Cross-country skiing: an ambitious Andorra team
With the 2024/2025 Cross-Country Skiing World Cup less than three weeks away, the Andorran Ski Federation (FAE) has unveiled the winter objectives for its athletes.
Although there are only two of them, they are no less ambitious. Irineu Esteve Altimiras, who trains mainly in Norway with the cosmopolitan Team Aker Dæhlie, will be aiming to return to his former level. Injured last winter, he couldn’t do better than eighteenth in one of his rare World Cup starts.
“His aim is to be as far forward as possible in the Tour de Ski and the world championships in Trondheim, explains Xabier Del Val, sporting director of Andorran cross-country skiing. I think we’re ambitious because our preparations have gone well. We can be ambitious and aim for the top 15 or the top 10.”
Gina Del Rio enters the big leagues
Gina Del Rio, meanwhile, will be competing in her first season in the senior category. Crowned world junior champion in the sprint skate last winter, the Andorran, who trains regularly with Les Bleuettes, will first have to test herself in the big leagues.
“As far as the races are concerned, the U23 World Championships in Schilpario and the Trondheim World Championships are important for her, says the head of cross-country skiing in Andorra. For the latter, we’ll need to do some specific physical preparation, while trying to be competitive at most of the weekends we take part in. Our aim is to finish in the top 10 of the FESA Cup and the top 30 of the World Cup.”
- Between the successes of Gina Del Rio and the failures of Irineu Esteve Altimiras, Andorra’s contrasting winter results for 2023/2024
- Andorrans Irineu Esteve Altimiras and Gina Del Rio have also chosen Font-Romeu for their training.
- Dislocated collarbone for Irineu Esteve Altimiras
- Junior Worlds in Planica: historic gold medal for Andorra’s Gina Del Rio in the sprint skate event
