Fabián Štoček is a seasoned Pro Team athlete from the Czech Republic. After a summer of intense training and some victories, ProXCskiing.com caught up with the Czech skier to learn more about his goals, especially with Energamo Lipnolopet next Saturday.

Read More: Challengers event Energamo Lipnolopet live streamed on SC PLAY with English commentary.

Energamo Lipnolopet, the Ski Classics Challengers roller ski race in the Czech Republic, holds a special place in Štoček’s heart. 

“Top 3 for me is the goal,” he stated and added: 

“I think it is great that the Silvini Team is putting up this race. It takes a lot of effort to organize and support long-distance skiing in the Czech Republic.”

As for his predictions on the winners, the Czech Pro Team athlete said while smiling: 

“On the men’s side, I think Andreas Nygaard is confirmed to come now, so that would be the easy guess, but who knows, maybe he falls in love with the Czech beer culture and only wins the evening party.”

Read More: Nygaard ready for Energamo Lipnolopet

The article continues below.

You can follow Energamo Lipnolopet live on SC Play from 9:55 CET with Ski Classics Sports Director and former Pro Team athlete Anton Karlsson and Teemu Virtanen leading the viewers through the broadcast on SC Play. 

Energamo Lipnolopet – Live Here on SC Play!

For Fabián Štoček, the previous season was a tale of two halves. 

“Last season for me was basically split in the middle,” he began, continuing: “I had my best shape and form until Jizerská Padesátka. I was performing better than I have ever been, which was a really cool feeling.”

However, the challenges came knocking on his door as well. 

“I had to submit my PhD thesis on the 1st of March, basically on the way to Vasaloppet. Until then, I strained my body quite a bit physically and mentally, including Vasaloppet, where I got sick. The races after that point were the most challenging, especially Birkebeinerrennet and Summit 2 Senja.”

Despite the challenges, Štoček found solace in a well-deserved break in Alaska. 

“I was happy to have a superb half of the season for my standards and, after, was very happy to take a break in Alaska for a couple of weeks.”

A Rollercoaster of Summer Training

Transitioning from snow to summer training, Fabián Štoček described his off-season journey as a “bit of a rollercoaster.” 

“In April, I skied in Alaska every day, but then felt completely exhausted in May,” he explained and continued: “I started running but then hurt my knee, so I roller skied a lot until my PhD defense in July and then got to ski again in Australia and New Zealand.”

The Czech athlete remained optimistic about his current form, saying, “I felt in good ski shape by the end of it. Now I took a couple of easier weeks in Montana, mainly bike-packing, before heading to Mallorca and Davos for final training preparation.”

Australia and New Zealand provided the ideal ‘summer’ training grounds for Štoček. 

“These are great places for summer training! It is basically spring skiing conditions there most of the time, so you can crust ski almost any time in their winter season,” he shared.

“In Australia, there are financially limiting options to stay right near the skiing. In New Zealand, you cannot stay at the venue, even if you are the US Ski Team, so it is at least a 20-minute drive, but most stay in Wanaka, which is 45 minutes to get to skiing.”

He also highlighted the unique cross-country skiing culture in both countries. 

“The people who get to ski in Australia create a fun atmosphere! In New Zealand, the skiers there are, in many ways, like Australia. In both places, it felt a bit like a mixture of cultures, mainly the US and Central Europe, creating its own unique skiing culture.”

Winning the Merino Muster and Falls Creek races was a dream come true for the Czech skier, “I have been meaning to make the trip happen for about five years, so it was a dream come true to finish the trip like that,” he exclaimed. 

“It was also fun getting to race with Jessie (Diggins) and Julia (Kern).”

Fabián Štoček’s goals for next Winter

Looking ahead to the upcoming season, Fabián outlined his goals. “I am looking forward to having more time to recover after races and enjoy skiing in the middle of the week,” he said. 

“Besides those goals, it is similar to last year, and that is to win some premiums during the races, which push me to get more experience in the top group.”

He also emphasized the importance of consistency. 

“Similar to last year, a few top 20 positions would be the goal. I also want to stay more consistent throughout the season and especially to have energy left at the end of the season.”

After finishing the summer with a positive outlook, Fabián Štoček is ready to take on the challenges of the upcoming season and continue to make his mark in the world of long-distance skiing.