Hellner: I miss individual starts. Coach: Get over it.

Wed, Sep  1, 2010 - By Mike Muha

Although he won the gold in the 2010 Vancouver Olympic pursuit, Swedish star Marcus Hellner says he doesn't like mass start races, including pursuits. In an interview with the Norrländska Socialdemokraten, Hellner says "They might as well remove it completely. I never liked skiathlon...[the] races are noisy and nothing happens until the last mile."

Hankering for the old days, Hellner complains "I may be stupid by not advocating mass start races because I have had good results there, but I must say what I feel. It was not the kind of skiing I started with I was little, when I competed against the clock. It is sad that there are so few individual starts in the World Cup. There should always be changes, but sometimes I actually think that changes a bit too fast."

Swedish National Team Coach Joakim Abrahamsson has a different opinion: "It is good to make the races more exciting for spectators...It's only for the athletes to adapt."

The 2010-2011 Wolrd Cup season will be dominated by mass starts, short distances and skiathon races, which should attract larger crowds. Abrahamsson says that the new age of cross-country ski racing will benefit some - but inhibit others. "Some skiers we will see a lot of, for example, Marcus Hellner, Petter Northug and Dario Cologna. They have so many strengths and are very good in crowds. But for someone like Anders Södergren, the fit maybe not as good."

Abrahamsson also says, "The athletes have begun to get used to the mass start now, but some have to work out a little different. These include to round out their sprints, riders have to adapt."