43rd Dolomitenlauf opens the FIS Worldloppet Cup winter
This coming Sunday 22 January, the Dolomitenlauf race will be taking place for the 43rd time. Austria’s oldest cross-country skiing race will see amateurs from 25 nations taking to the starting line along with global elite marathon skiers who will be battling it out for FIS Worldloppet Cup points at the Nordic Centre in Obertilliach.
Dreamy winter weather with sunshine awaits skiers over the weekend of cross-country in East Tyrol which will cover some 400 km of cross-country trails. The trails around the Obertilliach cross-country and biathlon centre in the Lesachtal valley have now been prepared.
Dolomitenlauf opening the cup
After the cancellation of La Foulee Blanche (FRA) due to lack of snow, the Dolomitenlauf will open the FIS Worldloppet Cup 2017 on the 22nd of January. The routes for the Dolomitenlauf races are identical to last year at 42 and 21 km. For the long distance race, participants complete two long and two short circuits and twice pass by the finishing stadium at the Obertilliach Nordic centre. A total of 270 m of ascents over the 42 km await. The highest point is located at 1,415 m above sea level and the lowest point on the route at 1,285 m asl. Traditionally the Dolomitenlauf is a skating race.
Favourites for the Dolomitenlauf
“The favourites will be flocking to the starting line and we are excited to see who is the strongest this year,” says organiser Franz Theurl. The ‘Red Group’ brings together the crème de la crème of top international skiers. “We have last year’s top six FIS Worldloppet skiers here with us,” Theurl explains. Swiss skier Toni Livers is one of the favourites to win the Dolomitenlauf: last year, he topped the overall rankings for the FIS Worldloppet Cup and recently finished the Tour de Ski on the 20th place. The FIS Worldloppet Cup winner has also already won the Dolomitenlauf in 2015.
Alongside Livers, the entire podium from the last marathon winter will be attending: last year’s overall runner up and last year’s winner Bastien Poirrier from France plus overall third place skier Candide Pralong from France. Frenchman Ivan Perrillat-Boiteux is also a top skier, having won an Olympic medal in Sochi and secured overall fourth place in the FIS rankings last season. The French skier Benoit Chauvet and of course the strong Italian skier Sergio Bonaldi also have a good chance of getting on the winner’s rostrum. The excellent marathon skier and sprinter ran the Dolomitenlauf in 2013 and came ninth in the FIS Wordloppet Cup 2015/16. The French skier and last year’s Dolomitenlauf third place Loic Guigonnet (8th overall FIS Worldloppet Cup 2016) also wants a place on the podium. And Austria’s hope is Thomas Zlöbl of the Atomic Racing Team. He finished the Dolomitenlauf 2016 among the top 20 with his 18th place.
Strongest women competition since years
The FIS Worldloppet Cup winter 2017 is promising an exciting competition in the ladies races. The starting list counts more top-favourites than it hasn’t for a long time. The victory at the Dolomitenlauf could go to French skier Aurélie Dabudyk. Last season, she was the overall winner in the FIS Worldloppet Cup and in 2016, won the women’s race in the Dolomitenlauf. Her competitors coming from the Czech Republic, Klara Moravcova, from Switzerland, Seraina Boner and from USA with Caitlin Gregg. Tatjana Mannima (EST) who is also and FIS Worldloppet Cup overall winner also returns into the cup.
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Late entries for amateur skiers are possible
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