Tommaso Giacomel came on the podium in Östersund.
Then he thanked Nils van der Poel.
– He is my idol, says the Italian to SVT.
Tommaso Giacomel finally got to step on the podium in a World Cup competition. The Italian has come close many times, having made a big breakthrough over the winter, but he had to wait until the penultimate World Cup weekend of the season before he finally finished in the top three in a race.
The tribute to van der Poel
The Italian actually has his strength in sprints and shorter distances, but did a brilliant distance race in Östersund. After the second place, the 22-year-old was exuberantly happy. But what is really the key to the sudden breakthrough, and the great success? One explanation could be a Swedish skating star.
After the success in Östersund, Giacomel chose to lift Nils van der Poel. The Swede won double Olympic gold last year, and stunned the entire sports world when he released his training diary. And Giacomel is one of those who took inspiration.
– Now this spring I will try to prepare my season like he did, especially during the first part of the preparations during the spring and summer. I’m really looking forward to it, he says to SVT.
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“Is a role model”
Nils van der Poel has now retired from skating, but his massive and well-documented training documents, which he published for all to see, will live on for a long time.
– I am a guy who loves training very much and I think Nils is an example of that, says Giacomel.
Giacomel was overall extremely happy during Thursday, and especially about the distance in which he took the first podium place.
– It is unbelievable. Especially in distance, which has always been my weakness in the past, he says.
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