Czech cross-country skier Michal Novák is undergoing significant changes. In an interview, he discusses his collaboration with legendary coach Markus Kramer, the key decisions he made, his revised approach to long-term stress and training planning, and his views on modern trends in sports.

At the end of the last season, Michal Novák contemplated the future direction of his career. “I had been thinking about a new impulse since the end of the season and had several options on how to proceed. However, reaching out to Markus was a completely natural solution. I’m very glad he accepted, and we could start working together,” he describes the arrival of the renowned coach Markus Kramer.

The path to a new team also brought a surprising return. Long-time coach Vasil Husák may have left the national team, but he ultimately rejoined the preparation of the Czech skiing star. “I had to respect Vasil’s decision, but since coaching fulfills him a lot and we still haven’t achieved certain goals, I reached out to him as well. In the end, Vasil accepted the offer, and I’m thrilled to see Markus and Vasil working together now. We all enjoy it very much,” Novák expresses his satisfaction.

International reach

Collaboration with Kramer also opens up interesting opportunities for international competition. Markus Kramer is responsible for several athletes from different countries and also leads the Italian team. “It works interestingly, but ultimately very simply. I’ve also been in contact with those athletes a bit,” explains the Czech representative, adding what he sees as the greatest benefit: “I can mainly join several camps with the Italian national team. That’s another great impulse for me.”

However, he hasn’t completely lost contact with the domestic environment, even though he emphasizes a clear structure in his preparation. “I’ve been with the Czech team for several training sessions and one camp. But I don’t want it to become a mess, and adapting training is usually not simple.”

Calm instead of travel

Part of the new strategy included adjusting the summer racing calendar. Michal Novák skipped the Blink Festival this year in favor of a calmer preparation. “I was in Mallorca in the spring when Vasil called me, suggesting it might be best to skip the summer races this year and just focus on training without the travel and hustle around it,” he recalls.

This decision paid off. When he returned to competition after a long break at the Vysočina Arena, he delivered a commanding performance in the 15km skate race, finishing a minute and a half ahead of the second-place competitor. “It was really nice to race again in Nové Město after such a long time. The performances confirmed what we suspected from feedback in training and functional testing, and I’m extremely happy about it.”

From Salomon to Fischer

In addition to changes in his coaching team, Michal Novák has also made another significant move – after years of loyalty to Salomon, he has switched to Fischer.

“I changed my ski brand, which is a fundamental step. I’ve already skied on them in Torsby, and I feel great about it,” he says regarding his equipment. The transition to a new brand was not an easy decision, especially due to the friendships he had built at his previous sponsor. “This year, I decided to switch to Fischer. I value the people and relationships I built at Salomon. They were very open to feedback, and I could really contribute to the development. But it’s a large company, and before they could implement significant changes, I would have been done with my career.”

The training methodology under the new coaching duo is evolving gradually. “Overall, Markus’s arrival is a big change, although in training, it’s more of a gradual evolution.”

Mental calm above all

In today’s elite sports, the smallest details are constantly being addressed, and new trends, such as heat training, are emerging. Michal Novák approaches them with a sense of perspective and mature experience.

“I incorporated heat training before it became a trend. And currently, I’m not using it. To be honest, when I see most of those trends today, I just smile,” he admits with a grin.

Thus, he sees the main priority for the upcoming period in a completely different area – in recovery and mental well-being. “I’m definitely trying to think more about eliminating long-term stress. This is a complex issue, mainly concerning planning my activities between training, what I will or won’t do, and where I will go. From my experiences last season, I know I need to protect my central nervous system,” concludes Michal Novák.

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