Bieg Piastow

50 kilometers of very well prepared tracks are ready in the Polish village of Jakuszycka, the venue of Bieg Piastow. On thermometer we have -3° C here and it is still snowing from time to time. For the first time since weeks it feels like real winter, means perfect circumstances to start the final period of the FIS Worldloppet Cup. Only 3 stages to go: Final stage in Russia, Ugra, next weekend the Engadin Skimarathon/SUI and tomorrow, 9:00, the last stage in classic technique, Bieg Piastow in Poland. 

In total 5740 skiers from 28 countries registered for the Bieg Piastow events. In the main race – the FIS Worldloppet Cup and Worldloppet Gold race – tomorrow, around 1600 athletes will be at the start, the rest at the two 25 km races in CT and FT (both Worldloppet Silver races) and at a 12,5 km and a 9 km race.  

On the starting list we can find all the big names playing a role in the FIS Worldloppet Cup 2016: Former olimpic winner Giorgio di Centa, very strong French skiers from Team Rossignol Gel Interim Benoit Chauvet, Bastien Poirrer, Adrien Mougel and their team-mate from Switzerland Toni Livers. The Italian Sergio Bonaldi (7th place last year) and “almost local hero” the Czech Jir Rocarek are also highly ranked. Loic Guigonnet and Wiblaut Mathias from Haute Savoie Nordic Team are also strong skiers and will probably help their team-mate Ivan Perrillat Boiteaux, who has currently a 59 points lead in the FIS Worldloppet Cup. He is the biggest favourite as he has been on the podium in three of four cup-races this season and his strong technique is classic. 

In the women competition of course the current leader Aurelie Dabudyk (FRA) is playing the keyrole. She was second in Bieg Piastow last year, won two of the cup-races this season and achieved the second place, only seconds behind the first, at the last stage in USA, the American Birkebeiner. Also Elisa Brocard (ITA), fourth in American Birkebeiner will fight for a first place, as well as Czech stars Klara Moravcova and Adela Boudikova. The Italian Olympic medalist Antonella Confortola is also always able to win. Find the whole startlist here: men and women

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