ITALY'S VAL DI FIEMME PLAYS ITS TRIO OF ACES

An intense winter season in Trentino region unveiled in Milan
Val di Fiemme hosts FIS Tour de Ski final steps and Nordic Combined World Cup
Marcialonga scheduled in January with over 7.500 skiers enrolled
Italian XC top skiers Zorzi and Confortola comment on the events


Val di Fiemme, right at the foot of majestic Dolomites, the so-called cradle of Nordic Sports in Italy unveiled the forthcoming winter season, yesterday in Milan. Three international events will take the stage next January and after two World Championships in a row and the Winter Universiade hosted last December, Val di Fiemme once again grabs the attention of sport lovers and cross country skiing passionates.
Thousands of athletes and top skiers from all over the world will be awaited in Northern Italy in about two months time for the FIS Tour de Ski’s eventual steps on 10 and 11 January, the only Italian legs of the Nordic Combined World Cup on 31 January and 1 February, plus the Marcialonga ski-marathon scheduled on 24 and 25 January.
Having said that, January is going to be the… hottest month of the entire year for Val di Fiemme and the announcement was also made by the first snow flakes fallen on the peaks yesterday and the day before.
Since 2007, the Tour de Ski series has been closing its curtains in Val di Fiemme, at the top of the Final Climb race, a terrific uphill that ‘has given fresh impetus and literally reversed the course of the discipline – claimed 2006 Olympic champion Cristian Zorzi during yesterday’s press conference and added how ‘this new format represents an amazing show for all the people gathered beside the track and for those who watch the race on TV.”
The 2015 FIS Tour de Ski will begin in Oberstdorf (Germany) on 3 January and the scheduled events in Val di Fiemme are two mass start CT races on Saturday 10 January and the Final Climb on the Alpe Cermis on the following day.
At the end of the month, the Nordic Combined World Cup will head to the alpine valley in Italy and the world’s best athletes will gather up at the SJ and XC stadiums on 31 January (Team Sprint) and 1 February (Individual). Needless to say, both events are not to be missed with all the skiers at the top of their shape before the World Championships kick off in Sweden less than three weeks after.  
The Marcialonga ski-marathon on the 24 and 25 January is the third big event pencilled on the Val di Fiemme 2015 calendar, and over 7.500 skiers will join the popular race that runs for 70 kilometres in classic technique from the town of Moena to Cavalese. ‘Marcialonga represents an incredible event for the whole local community – said Italian skier Antonella Confortola at the conference in Milan – and being part of that community, I’ve always felt particularly involved ever since and certainly I’ll be taking part in the 2015 race although the classic technique is not my favourite.’
A new, intense winter season in Val di Fiemme is on the way. Snow lovers you better prepare yourself and totally enjoy it.