January 10, 2013 – What Is An Alpe Cermis – The final stage of the Tour de Ski involves 5.5km of skiing through the trails at the Val di Fiemme World Championship site and then 4.5km up the alpine slope of Alpe Cermis… click here.

Enough Said!!!!!
Explosions – I can’t say it as fact, but there were more human body lactate explosions in the 9km of the Alpe Cermis than in any other international race that I have experienced. But, don’t get me wrong there were plenty of good explosions also.
Women: Finish Start
Randall 33rd 7th
Stephen 2 22nd
Niskanen 32nd 14th
Kalla 14th 5th
Hugue 15th 36th
Rudakova 17th 52nd
Kylloenen 21st 8th
Men
Babikov 2nd 17th
Clara 3rd 41st
Duvillard 9th 53rd
Hoffman 17th 49th
Cologna 18th 1st
There were a lot more of both the good and the bad, but I think you get the idea – it was a tumultuous lactate day for just about everyone. But, there were some people who started who should have made the decision to forgo the day and the effort – it was obvious for some that the TdS ended the day before.
Legkov – this is all I have to say about him:

Pursuit Race – I still think it sucks.
TdS – The best I’ve seen so far – thought the crowds in a couple of locations were on the low side – the start area in Toblach looked like a white desert on TV – actually my computer. Oberhof wins the ugliest weather site hands down – that’s a given every year. Oh, when you saw the finish area at the end of the Alpe Cermis did you remember the TdS was one race less then last year – you talk about hurting puppies! A total of 97 men started the tour and 65 finished, while 74 women started and 57 of them finished in Sunday’s race
Canadian Men – Are now totally on fire-with the addition of a red hot Babikov and of course the young and the up and coming”Slick” Valjas who was the surprise of the TdS for sure–and he is the slickest skier in the last kilometer of those races he does well in—he has a the way of making something out of nothing.
I said this about Babikov last year:
Babikov – An OK year last year and a not so OK year this year. Is he heading for retirement before his time. We know that he is a talent. He had to finish the 50km in Oslo about mid field in the points to make it to the finals in Falun. This was his post-race comment, “Today I had the worst racing feeling ever, tank is empty, no energy, finished my season earlier this time.”
What is interesting is all the trips home this year and his lack of racing in the latter half of the season. His last race in Europe was on Feb. 18th, which was a DNF in Nove Mesto, CZE and he had one race in Canada that wasn’t anything special. His race in Lahti about 10 days ago was OK and I thought might be a spring board for a more special race in Oslo, but the course (the toughest on the WC circuit) and the conditions caught Ivan out of racing shape. Another case of WC points being lost by the Canadian Team.
I’m guessing you won’t see Ivan’s name in the results for the rest of the season – OOOPs – I could be wrong if there is there is any prize money around!!!
He’s got it right this year—came to Europe early—acclimatized–and has been skiing fantastically every race—out of the points only once—another thing I like about Ivan is he is one hell of a relay racer and gives you everything he’s got for the team. I can’t wait to see these guys roll out the 2013 version of team Canada at La Clusaz in 2 weeks for the relay there.
Liz Stephen – This is what I said about her after the Lake Placid hill climb in September, where she dusted the field by 5 minutes and set a new course record by a minute on a brutally ugly weather day.
A thought I’ve had, is that if this is the Liz Stephen, that’ll be stepping on the start line in Europe and performing like she did Saturday, she is going to be one tough cookie to ski with or beat. Her window of expectations will certainly be changing. I’m looking for a stronger, faster more competitive Liz Stephen this winter.
Way to go Liz, crank it a little harder in those flat races!

Race Organizers – don’t forget when you have free style race you need to have a classic track—-the skier can choose his technique and you are suppose to accommodate them.
Talk To You Next Time!