Things did not go as planned during training late Thursday evening, Norwegian time, in Canmore, Canada.
Friday evening it is ready for the joint start for both women and men, but the stay in Cananda has started in dramatic fashion.
Italian Simone Mocellini was sent by ambulance to hospital last night after an accident during training, reports Swedish The Express.
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– Fell several metres
A shaken Markus Cramer, Italy’s national team coach, explains to the newspaper what has happened.
– He flew over the safety net and fell several meters down a cliff, says Cramer.
Several runners must have raised the alarm immediately after the fall.
Now they fear that Mocellini has suffered a broken leg.
– He was in great pain. He was cold and shivering, says Cramer.
– It feels like shit. Real shit. This guy has had so much bad luck. In the autumn he broke his hand and now he is experiencing the crap here, says a distressed and frustrated Cramer to Expressen.
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Responds to security
The German who coaches Italy believes the organizer must take action after the accident.
He believes that the protection in the bend where Mocellini fell is too bad.
– The safety net is not enough here. They need to change this asap. They must react and act, says Cramer.
Expressen writes that the jury has already taken action.
Italian Mocellini had his big breakthrough last season when he got on the podium in the World Cup in sprints at Beitostølen and in Toblach.
This winter, injuries have caused problems for the Italian.
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Joint start on Friday evening
The next week, the cross-country skiing profiles will compete in both Canada and the USA.
On Friday, they start with a joint start in the aforementioned Canmore in Canada.
It is the women who will be the first to take action on the 15 kilometer joint start. They start at 18:40, while the men go out at 20:45.
Both races are shown on TV 3 and Viaplay.
Norway is fielding the following squad for the races in North America:
Women:
Kristine Stavås Skistad (Konnerud IL)
Mathilde Myhrvold (Wind IL)
Lotta Udnes Weng (Nes Ski)
Tiril Udnes Weng (Nes Ski)
Anne Kjersti Kalvå (Lundamo IL)
Astrid Øyre Slind (Oppdal IL)
Heidi Weng (IL BUL)
Men:
Simen Hegstad Krüger (Lyn Ski)
Didrik Tønseth (Byåsen IL)
Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget (Lillehammer SK)
Pål Golberg (Gol IL)
Erik Valnes (Bardufoss and Omegn IF)
Johannes HøsflotKlæbo (Byåsen IL)
Harald Østberg Amundsen (Asker SK)
Even Northug (Strindheim IL)
Håvard Solås Taugbøl (Lillehammer Ski)
Mattis Stenshagen (Follebu Ski Club)