With fewer than two weeks remaining until the Ski Tour Canada visits Gatineau, Montreal, Quebec City, and Canmore from March 1-12, we spent some time breaking down the provisional North American picks and estimated costs for Canadian nation's group skiers at the season-ending World Cups.
Ivan Babikov's a World Cup racer, not a marathon specialist, but on Saturday, Feb. 20, he'll be one of the favorites at the 2016 American Birkebeiner in northern Wisconsin. He decided to do the race a week ago. “I remembered how crazy the Birkie is and how much people there care," he said. "This is their local Olympic Games, so I’m pretty pretty psyched to be going."
It's not often that a NorAm leader turns down their start rights on the World Cup. But Kevin Sandau has a good reason to do so: he's focused on prepping for the last period of World Cups, which will happen at home in Canada.
Jürg Capol, the marketing director for FIS's nordic side, doesn't predict there will be a second Ski Tour Canada and says there's little television interest in Europe. Cross Country Canada's Dave Dyer disagrees, and says that many European squads have stated they will send a full team of top racers.
Head coach of the Canadian World Cup and national team, Justin Wadsworth spoke to FS at length about the team this season and how its athletes have handled summer and fall training. Bottom line: most everyone starting on the World Cup is healthy, and several are in the best shape of their lives.