ROLLERSKI WORLD CUP TANEL BACK IN VAL DI FIEMME

The countdown to the highly anticipated Rollerski World Cup event continues in Val di Fiemme. In just over two months, the world’s best “summer cross-country skiing” athletes will compete in the last stage on the calendar – a decisive three-day event scheduled for September 18 to 20, which will once again feature reigning champion Matteo Tanel. In Trentino, between Ziano di Fiemme and Alpe Cermis, are expected rollerskiers from all over the world, ready to make their bid for the Crystal Globes.

On August 28, Trollhättan (SWE) will kick off a three-stage season with an individual free technique sprint, continuing on September 3 in Madona, Latvia – where the World Championships will also take place – before moving on to the Trentino valley.

Last year, precisely in Val di Fiemme, Matteo Tanel added his third World Cup title to his trophy case – a victory that came alongside the announcement of his retirement. However, the Italian champion is ready to return to the track, this time with one more fan cheering him on and making his comeback with great enthusiasm, as he explains: “I wanted to quit, but I still felt the urge to compete. My wife Theresa expected this – she knows me – and until she sees me throw away my roller skis, she will not believe it. I am a competitive athlete, and I always want to improve myself and give it my all, so I told myself I wanted to do one more year, especially since I feel my legs are holding up well, though we’ll have to see how it goes at the end of the season. My son Jan was born in February, and every day has become a challenge – spending time with him, managing the races, and training – but Theresa makes everything easier.”

A shorter and more concentrated season could provide an extra opportunity for 33-year-old Tanel: “It definitely changes the training schedule, which is moved up. It can be a positive thing, allowing you to better prepare for specific World Championships goals. Even though I say this every year and then the opposite happens, this year I’m not aiming for the overall World Cup title, but for the World Championships.”

The Val di Fiemme program kicks off on Friday, September 18, with the 10 km Mass Start in classic technique on the daunting yet thrilling climbs of Alpe Cermis, continuing on Saturday, September 19, with the free technique sprint in Ziano di Fiemme, and on Sunday, September 20 – also in Ziano – with the free technique Team Sprint. “If I’m in good shape, I’ll definitely want to put on a good performance in the Mass Start,” Tanel emphasizes. “I always have fond memories of climbing Cermis – it’s an exciting challenge, to say the least.”

The Olympic valley is ready, and the prestigious events do not end there. In addition to the Rollerski World Cup, the Nordic Combined World Cup is scheduled for December 11 to 13, followed by the Ski Jumping FIS Continental Cup on December 19 and 20, and the final stage of the 21st Tour de Ski from January 8 to 10, 2027.

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