Defast will take to the track next weekend in Finland for the debut of the 2021/2022 World Cup, with great ambitions as usual for the Tour de Ski and obviously for the Beijing Olympics.
Muonio, Finland – Nov. 24th 2021 • Count-down hands close to zero for Francesco De Fabiani. The Alpine from Gressoney, in good shape, is now close to its usual debut in the World Cup, scheduled for the last weekend of November in Scandinavia.
The approach was very good, with training carried out within the elite “Cramer Group” in the company of national team mate Federico Pellegrino. The latest tests have been quite comforting, with moderate but not yet exceptional results –perhaps due to the number of hours of load «which were really a lot and which will certainly come in handy this season – says Francesco – since the rounds will start soon and will last until the end of March 2022».
Training with the Russian group was different, «especially in terms of load distribution – adds De Fabiani – in fact, we favored long-term sessions at a slower pace than in the past, actually doing fewer hours of "fast" training, aiming instead on the “average below the threshold”, and doing “fast controlled” efforts, trying not to overtrain and to create the so-called “base shape”».
The form is discreet: «in the first FIS races I struggled but I think it is due precisely to the hours of extended training, already in the next few days I should feel better because we are starting to wane the efforts; two weeks ago, in Val Senales, I was among the fittest in the tests».
The goals for the season will be the same, with an important addition: «First of all I hope to start well in order to have great vibes too, then certainly the focus will be on the Tour de Ski, let's say that a Top 10 in the final ranking would give me satisfaction. Obviously the stage of Lago di Tesero, the 15 km classic is my race and I would like to finally try to win it after two consecutive second places. Then – continues the Alpine – there will be the Olympic Games in Beijing where I hope to do well in the 15 km, also aiming for team competitions, team sprint and relay races, which I really like. The 50km will be skating, but despite this, I hope to be competitive on that event, too».
Talking about 50 kms, the one in Oslo will instead be in classic and once again will be one of Defast's main targets.
So we start on Friday 26 November in Ruka (Finland) with a Sprint classic, it is fundamental to qualify for the final stages, then on Saturday 27 November it will be the turn of the 15 Km classic. The closing of the first round of the World Cup will be on Sunday 28 November with the 15 Km Pursuit free technique (start with the Gundersen format taking into account only the gap of the 15 Km classic of Saturday).
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Press Office of Francesco De Fabiani
Written by Paolo Mei
Translated by Nicolò Caneparo
