Tour de Ski: "Braucht kein Mensch" - Late Cross-Country Cheers and Harsh Criticism

Tour de Ski: "Braucht kein Mensch" - Late Cross-Country Cheers and Harsh Criticism

Friedrich Moch celebrated late, and Victoria Carl achieved her personal best. However, there was also criticism from head coach Peter Schlickenrieder and the German women's coach Per Nilsson, who expressed concerns about the difficulty of the course, raising important insights for the 2026 Olympics.

At the end of the Tour de Ski, the German cross-country skiers were finally able to celebrate properly this season. Not for winning the Tour, but for achieving their first podium of the winter. Friedrich Moch demonstrated his talent once again, finishing third in the final stage up to the Alpe Cernis. It was a satisfying end to a tough Tour de Ski for the German team.

Peter Schlickenrieder analyzed the Tour, stating it was one of the hardest he's seen in a long time, especially since all races took place in Val di Fiemme and Toblach, serving as a test run for the upcoming Olympics in the same locations.

Regarding the challenging courses, Schlickenrieder criticized the excessively difficult requirements set by FIS regulations. Only 58 of the originally 100 male competitors finished the Tour, and only 31 of the 67 female participants reached the finish line. Thus, there were mixed feelings among athletes, with some expressing satisfaction while others found it hard to compete.

While the German men found success finishing third, the women also had reasons to celebrate with some solid placements throughout the Tour. As the team enters a regeneration week, all can reflect on valuable lessons learned for the future.