The day after.....

The day after:
An early start to the morning. Rolf was up early, his cold better. We headed down for breakfast and got down to Pragelato where it was –20C or there abouts! Balaclava weather!

Short training session today to test skis and then back to see the Minister for Sport, John, and the rest of the Irish Dignitaries. The Minister even complemented me on my dancing! Photo session and then the all important feeding frenzy, Lunch. Yum, pizza, roast polenta, lots of salad and a good café latte with lemon cake. The joys of a healthy appetite, you just keep shovelling.

Seems to be a blood doping fervour gripping the media at the moment with leaks to the media and 12 cross country athletes been suspended for 5 days and media hype-types buzzing like vultures over any juicy bits of info. Met with the Ethiopian CC athlete (American-raised and a nifty skier I must say). Seems his results showed an abnormal haemoglobin count as well but, hey, he’s from high altitude genes and has been training up high too. And the results actually don’t quite prove anyone has been doping and are only routine tests as such to make sure that you won’t drop dead in your race! So since I haven’t heard anything back on my test as yet I assume I’m healthy and fit. Will have to ask Una May later about the in’s and out’s of this. Good to have someone in the know who can explain al this. The Ethiopian is mightily pissed off as Eurosport have been blabbering about Ethiopia’s first doping athlete and so forth so looks like he might be in need of a lawyer for a defamatory case.

Had my session with Andreas, the Austrian Team physician. He’s helping out about 17 nations here as well as his own team. He was able to treat my shoulder, which was great as it’s still acting up. Have to go back to him again once or twice before the race. Nice guy and very much part of the soul of this Olympics in his generosity of spirit.

Talking with Catriona just now, waking up from a bit of a siesta. Seems I made headlines in the Irish Star, my first venture into the tabloids!

Will race one loop of my course tomorrow and race the two loops on Monday. Should be interesting to test the form now. There are three climbs of which one is a long long steep haul. But the good thing is the decent after where you catch your breath, a bit like cycling up a hill and the freewheel down.
Best get this posted with a few pics….enjoy!