The Swiss Pro Team, Team Emtec Nordic, made its debut in Ski Classics last season, finishing 25th in the Pro Team rankings. Now, with a new line-up, they have completed their first team training camp in Bavaria.

ProXCskiing.com spoke with Pro Team athlete Manuela Deigentesch about training sessions, goals, and team bonding during the camp.

Goals, location, and daily routine

The goals for the first team training camp with a new setup were clearly defined:

“Spending time together, lots of roller skiing, and discovering new routes,” says Deigentesch.

And all of them were achieved. The choice of location was deliberately made in Deigentesch’s home region, as the area offers perfect rollerski conditions.

”Many kilometres on varied, hilly loops are possible in beautiful surroundings and nature. In addition, Ruhpolding – a true cross-country skiing and biathlon mecca – is nearby,” says Deigentesch.

A special highlight on site was the numerous animals:

“The camp included small cats that provided relaxed cat-cuddling breaks and really boosted the mood,” reports Deigentesch.

A typical training day was clearly structured:

“Getting up, having breakfast together, training together on roller skis, lunch, resting – sunbathing in a deckchair included -, optionally a second session, and finally spending time together over dinner,” says Deigentesch.

Challenges and progress

Particularly challenging was the interval session on day two. The team had to work together as well as possible on a route that was unknown to most of the athletes.

“A task that required not only physical fitness, but also communication and team spirit,” says Deigentesch.

Technical progress was made:

“Thanks to the support and expertise of Lucas Boegl, a former German World Cup cross-country skier, on Friday during the long tour,” says Deigentesch.

In addition, there was a lot of discussion about training, and the high training volume naturally had positive effects on endurance. Also, the workload was well managed:

“Everyone approached the training camp with the appropriate workload in advance. During the camp, there was plenty of time for recovery. The weather and track conditions also played along. Everything was perfect – perfect weather and track conditions, so everything could be carried out as planned and desired,” says Deigentesch.

Team spirit and highlights

The training camp had an extremely positive effect on team cohesion:

“Spending time together as a team is always helpful for cohesion,” highlights Deigentesch.

The most beautiful moment?

“Definitely the pizza evening with homemade pizza outside at the pizza oven on Friday evening after the long tour – a moment of cosiness and togetherness that provided the perfect end to a demanding training day,” says Deigentesch.

Conclusion and outlook

The team’s conclusion is clear:

“We will come back here to roller ski. The combination of optimal training conditions, beautiful nature, good team atmosphere, and relaxed cat breaks makes the location a fixed address for future training camps,” concludes Deigentesch.

Read More: Ski Classics World Championship Season XVIII

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