Difficult start to the season, but good morale for the bearer of the Centro Sportivo Esercito, due to a back strain that slowed down his preparation for the Ruka event. Next target Davos, in the canton of Graubünden.
Ruka, Finland – Dec. 01st, 2019 • It was a difficult start to the season, the one of Francesco De Fabiani. Landed in Finland at the beginning of November, the skier from Gressoney had no problem in the preparation, which indeed showed an excellent shape.
The three days of Ruka, the traditional opening of the World Cup, showed a discreet form but certainly limited by those 5 days of stop two weeks ago due to the back problem, now practically solved.
Waiting for better days, Defast has to be content with applauding the various Klæbo, first in Sprint and Pursuit and Niskanen, first in the 15 km classic. But let's get to the results: in the opening sprint classic, De Fabiani finished 23rd after a good qualifying. In the 5 km skating he paid a drop in the second part and finished 30th, while in the free pursuit he struggled and finished 32nd, with the 43rd time of the day, without obviously ever entering the fight for the top positions.
«It was a difficult start to the season – Francesco says – unfortunately I still don't have the form of the best days, but I think it's also normal after the problem that came at a crucial moment. If we analyze the Sprint, I consider myself satisfied because I passed the qualification without any problems and then maybe I could also pass the quarters, due to some small mistakes I made». On the distance classic De Fabiani is realistic: «In reality, I was hoping to enter the 15, instead I got far away from the top because after half the race I had empty legs and no energy». The last day certainly did not give positive answers: «Surely I could not hope to find the form in the Pursuit, it is obvious that the important thing for me was to close the three days above all in health, without back pain, which happened. The pain is still there but it has not absolutely limited me in the race».
Weather from the point of view of the results the score is poor, the skier from Gressoney has instead an excellent morale: «I feel to say that on a physical level I am not bad at all, I expected not to be brilliant, so it was, also because the problem is that the legs are the one to be definitely tired today. The condition is growing and I believe that with two weeks of training I will be able to fill the gap and get back for the World Cup race in Davos, Switzerland, where last year I was seventh in the 15 Km skating».
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Press Office of Francesco De Fabiani
Written by Paolo Mei
Translated by Nicolò Caneparo
Francesco De Fabiani - Ruka - 2019/2020 • ©Modica/Nordic Focus
