Packed weekend awaits in Val di Fiemme

The Nordic Combined World Cup returns to Val di Fiemme and as it has become customary in the Trentino region, three competitions are on schedule.

The international competitors have two chances, on Friday and on Sunday, to finally wrestle the position on top of the podium from the German team, which has won all the individual events this season in an incredible display of strength. On Saturday, the first Team Sprint of the winter will be held and also here, it remains to be seen if some of the duos can beat the dominators from Herrmann Weinbuch’s team.

Last year, Norway’s Magnus Krog had a fantastic weekend with the victory in the Team Sprint together with Jørgen Graabak and a victory in one of the individual events but hasn’t had the greatest start into the season so far. Teammate and Olympic Champion Jørgen Graabak injured a rib during a training fall last week in Lahti and it remains to be seen if he is fit enough to endanger yellow bib bearer Eric Frenzel, Johannes Rydzek or Fabian Rießle.

Shooting star Jarl Riiber returns to competing in both individual events after having a slower start back into the World Cup on the past weekend. Austria’s Bernhard Gruber, who won one of the events in Fiemme last year, is still recovering from a severe cold which sidelined him already last weekend. He will not be on start to repeat his feat from last year but his two younger teammates Mario Seidl and David Pommer are both back on the team for the upcoming weekend. For the local heroes, Samuel Costa and Alessandro Pittin will lead the team and especially Costa had heads turning with Top Ten positions on the past weekend.

Just a few short days after the Tour de Ski finals, the Italian organisers and especially their large number of committed volunteers are back on duty to get the tracks and also the ski jumping stadium in Predazzo ready for the next highlight. As a special highlight, the OC invites all spectators to the „Jump in the Breakfast“, a complimentary croissant and cappuccino offered to all early birds joining the ski jumping rounds on Saturday and Sunday. The dolce vita can begin!

Program (local times! CET)
Thursday, 12.01.

13:00 Official Cross-country training
17:00 Official training HS 134
19:00 Provisional Competition Round/Qualification HS 134

Friday 12.01.

08:30 Trial Round HS 134
09:30 INDIVIDUAL GUNDERSEN Competition Round HS 134
13:15 INDIVIDUAL GUNDERSEN 10 km cross-country race

Saturday, 13.01.

09:00 Trial Round HS 134
10:00 TEAM SPRINT Competition Round HS 134
13:30 TEAM SPRINT 2 x 7.5 km cross-country race

Sunday, 14.01.

09:00 Trial Round HS 134
10:00 INDIVIDUAL GUNDERSEN Competition Round HS 134
13:00 INDIVIDUAL GUNDERSEN 10 km cross-country race

Timetable subject to change!

Quick Facts:
HILL

Predazzo
HS 134

TRACK

Lago di Tesero
2,5 km free-technique loop
Total climb: 96 metres
Maximum climb: 37 metres
Height Difference: 44 metres

1,5 km free-technique loop
Total climb: 53 metres
Maximum climb: 23 metres
Height Difference: 28 metres

2015/16 WORLD CUP PODIUM
Team Sprint: 1. Krog/Graabak (NOR), 2. Haug/Edelmann (GER), 3. Braud/Laheurte (FRA)
IG1: 1. Bernhard Gruber (AUT), 2. Eric Frenzel (GER), 3. Jørgen Graabak (NOR)
IG 2: 1. Magnus Krog (NOR), 2. Jørgen Graabak (NOR), 3. Fabian Rießle (GER)