Great motivations and shrewd choices in view of the world championship event in Planica for the Alpine from the Centro Sportivo Esercito who dreams of doing well four years after the bronze in the Seefeld 2019 Team Sprint.
Planica, Slovenia – Feb. 21st 2023 • Francesco De Fabiani, cross-country skier of the Centro Sportivo Esercito has arrived in Slovenia, in Planica, for the 2023 World Nordic Ski Championships.
Fresh from the surprising victory in the relay in Toblach, the athlete from Gressoney spent a long period (over 2 weeks) training in Pustertal before moving to Planica.
«We found a very wide and very demanding track – says Defast – climbs are not missing. We mustn't underestimate the snow conditions, because with the races scheduled in the afternoon, the current temperatures could make the track not very compact and therefore more difficult to interpret».
Francesco's first commitment will be on February 23, with the Sprint, classic: «I decided to participate in the Sprint because in any case it will allow me to get familiar with the snow and the track, break the ice with the hope of getting over the qualification and then maybe reach the final, I’d say, according to weather conditions, since the forecasts seem to announce a lot of snow».
There won't be Skiathlon in De Fabiani's programme: «In the last world championship edition I heavily paid for the effort and I know I have no chance». Chances of a medal which instead raise for the first of the team events, the Team Sprint of 26 February «in which – says the Alpine – I count on doing well, perhaps my greatest chance to snatch a medal, with Federico Pellegrino. I underline that I am not yet sure of being selected, but that is obviously the goal».
No 15 km for Francesco: it may sound strange, but this year he will be in skating technique and it’s a time trial «therefore the chances of getting close to the podium – adds Defast – are very few, so I will concentrate on the relay. The world championship race will be a 4 x 10 km scheduled for March 3, which is quite different from the one that saw us win in Toblach. We don't start as favourites, but we can certainly fight for a medal!».
The last world championship race will be the 50 km, on March 5, a mass start, classic: «I really can't imagine not participating in this race. The format is my favourite, even if it won't be a walk in the park, I'd like to improve on the seventh place in Oslo and get closer to the podium, since I'm feeling pretty good».
__________________________________
Press Office of Francesco De Fabiani
Written by Paolo Mei
Translated by Nicolò Caneparo
