There are still cartridges to be fired. It’s been a complicated two years for Luke Hofer. The Italian biathlete had to deal with a series of significant inflammations in his knees, specifically affecting first the tibialis tendon of the left leg e Then of the right one. However, everything seems to be behind us and Lukas is ready for a new challenge.
The first stage of the World Cup will take place Tuesday 3 December in Kontiolahti (Finland)where it will be held a men’s individual in the “short” version. We reached Hofer by phone, who is currently refining his preparations for a test that awaits him in Norway to better understand his fitness level.
The question is a bit banal but, given what you’ve experienced in the last two years, it’s a must: how are you?
“I’m quite well. The preparation went as planned. I honestly can’t wait to compete also to understand my level. There is great curiosity and desire to start again for a new competitive year“.
The first appointment will be in Kontiolahti, how are you finalizing your preparations?
“We will face some test races here in Sjusjøen (Norway), where the home athletes will also push for their internal selection. Consequently, it will also be interesting for me to compete against strong opponents and it is very stimulating“.
With what spirit will you approach the World Cup, in the knowledge that the objective will be the World Championships in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, from 12 to 23 February?
“Honestly, I prefer to have a stage-by-stage approach. I don’t think obsessively about the World Cup, even though I know that that is the focus of the season. A reasoning also fruit of my experience and the management that an athlete of my age must have to perform as best as possible“.
There is still some way to go, but in the end this long journey will culminate with the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. How will it feel for you to compete in the Games on home soil?
“It will be a special feeling. It’s clear that there are a lot of stimuli to get to that event as best as possible and I don’t deny that the thought of competing in front of the Italian public for such an important event gives me even more stimuli. I will push 100% to give everything I have“.
What is the atmosphere like in the Italian group? We know that the women’s team is in Val di Martello, with the exception of Dorothea Wierer who is in Norway with her and the rest of the men’s team.
“There is confidence in the group, the athletic tests we have done have given excellent results. Wierer and Vittozzi are the spearheads of this team, but in any case also the young male players, like Giacomel and Bionaz, they will say, and obviously I’m there too. We aim to do well in the relay and grow further as a team“.
Speaking of Giacomel, we know that he is a huge tennis fan. Do you have the same passion?
“Not like him who doesn’t miss a match, but I’ve been following him since the Federer-Nadal days. We want to talk about Jannik Sinner don’t we?“.
Insightful…
“I expected it (smiles, ed.). I don’t know him very well, I had the opportunity to exchange a few words with him on a couple of occasions. However, it is fantastic what he is doing and the way he always manages to have the motivation to continue improving. It is clearly pleasing that an Italian, born here, emerges in such a complicated practice as tennis“.
Even biathlon is not easy, on the contrary…What is your seasonal goal?
“I wouldn’t talk about just one seasonal goal, but what I want is to compete healthy and be able to express myself at my best on skis and on the shooting range. They come from seasons of many physical problems and my target can only be to feel good. The results can only be the consequence of this“.
