Tour de Ski, Mass Start of Val di Fiemme, and 50 Km of Oslo in the sights of the Alpine of the Army Sports Center of Courmayeur, ready for the 2023-2024 season.

Ruka, Finland – Nov. 23rd 2023 • The cross-country season is upon us, on Friday 24 November it begins with the traditional triple event in Ruka, Finland.

Francesco De Fabiani, born in Valle d'Aosta in 1993, is at the height of his maturity and is now just a few hours away from his seasonal debut – «We're almost there now, there's very little left – says Defast – I can't wait to put on my bib and to understand where I'm at, given that the preparation went very well, everything was as planned.

Preparation was similar to previous years, with some differences: «Compared to previous years we spent more time in Scandinavia – adds the Alpine from Gressoney – and in the Ramsau camp we were unable to train on the glacier due to the lack of snow, but I have to say that I am satisfied with the current condition. This year we anticipated the campus in Muonio by a week, to then return home to Valle d'Aosta for a week (and assimilate the load) and return to Finland in Ruka immediately afterwards, given that we will have about a month of races at North».

The only flaw is a small problem with the foot which could put his participation in Friday's race in doubt: «I have pain in one heel, perhaps because I still have to adapt to the new materials, but I hope to solve the situation in a short time. However, I am confident that I will participate in the 10 km classic, while I don't yet know if I will participate in the 20 km on Sunday, purely for technical reasons».

«The seasonal goals, in a year without world championships – adds Francesco – will be the Tour de Ski, naturally with “my” 15 km of Lago di Tesero in classic and mass-start where I hope to repeat the good results done in the past. I also hope to do well in Toblach, which is also part of the Tour de Ski this year».

The 50km in Oslo is unmissable: «I care a lot about it, it's a world icon and I would like to redeem myself from the 50km of the world championships last year where I had dreamed big, but a technical problem (breaking the pole) had taken me out of the game».

After the event in Ruka, Finland, the program brings the caravans to the races in Gallivare, then Ostersund, Trondheim (where there will be the 10+10 skiathlon, new Olympic format), home of the 2025 world championships and this way a pre-world championship round where it will be possible to test the track of the future World Championships.

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Press Office of Francesco De Fabiani
Written by Paolo Mei
Translated by Nicolò Caneparo