Lisa Vittozzi has been condemned to watch so far in the current biathlon season. Italy’s sports director Klaus Höllrigl has now given hope that the reigning overall World Cup winner could finally get back into the action in mid-January.
Lisa Vittozzi “still feels her back injury and has to miss training sessions again and again,” Höllrigl told the “sportnews.bz” portal. “It’s nothing bad now, but it’s just a lack of form,” revealed the Italian biathlon official in this context.
At the same time, Höllrigl outlined a plan for Vittozzi’s return to the Biathlon World Cup. “Lisa should work her way back to her level in training. We decided together that it is better not to start in Oberhof yet, because the body is an athlete’s capital,” explained the sports director and added: “The overall World Cup is far from over anyway Now the plan is for her to return to Ruhpolding and then build up her form until the World Cup.”
This means: Vittozzi could celebrate her season debut in biathlon in Ruhpolding (January 15th to 19th). Before that, the best ski hunters in the world will be visiting Oberhof (January 9th to 12th). The Italian association had recently confirmed that Vittozzi will not yet be competing in the Thuringian winter sports stronghold.
No title defense in the Biathlon World Cup possible
The 29-year-old has missed the entire biathlon season due to persistent back problems.
Vittozzi is therefore denied the chance to defend his title in the overall World Cup. Last winter, the Italian won the Grand Crystal Globe in an exciting final with 1091 points, just ahead of the French Lou Jeanmonnot (1068) and the Norwegian Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold (1044).
Now Vittozzi’s job is to get back in shape before the Biathlon World Championships in Lenzerheide (February 10th to 23rd).