Tobias Angerer Rocks The Cross-country Slopes

Those who prefer Tobias Angerer as a music lover and part-time DJ will not be happy that he is mainly rocking the cross-country ski slopes these days.

The playlist of favourite songs on his website was last updated in March 2005 with a big focus on American Indie-rock from the likes of Green Day.

Angerer still likes to work the turntables, but the end of the playlist coincides with his rise to the leading cross-country skier in the world.

Angerer, 29, made a late breakthrough in the 2005/2006 season, storming to the overall World Cup title with five race wins.

He has maintained the form into the new season, adding two more victories, including the prestigious Tour de Ski series, for first place in the 2007 standings and the role of gold medal favourite in several events at the worlds in Sapporo.

Angerer, however, rates the Tour de Ski title in January higher than any possible top spot in Japan.

"It is one of the biggest wins of my career. The Tour win is worth more than victory at the worlds. Here you had to show how versatile you are, with six different races in eight days. A world championship and Olympic race is decided by the form on the day," he said.

Angerer will nonetheless not snub any silverware in Sapporo, especially as he was all but dumped from the team in 2001.

Winner of a team sprint in 1999, Angerer could not live up to the expectations in the following years, was not nominated for the 2001 world championships and his World Cup future in jeopardy.

"It would have been over for Tobi if I hadn't allowed him to compete in the World Cup in 2001/2002," recalled coach Jochen Behle.

Angerer steadily improved, won a relay bronze at the 2002 Olympics, relay silver at the 2005 worlds and 2006 Olympics and his first individual medal, a 15km bronze at the Turin Olympics last year.

The World Cup title came a few weeks later in the culmination of a season where Angerer was "lost for words" early on over his success.

Angerer is in fine shape again, a torn foot ligament in summer not seriously hampering his preparations.

The World Cup title is well within reach again and so is a title or more in Sapporo despite some stiff opposition from team-mates such as Axel Teichmann and the strong Norwegians including Frode Estil and Jens-Arne Svartedal.

"The form is quite good and the confidence is there. Now I am looking forward to the world championship races in Sapporo," said Angerer earlier this month, ready to rock the world(s).

By John Bagratuni, Dpa
© 2007 DPA