De Fabiani is ready to get on track for the prestigious and iconic winter stage race that will end in Val di Fiemme on the Cermis hill. The goals are the general classification and the 15 Km of Lago di Tesero, through Oberstdorf.
Lenzerheide, Switzerland – Dec. 27th 2021 • The Tour de Ski 2021/22 will start on December 28th, with a Sprint in free technique followed, the next day, by a 15 Km classic. On the New Year's Eve, the cross-country skiing circus will check-in at Oberstdorf in Germany for a 15km skating, followed by a classic sprint scheduled for the first day of 2022. Grand finale in Val di Fiemme with the 15 km classic and mass start, before the fearsome Cermis.
Francesco De Fabiani will join the show, Alpine from CSE, fresh from a period of training – «which was excellent – says Francesco – because this was I can face the Tour de Ski with a good shape. The acute hasn’t arrived yet, but if I look at Dresden, in the Team Sprint, we were the third nation, and on that track it was not that obvious».
The Tour menu winks at Defast: «There are several Sprints, but also many good opportunities for me, I'm talking about the two distance races with in-line start, the first in Oberstdorf, which I love a lot and in which I got good results in the past, and then you know, we need to improve not one but two second places in Val di Fiemme in the 15 km».
And improving a second place means having only one option: «Oh, I know – adds De Fabiani – after a second place behind Klæbo and one behind Bolshunov, I have the chance to dream, at least that costs nothing. And speaking of dreams, I'd like to make that wonderful audience of Val di Fiemme dream. It would be great to be able to win in Italy in what is my favorite race. It won't be easy, but that's what I've been preparing for all year!».
The Tour de Ski this year will bring almost all the best to the starting line, with the exception of Holund and Ustiugov (already mentalized for the Beijing Olympic Games), but big names aren’t missing in cross-country skiing: «Klæbo, given his attitude at the Sprint he is my big favorite – says Francesco – but I expect great things from Bolshunov and also from Niskanen».
The efforts will add up day after day and the goal is among the important ones: «I'll have to try to start well immediately, make as little mistakes as possible in the Sprints and then for the grand finale on Cermis I'd already be happy to gain some positions instead of losing them as in the recent years – concludes De Fabiani – and if I dare say, I’d put for a final Top 5, albeit very ambitious as an expectation, I think it is almost achievable: I would be delighted!».
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Press Office of Francesco De Fabiani
Written by Paolo Mei
Translated by Nicolò Caneparo
