The “ghost tour” in South Tyrol: somehow spooky

By Michael Andres, Dobbiaco

There is usually a lot of life in Dobbiaco at this time of year: tourists line the streets, amateur athletes spend their winter holidays here. Especially when the cross-country skiing stage race Tour de Ski traditionally comes to Alta Pusteria at the beginning of January, the atmosphere is guaranteed. Cheering spectators along the route and in the Nordic Arena as well as numerous journalists from all over the world characterize the picture.

This time everything was different. The ghost tour stopped in Dobbiaco on Tuesday and Wednesday, so to speak, closed to the public. No spectators were allowed and there were fewer media representatives here than usual. The Corona measures were strict. Only those who could show a negative corona test - no older than 48 hours - were allowed into the Tour de Ski bubble.

Idyll and peace: This is how the Nordic Arena presented itself on Wednesday morning, a few hours before the races. © on

In the end, there were around 800 people in the Toblach bubble with the tour entourage, all of whom tested negative, of course. One of them was the Norwegian journalist Morten Stenberg. While the athletes from the homeland of this sport decided not to take part in the tour due to the corona pandemic, Stenberg and cameraman Terje Haugnes were on site for the Norwegian public TV broadcaster NRK. They were the only media representatives from the number 1 cross-country skiing nation.

2 Norwegians in Toblach: Terje Haugnes (left) and Morten Stenberg. © on

“Even though our athletes are not there, it was still important for us to follow the Tour de Ski,” explained Stenberg, who has taken part in every Tour de Ski since the stage race was launched in the 2006/2007 season was. Cross-country skiing is the number 1 popular sport in Norway. Stenberg regrets that the Norwegian national team decided against taking part in the tour. “The security precautions here are optimal,” praised the journalist. Nevertheless, he showed understanding for the national team's decision, which wanted to avoid any risk due to the coronavirus crisis before the World Cup in Oberstdorf (from February 23rd).

OC boss Gerti Taschler and his team ensured that everything ran smoothly. “Of course the Corona safety precautions were an extra effort, but everything worked perfectly,” said Taschler happily after the races. The regulations were always respected and adhered to. Whether interviews at a distance or the requirement to wear masks outside of competitions – those present in Toblach behaved in an exemplary manner, as Taschler confirmed. “But it was a strange feeling, especially the lack of atmosphere when the winners crossed the finish line,” said Taschler about sport in Corona times.

<a data-caption="Interviews in Corona-Zeiten: Sicherheitsabstand und Maske (im Bild die russische Siegerin Julia Stupak im Gespräch mit einem russischen Journalisten). © am" data-fancybox="inline-72058" target="_image" href="https://s3-images.sportnews.bz/_images/scale/1280x1280/img/2021/01/interviews-in-corona-zeiten-sicherheitsabstand-und-maske-im-bild-die-russische-siegerin-julia-stupak-im-gespraech-mit-einem-russischen-journalisten.jpg"> Interviews in Corona times: safety distance and mask (in the picture the Russian winner Julia Stupak in conversation with a Russian journalist). © on

The ghost tour was also a new situation for stadium speaker Toni Lanz. “Even if there are no spectators here, it is important to entertain the people present, from athletes to officials and helpers,” he emphasized. Without an audience it was difficult to “light a fire”, but he still had a lot of fun moderating this time. He hopes to be able to warm up numerous spectators again next season.

Co-organizers of the tour in Toblach: (from left) Patrick de Zordo, OC boss Gerti Taschler, speaker Toni Lanz and Eugenio Rizzo. © on

Whether the Tour de Ski will also come to Dobbiaco in the 2021/2022 season will be decided at the FIS Congress in June. The organizers hope so and are confident. Because one thing became clear once again this time: cross-country skiing belongs in Toblach, whether as a ghost race or – even better – with numerous fans.

The reports on Wednesday's races can be found here.

The reports from the races on Tuesday can be found here.

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The “ghost tour” in South Tyrol: somehow spooky

No spectators, but still an experience. The Tour de Ski in Toblach was of course different than usual during Corona times. An experience report.

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