June 09, 2012 – Swiss Cross-Country skier Curdin Perl has decided to spend part of his summer season training with his former coach, Felix Dieter in the southern part of Spain. This week  the skier from Engadine joined the Swiss Ski Team’s training camp in Stelvio and experienced a small thermal shock.

After training season kick off in Mallorca and the performance tests in Magglingen, Curdin Perl travelled for a hard three-week training block under the Spanish sun in Malaga.

“Together with Felix, I did a specific cross-country skiing training. In addition to fitness and strength units, we are also working on technique,” Curdin Perl says and continues: “Here in Nerja (one hour’s drive from Malaga) there are very good roads where we found perfect conditions for roller skiing. Felix Dieter has lived here in Andalusia for more than 10 years in the summer, he knows the best roads and passes. We carry out the strength workouts in the gym at the athletics stadium in Nerja.”

In the afternoons the temperatures can climb up to 30 degrees. Therefore Curdin started the first training session at 9 a.m. Then he enjoyed lunch and Mediterranean siesta. Second training unit was scheduled at 7 p.m.

After three weeks in Spain warm temperatures were over. Curdin Perl joined the Swiss Ski training camp in Stelvio, which is situated at 2,700 meters above the sea level, from 30 degrees at sea level in Nerja to temperatures near zero in Stelvio. “Until now I have managed the transition very well. I did not lose the skiing feeling at the beach and I have no problems with the high altitude either. However, when heavy snowfall came on Monday night and the weather turned really gray, wet and cold, I was little bit missing the Mediterranean climate,” says Perl.

The temporary winter will not last long for Perl as he returns to Spain after the training camp in Stelvio.

2012 Giro d’Italia Stage 20 Passo del Stelvio photos HERE.

You can find the photo gallery and report Curdin Perl’s home page.