Tour de Ski: Because of the Olympics – Laura Gimmler is foregoing the Tour de Ski

As of: December 26, 2025 12:30 p.m

Without Laura Gimmler, the German cross-country skiers will start the Tour de Ski on Sunday (December 28th).

The cross-country skiers’ first highlight of the season will take place without Laura Gimmler. The 32-year-old from Oberstdorf is not yet really fit and will not run in the Tour de Ski, the German Ski Association announced on Friday (December 26th). This is a precautionary measure.

Sprint ace Gimmler already has her Olympic ticket in her pocket after fourth place in the team sprint at the World Cup in Davos and should now prepare specifically for the Winter Games.

Hennig Dotzler still needs a top result

In addition to Gimmler, Coletta Rydzek, Helen Hoffmann, Pia Fink and Katherine Sauerbrey from the women’s team have already qualified for the games in Cortina d’Ampezzo and Milan. In contrast, long-time figurehead Katharina Hennig Dotzler, who married her long-time boyfriend Christian Dotzler in the summer, is still fighting for her Olympic ticket.

After difficult preparation, the 29-year-old only has half the standard in her pocket. “Katha needs patience”said cross-country skiing national coach Peter Schlickenrieder in the Sportschau interview. According to Schlickenrieder, she puts a lot of pressure on herself and sometimes tries to use the crowbar.

Dream: Olympic individual medal

With normal preparation, Hennig Dotzler would have been a candidate for an individual medal. “That has now become a long way off, you have to be honest“, says Schlickenrieder. Hennig Dotzler sees it the same way: “My big dream would be an individual medal, but I know realistically that it requires a lot of lucky circumstances and that the probability is not very high“, said the likeable runner from the Erzgebirge in the podcast “Sport im Kopf”.

It will be the last Olympic Games for the 29-year-old. In 2022 she won the Olympics together with Victoria Carl, who is currently banned for doping, and won silver with the team. “Katharina Hennig has achieved everything you can achieve. You can’t be more than an Olympic champion.” She has done a lot for German cross-country skiing and can actually live by the motto “Everything can, nothing has to” approach the matter casually. But that is easier said than done, Schlickenrieder knows.

Bumpy start to the season

Not only did Hennig Dotzler have to overcome a few hurdles at the start of the season, the start didn’t go well for her teammates either. “We started the season stronger”said Schlickenrieder shortly before the start of the Tour de Ski on Sunday in Toblach.

The 55-year-old has been the national coach for almost eight years and has experienced ups and downs. The start of the Olympic winter was such a low point, at least for the men. Only Florian Notz has already met the Olympic standard. Everyone else has to stretch during the Tour de Ski.

Kläbo and Diggins are the favorites

The top favorite among the men is defending champion Johannes Hösflot Kläbo from Norway, who can win the tour for the fifth time and would therefore be the sole record holder. Among women, Jessica Diggins from the USA has the best cards just a few months before the end of her career. For the overall victory, 80,000 will continue to be paid out – but this year for the first time, euros instead of Swiss francs.

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Tour de Ski schedule