Training, competitions, sponsor appointments, social media, and more: as a professional athlete, there is always something to do, and everything takes a lot of time. That is exactly why being able to concentrate 100% on your sport matters so much.

Becoming a professional is the dream of many young cross-country skiers. Michaela Patscheider, Italian Pro Team athlete and ProXCskiing collaborator, explains how it works in her country.

Being a professional cross-country skier in Italy usually means being part of a sports group, such as the army, the carabinieri, or the financial police. Michaela explains how the system works.

“In traditional cross-country skiing and most other sports in Italy, you are dependent on the sports groups. They allow you to focus 100% on your sport and to turn your passion into a career and call yourself a professional athlete,” says Patscheider.

Also Read: Italian cross-country skiing teams for season 2026/2027

To become part of a sports group, your competition results are the key. When a sports group opens a place, it posts an advertisement on the official competitions portal, Concorsi. If the listing matches the athlete’s profile, they can apply and will be invited to Rome for a series of assessments, including a general medical check-up and a meeting with a psychologist. Following the tests, a points ranking is created. The top athletes on that ranking list earn a place in the sports group.

After the formation process, the athlete takes an oath and is officially released by the sports group to compete and train full-time, whether as a Carabinieri, Finance Guard, or Army athlete.

At the end of a career, athletes have two options: remain in the sports group and continue as a regular army, finance, or carabinieri employee, or leave entirely.

But what if you never made it into a sports group? “Then it will be difficult, but not impossible,” Michaela says.

In Italy, many young skiers who have not secured a sports group placement by the age of 19 or 20 take a different path, combining training with work or study. However, a team based in the Italian province of Bergamo is offering an alternative route.

The UnderUp Ski Team Bergamo primarily supports the U23 category, giving young talents a real perspective and helping them work toward a sports group placement. Support includes ski service at national competitions, equipment, travel, accommodation, and training camps in summer and autumn. One notable example of the concept working is Fabrizio Poli, who secured a place in the army sports group after coming through the team.

More information about the project is available at underup.it.

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