Eh guy!....back in Italy

So Christmas and New Years has come and gone and that means that it is Tour de Ski time again.  Seven days of racing in 9 days which started in Oberhof, Germany on December 28 and will end tomorrow here in Val di Fiemme, Italy tomorrow.  In that time we have had one of the Tour favourites withdraw in protest over format changes (due to poor snow conditions) and then to beautiful Lenzerheide, Switzerland (which is now my favourite place in Europe), and a quick stop in Toblach, Italy and now here in Val di Fiemme.  Europe is really suffering through a bad winter for snow and that has been very evident driving between stages of the Tour.  Most snow is above 1500m with rain at the lower elevations.  Again I will try and let pictures tell the story as there is so much to say.

 Driving down from Davos on the way to Oberhof.  Down in the rain.  You can see the frost line.

 Who needs a pick up truck when you have a subaru!

 Headed up from Chur, SUI to Lenzerheide

 Good thing AltaGas and Statoil are Canadian team sponsors!  Burning some fuel on the Tour.

 Good morning from Lenzerheide stadium

 New Year's eve with Rudy and Hannes in my new authentic Austria attire

 Not a bad spot for New Year's eve fondue dinner.  Half way up an alpine hill.  Sleds for the ride down!

 Beautiful Swiss countryside.

 Start of the men's 35 km Cortina to Toblach competition.  Was on hand to do pre-interview and then rush back to Toblach to interview winner.

 View from the van on the drive back to Toblach.  Like so many small towns in the Alps it is a Church steeple that reaches the highest.

 Up and over the pass from Cortina on the way to Val di Fiemme...so this is where the snow is.

 Over the pass at sunset.  Beautiful.

 Back to Kuusamo at the start of the season.  Getting used to my new role with an interview with Bjoergen

 Sundby after his win in Kuusamo.

In Asiago just before Christmas.