Ahead of the Tour de Ski, Michal Novák opens up about his World Cup season lead up, and what are his expectations for the grueling Tour de Ski?

Last season, Michal earned the “King of the White Trail” award for the best Czech cross-country skier. However, this year brought a challenging autumn and early winter. Michal had to undergo an emergency appendectomy, sidelining him during the critical preparation phase and causing him to miss the season’s opening races—a period when he usually excels.

As the saying goes, every cloud has a silver lining. Let’s hope it holds true for Michal, who will need peak form for the World Championships in Trondheim, Norway, this February.

Michal’s Career Highlights

Three years ago, Michal took 5th place in a 15km freestyle pursuit in Ruka, Finland, clocking the second-fastest time overall. A week later, he secured another 5th place in Lillehammer, Norway, on the same distance. During the Tour de Ski two seasons ago, he shone with a 4th place finish in the opening sprint.

Last season, he captivated fans by battling for victory in a 20km mass start freestyle race in Finland. Despite narrowly losing to Norway’s Jan Thomas Jenssen, Michal achieved an outstanding 2nd place—an exceptional result for a Central European skier in the competitive Nordic field.

Michal also excelled this past summer, winning a prestigious rollerski race at the Martin Fourcade Festival in France.

Michal’s Words

In October, you had an appendectomy. How did it affect you mentally?
It was a shock, honestly. I had just returned from France, and the next day, I felt terrible. That night, I was rushed to the hospital by ambulance. It wasn’t a pleasant experience. I immediately thought about recovering as quickly and effectively as possible, but I knew I wouldn’t start this season on time. On top of that, I wanted to keep things calm for my family.

Do you know what caused your health issues?
With appendicitis, it’s hard to say. It could have been a random trigger, like stress. I ended up losing almost two months of training, which is a big setback for us. Still, I focused on staying proactive and adapting to the situation.

How did your summer preparation go otherwise?
It started almost perfectly. We had a well-structured plan based on scientific insights and our experience. There were minor setbacks like colds and allergies, but overall, I was satisfied. Then came the tough summer and autumn.

How did you feel racing in Davos?
It was a subpar performance. My body was still fatigued, but we expected that. The main goal was to test myself in race mode.

What are your expectations for the demanding Tour de Ski, especially as you’re just getting into the season?
Even I’m not sure what to expect. I’ve only been back in training for two months. I’ll use the Tour to fine-tune my form and give it everything. We’ll see how far that takes me.

The season’s highlight will be the World Championships in Trondheim. Do you think you’ll have a shot at a strong result?
Absolutely. That’s the main goal. By then, I should be ready to challenge even the Norwegians on their home turf.

Do you think Czech skiers can compete with Scandinavians, who have better conditions, infrastructure, and sparring partners?
We can, but it takes much more effort and ingenuity. Where we struggle is sprint tactics in groups. We need more high-quality sparring to improve in that area.

Read more: Who will win the Tour de Ski?