Cross-country skiing: the Austrian team in top form
The Austrian cross-country skiing team is in superb conditions this week in the Engadine (Switzerland). The results of the two leaders of the selection, Teresa Stadlober and Mika Vermeulen, are proof of this.
After finishing third in the mass-start in Les Rousses (Jura), Teresa Stadlober earned herself another place on the podium, finishing an unexpected fourth in the individual skate. On the eve of the World Cup weekend in Engadin (Switzerland), the native of Salzburg (Austria) says she is highly motivated.
“I’m obviously very happy with the weekend in France. I was particularly pleased with my good result in the 10km skating race, and with reaching the podium on Sunday. In the Engadine, I’ll be taking part in the first mixed relay of my career and I’m really looking forward to that race. In the 20km mass-start, my aim will be to finish in the top 10 again,” she said in a Ski Austria press release.
His compatriot Mika Vermeulen was also able to follow up on his fine performances at the Tour de Ski. At the Tuffes stadium, he scored two further top 10 finishes. “I’m happy with my current form, but not entirely satisfied with last Sunday’s result. I was there to win and I gave it my all. Now I’m already preparing for the world championships, so the remaining individual races until Trondheim are no longer my main objectives, he reveals. Nevertheless, I’ve never run a relay since I started cross-country skiing and I’m really looking forward to it. We’ve got a really good team.”
A fulfilled coach
Falk Goepfert, the head coach of Austrian cross-country skiing, is obviously delighted with his team’s results. “We’re obviously very satisfied with the season so far. It was unexpected that we should have seven athletes finishing in the top 20 in a World Cup race this winter. It’s very nice.”
Accompanying the two Austrian headliners in Switzerland will be Lukas Mrkonjic, Michael Foettinger, Benjamin Moser, Katharina Brudermann and Magdalena Scherz.
Read also
- Cross-country skiing | Les Rousses: Austrians Mika Vermeulen and Teresa Stadlober “satisfied” with their individual performance
- Cross-country skiing: Mika Vermeulen, the first Austrian on the Tour de Ski podium
- Cross-country skiing | Les Rousses: Flora Dolci in the top 20, victory for an imperious Frida Karlsson in the mass start classic
- Cross-country skiing: Teresa Stadlober and Benjamin Moser Austrian champions
