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„We have grown into a more compact team!“
With the Italian Championships just behind us, it was the right time to check in with head coach Jochen Strobl for the lastest on the Italian athletes’ performances. For TUESDAY TALK, Strobl gave insights into the Italian goals for Falun 2015, team leader Alessandro Pittin's shape and why the home World Cup in Val di Fiemme is so important to the team.
Last weekend, the Italian nationals on the normal hill took place in Predazzo. Team leader Alessandro Pittin took the win as expected. On which level is he performing at the moment and what do you think he’ll be capable of in the first competitions of the upcoming winter?
Jochen Strobl: Alessandro has worked with his jumping technique very intensively over the summer. Sometimes, he shows very good jumps at the moment but the goal is to become more constant with it and to be able to access these good jumps in the competition. Cross-country-wise, he is still on a very high level! For the first competitions, Alessandro needs a lot of peace and quiet to prepare for the large hills and get back the confidence he needs to return to his place among the best athletes.
How satisfied are you with the performance of your other athletes last weekend?
Strobl: The whole team has worked very hard in the summertime. We have grown into a more compact team and the average level has improved. This also showed at the Italian Championships.
Armin Bauer and Samuel Costa also had good results during the Summer Grand Prix and are showing a positive development. What do you expect from the two youngsters in the winter?
Strobl: Both athletes are very ambitious and their own biggest critics. I expect them to start into the winter with fun and an easy-going attitude in order to show what they are able to do. If they manage to do that, I am convinced that their positive development will continue.
How will you spend the time until the first World Cup competition now?
Strobl: In a few days, our last jumping camp kicks off in Oberstdorf and after that we will go looking for snow. We are set to fly to Scandinavia on the 19th of November. We have planned to train in Rovaniemi first and then travel on to the World Cup start in Ruka.
With Val di Fiemme, you have a home World Cup on the calendar again this season. How important is it for the team to also be able to compete in front on a home audience?
Strobl: The home World Cup definitely is a highlight next to the World Championships in the upcoming season. Nordic Combined still does not have a very high significance in Italy. Good results in a home competition are much more bound to be noticed by the media and that would really help to improve our discipline’s popularity in Italy.
As you mentioned, the other season highlight is Falun 2015. With Alessandro and Samuel, you have a team which has been on a Team Sprint podium already last season. Are you eyeing the podium when it comes to the Team Sprint competition?
Strobl: We have been able to be on a Team Sprint podium twice before (Seefeld 2012 with Alessandro and Lukas Runggaldier and Ramsau 2013 with Alessandro and Samuel). Our athletes love this format and are very motivated to attack in the Team Sprint competition in Falun. But of course we don’t concentrate only on the Team Sprint but we would like to show good results in every competition and continue to develop.
Last weekend, the Italian nationals on the normal hill took place in Predazzo. Team leader Alessandro Pittin took the win as expected. On which level is he performing at the moment and what do you think he’ll be capable of in the first competitions of the upcoming winter?
Jochen Strobl: Alessandro has worked with his jumping technique very intensively over the summer. Sometimes, he shows very good jumps at the moment but the goal is to become more constant with it and to be able to access these good jumps in the competition. Cross-country-wise, he is still on a very high level! For the first competitions, Alessandro needs a lot of peace and quiet to prepare for the large hills and get back the confidence he needs to return to his place among the best athletes.
How satisfied are you with the performance of your other athletes last weekend?
Strobl: The whole team has worked very hard in the summertime. We have grown into a more compact team and the average level has improved. This also showed at the Italian Championships.
Armin Bauer and Samuel Costa also had good results during the Summer Grand Prix and are showing a positive development. What do you expect from the two youngsters in the winter?
Strobl: Both athletes are very ambitious and their own biggest critics. I expect them to start into the winter with fun and an easy-going attitude in order to show what they are able to do. If they manage to do that, I am convinced that their positive development will continue.
How will you spend the time until the first World Cup competition now?
Strobl: In a few days, our last jumping camp kicks off in Oberstdorf and after that we will go looking for snow. We are set to fly to Scandinavia on the 19th of November. We have planned to train in Rovaniemi first and then travel on to the World Cup start in Ruka.
With Val di Fiemme, you have a home World Cup on the calendar again this season. How important is it for the team to also be able to compete in front on a home audience?
Strobl: The home World Cup definitely is a highlight next to the World Championships in the upcoming season. Nordic Combined still does not have a very high significance in Italy. Good results in a home competition are much more bound to be noticed by the media and that would really help to improve our discipline’s popularity in Italy.
As you mentioned, the other season highlight is Falun 2015. With Alessandro and Samuel, you have a team which has been on a Team Sprint podium already last season. Are you eyeing the podium when it comes to the Team Sprint competition?
Strobl: We have been able to be on a Team Sprint podium twice before (Seefeld 2012 with Alessandro and Lukas Runggaldier and Ramsau 2013 with Alessandro and Samuel). Our athletes love this format and are very motivated to attack in the Team Sprint competition in Falun. But of course we don’t concentrate only on the Team Sprint but we would like to show good results in every competition and continue to develop.
Source: fis-ski.com
