Photo: Bildbyrån
Calle Halfvarsson is looking forward to the Tour de Ski.
At the same time, he thinks the tour is “a bit half-baked” and needs a facelift to even have a future.
– I think they are going a little in the wrong direction, he tells Sportbibeln about the development.
On December 28, this year’s Tour de Ski begins with a sprint in Toblach, Italy. Three more distances await in the same location before the tour will be decided in the classic Val di Fiemme where the infamous hill Alpe Cermis will be climbed on January 5.
Since it is a season that is very much about the world championship in Trondheim February 26-March 9, several skaters have been forced to set up different strategies this year. It is important to be in top form in time for the WC, not before and not afterwards. Therefore, there are many skiers who have already decided in advance to skip certain competition weekends in the World Cup – or Tour de Ski.
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Several riders had declined the tour in advance, but Calle Halfvarsson35, was not one of them. He has been set to drive even before the season started.
– I don’t think I’ll jump the Tour de Ski, I’ve never done that. I like the Tour de Ski and I will ride it and I would like to ride well in the overall World Cup as well. So my plan will be to ride most of the time before the WC, then I will probably skip something to prioritize, recover and get some more training. We’ll see what kind of competition it will be. Hopefully it’s not because I get sick, but because I get to make the decision myself. So you can stay at home with the family and see them a little more, he told Sportbibeln just before the season started.
Now it is clear that he is going to Italy. Despite suffering from back problems during the start of the season, he is in the Swedish squad for the tour. He has revenge to claim, because it didn’t go so well last year. In addition, he saw the competition structure quite seriously then.
– The tour itself would have been much more fun if it was a real tour with more stages. Then I think they have messed it up a lot. Everyone thinks so, with how seconds should be counted here and there. It is a special tour, he told Sportbladet.
– It’s not that tough. After all, I came into the tour in incredibly bad shape and was worn out immediately when I got here. But I’m not particularly tired now, it’s a pretty crappy tour. Unfortunately. We can handle more than this, I am fully convinced that most people do, he continued.
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He is on the same track this year as well. He believes that the Tour de Ski needs to be toughened up so that people do not lose interest. He wants more stages, harder stages and a more intense schedule. He believes that television viewers would have loved a slightly tougher format.
– The Tour de Ski is not that tough this year either. I’ve complained about that a bit in the media, I think the tour is a bit half-assed. Then we could have done a tougher tour. I think they are going a little in the wrong direction, he says to Sportbibeln.
Good luck with the Tour de Ski, Calle. It will be exciting to see how you do this year with this competition. We cheer on our Swedish riders who are participating! Drive hard!
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