. Last year, with the traveling, waxing and testing we went three full days without sleeping in a bed by the midpoint of the Tour. We just slept on the floor of the wax trailer. We are making it a point now to go at least one night each week with no sleep so we will be ready for the Tour.
RICK HALLING: You’re training with all the major teams right now. What is the mood amongst the Euros that the US Ski Team is sitting out the Tour?
ROMAN TOFERER: Very sad, we want the Americans there. You have two skiers, Lindsey Dehlin for women and Chris Cook for men, who I think could make it to the podium. But they do not come, so we will not know.
RICK HALLING: If some average master skiers came into the Atomic trailer during the Tour, what would surprise them the most?
ROMAN TOFERER: Sometimes I think the masters spend too much money for racing. They would probably be surprised at how much of the inexpensive wax we use. They would be surprised at how many Worldcup races have been won with basic hydrocarbons.
RICK HALLING: One of the German technicians told me that Tobias Angerer used a Red Cheetah with the old graphics to win last year’s Tour. Is that true?
ROMAN TOFERER: It is too early to talk about the Red Cheetah.
