Title: MARCIALONGA FIEMME AND FASSA
Author: Mario Facchini
Last saved by: edi2
Company: Edigrafica

MARCIALONGA 

INTERVIEWS TO THE PROTAGONISTS

ANDERS AUKLAND: Marcialonga is always a spectacular race and when I win the joy is even bigger. I tried to leave the others behind at the beginning of the last uphill, but Di Centa kept my rhythm. Then I left and I did a good job. I trusted my arms, which supported me till the final line. I want to thank my brother for his great help and I’m happy that we both are on the podium. When we were children we trained together and we gave suggestions one to the other. I was better on short distances, Joergen always won on long distances.

GIORGIO DI CENTA everything went in the right way. The skies were in a good condition and I was able to do a good race. Considering the world cup season this is a great success for me, and, most of all, it keeps my moral high for the next races. Marcialonga will always represent one of my most beautiful memories. The public was really fair and warm, inciting all the participants. During the uphill it seemed to be at the Giro d’Italia (the most famous Italian bicycle race).

JOERGEN AUKLAND: my brother and me really helped each other. At the beginning I felt good then I was left behind in the most difficult piece of the track. The turning point was when I passed for the second time in Moena, around the 40^th kilometres. This year the Cascata uphill was really more difficult. The slope was icy. It was for sure more difficult than last year also because it was the first time I took part in a World Cup race and there were many champions.

GABRIELLA PARUZZI: I had the chance to lead the race also thanks to the help of Ivano Zambelli (the trainer of Pietro Piller Cottrer), who competed all the race with me and helped me until the beginning of the uphill. My skies were fantastic all over the track; I could wax them quietly and face the uphill with a regular rhythm, thanks to the good advantage I had gained before. Now only 30 points separate me from Smigun and I hope I can regain some other points and then compete for the final victory in Scandinavia. Warm public during the whole track, it was amazing passing through these villages.

VALENTINA SHEVCHENCO: My skies were fast but it was really impossible to follow Paruzzi. Marcialonga is a magnificent race, but also difficult and long. The final uphill is really hard, in the last three kilometres I really suffered. I’m satisfied with my season whatever will happen in the future I think that I’ve never skied so well.

MANUELA HENKEL: I had a gap from the beginning and I remained behind. Then it went better kilometre after kilometre, so I could catch up many positions. I’m very happy with my race. Marcialonga is a really difficult competition. I hope I will have good results in the world cup in the next sprint races. My condition is quite good and hopefully I will recover from the tiredness due to this Marcialonga.