CROSS COUTRY, TOUR DE SKI. For the first time, Cross Country fans had the opportunity to compete in Rampa con i Campioni. Starting at 10:00, over 100 fans did the exact same race as the athletes, starting on the stadium in Val di Fiemme, and finishing with the final climb in Alpe Cermis.

Rampa con i Campioni 2011, foto © discoveryalps.it

Several of the participants were either old Cross Country skiers or athletes in general. The fastest one of them all were Bruno Debertolis (ITA), finishing at the impressive time: 33.04. Top 9 were all Italians, with Gianni Penasa (2nd), Christian Zorzi (3rd), Fulvio Valbusa (4th), Paolo Larger (5th), Nicola Parolari (6th), Massimo Franchini (7th), Marcello Delladio (8th) and Paolo Riva (9th). Ralph Zimmermann representing Germany came in 10th, and Tor Atle Fuglerud representing Norway came in 11th.

Winners of Rampa con i Campioni 2011, foto © Hemmersbach/Nordic Focus

The two founders of Tour de Ski, Jürg Capol and Vegard Ulvang were of course amongst the participants. Ulvang came in 39th, 13 minutes behind the winner, but close followed by Capol, finishing 41th.

Rampa con i Campioni is one of the concepts started in order to increase the interest around Tour de Ski, and both of the founders were pleased with the race. For those who would like to take part of the race next year, the entries would start in December 2011.

FIScrosscoutry.com
Sunday 9 January 2011