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I arrive at the parking lot, a little later than expected, and find it closed. I leave the car in a parking lot in front, intended for skiers, then I discover that they had opened one behind. On the shuttle meeting a group of Aosta Valley, Brocard fans, telling about the Holmenkollen 50 km. Today is definitely the day when you see most Italians: there is of course Pelegrino's fan club, but also many from Trentino.
I arrive at the stands with a few minutes of margin. My stand B is almost empty, A is a little fuller, but not very full. These world championships do not seem to be a great success of public, as you can also see from the parking lot, which has never been filled even in half (perhaps because of this it has been replaced by a smaller one). On my side, mostly Norwegians and Finns, on the other many Swedes, which perhaps today are more than Norwegians.
We start with the heat of the women's sprint relay. Italy is in the first: it keeps the pace until, in the third leg (out of 6) Laurent (Pellegrino's girlfriend, as the speaker tells us) falls down. In the fourth leg we get closer, but in the last two we collapse and we arrive fifth, 26 seconds behind. The first 2 and 6 best times qualify: the second heat is faster, so we have to hope that the sixth remains behind. She does, but not enough: Italy is the first of the not qualified.
In the first men's heats, Austria takes the lead in the first leg and the audience remains almost impassive, despite the incitement of the speaker: there are very few Austrians. I have seldom seen a home team that is so little cheered, even if it will be a little better in the final. Italy is in the second heat: the speaker has prepared a repertoire of phrases typical of the Italian commentator to use them, with Pellegrino, like "all eyes on him". Both heats go as planned: Norway, Sweden and Russia in the first, Italy, France and Finland in the second.
I was hoping to see the jumping of the Nordic combined on the screen, but when the heats are over it is already over. The speaker gives only the first 4 positions (which include Austria), so I have to check on the website to find out that Italy is 7th, 1'38 " behind. The pause before the finals is short, about twenty minutes. I have idea of watching the women's final from the top of the second climb, and it turns out to be a very bad idea: I can only see a very short stretch. Perhaps you could see more from the sides, but there was too much crowd. there is an unreal silence: the speaker is not heard, the audience little. After the last passage I move to follow the finish on the screen: I see the victory of Sweden on Slovenia.
I'm back in the stands for the men's final, but I can not find my place anymore: I place myself a little higher, close toa group of Germans, who at first seem not to have realized that their team is not in the final . Race that starts very tactically, then cone team after another lose contact: at the last lap 6 are left (the 6 that I named before), then 5 when Finland falls down. When athletes come out of sight for the last climb. the framing is very narrow: you only see the first ones, Norway and Russia, and you do not understand what happens behind. Only when they are again visible live, I find out that Pellegrino is third, ahead of Sweden, and he will remain until the end. I saw two Italian medals : I could not hope for anything better!
The break before the Nordic combined is just under an hour. More than half of it I pass in the queue for lunch, a hamburger with potato roesti instead of the bun, so much that I'm afraid I will not make it on time. In the end I do, but eating very quickly. There are many more Austrians than before: this time the support for the home team is heard. The race is predictable, given the result of the jumping: Germany wins (but more clearly than expected), Norway and Austria fight for second place and the former wins, fourth Japan, fifth Italy.
At the exit I meet a group of Finnish fans, and I congratulate them for their passion: they are always numerous, despite the poor results of their representatives. The thing is even more noticeable in athletics. I arrived at the end: I'm sorry to leave, so I stop a bit in the central square to follow the jump on the screen. I'll follow the first run, then seeing that the second one does not start I decide to go: in any case I could not afford to stop for the award ceremonies.
I arrive at the stands with a few minutes of margin. My stand B is almost empty, A is a little fuller, but not very full. These world championships do not seem to be a great success of public, as you can also see from the parking lot, which has never been filled even in half (perhaps because of this it has been replaced by a smaller one). On my side, mostly Norwegians and Finns, on the other many Swedes, which perhaps today are more than Norwegians.
We start with the heat of the women's sprint relay. Italy is in the first: it keeps the pace until, in the third leg (out of 6) Laurent (Pellegrino's girlfriend, as the speaker tells us) falls down. In the fourth leg we get closer, but in the last two we collapse and we arrive fifth, 26 seconds behind. The first 2 and 6 best times qualify: the second heat is faster, so we have to hope that the sixth remains behind. She does, but not enough: Italy is the first of the not qualified.
In the first men's heats, Austria takes the lead in the first leg and the audience remains almost impassive, despite the incitement of the speaker: there are very few Austrians. I have seldom seen a home team that is so little cheered, even if it will be a little better in the final. Italy is in the second heat: the speaker has prepared a repertoire of phrases typical of the Italian commentator to use them, with Pellegrino, like "all eyes on him". Both heats go as planned: Norway, Sweden and Russia in the first, Italy, France and Finland in the second.
I was hoping to see the jumping of the Nordic combined on the screen, but when the heats are over it is already over. The speaker gives only the first 4 positions (which include Austria), so I have to check on the website to find out that Italy is 7th, 1'38 " behind. The pause before the finals is short, about twenty minutes. I have idea of watching the women's final from the top of the second climb, and it turns out to be a very bad idea: I can only see a very short stretch. Perhaps you could see more from the sides, but there was too much crowd. there is an unreal silence: the speaker is not heard, the audience little. After the last passage I move to follow the finish on the screen: I see the victory of Sweden on Slovenia.
I'm back in the stands for the men's final, but I can not find my place anymore: I place myself a little higher, close toa group of Germans, who at first seem not to have realized that their team is not in the final . Race that starts very tactically, then cone team after another lose contact: at the last lap 6 are left (the 6 that I named before), then 5 when Finland falls down. When athletes come out of sight for the last climb. the framing is very narrow: you only see the first ones, Norway and Russia, and you do not understand what happens behind. Only when they are again visible live, I find out that Pellegrino is third, ahead of Sweden, and he will remain until the end. I saw two Italian medals : I could not hope for anything better!
The break before the Nordic combined is just under an hour. More than half of it I pass in the queue for lunch, a hamburger with potato roesti instead of the bun, so much that I'm afraid I will not make it on time. In the end I do, but eating very quickly. There are many more Austrians than before: this time the support for the home team is heard. The race is predictable, given the result of the jumping: Germany wins (but more clearly than expected), Norway and Austria fight for second place and the former wins, fourth Japan, fifth Italy.
At the exit I meet a group of Finnish fans, and I congratulate them for their passion: they are always numerous, despite the poor results of their representatives. The thing is even more noticeable in athletics. I arrived at the end: I'm sorry to leave, so I stop a bit in the central square to follow the jump on the screen. I'll follow the first run, then seeing that the second one does not start I decide to go: in any case I could not afford to stop for the award ceremonies.
See you again (maybe) in Oberstdorf, but first there is Doha and many other interesting events.
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