Tcherezov describes his performance as “good” Translated by Oleva Alisa from the Web site of Russian newspaper Sport-Express Tcherezov turned out to be talkative enough and commented Sprint and Pursuit: - If to judge according to the school system (5 points system), I would put myself a “4”. I managed to shoot perfect but concerning my physical shape and speed abilities I don’t have enough force for the finish – on the last lap my speed is too slow. I don’t really know why that’s like this. Last season I had the same problem. I was in my best shape only in Khanty-Mansiusk at the last World Cup stage. As for me I run better at the end of the season. Maybe that’s because at this time most biathletes are tired. Anyway this season I together with my coaches differently planed trainings so I hope to have my best conditions earlier than usually. You understand, that’s because of the Olympic Games in February. - Aren’t you worried that Germans are in such a great shape at the moment? - Only time will show who was right and who not planning the Olympic season. I hope that those who perform so successfully now have already achieved peak form of their condition, so it will be difficult for them to stay on the top till the Olympic Games in Torino. At the beginning of the winter we had trainings in Muonio and their trained German men and women teams as well. When they had control competitions we came to watch it as spectators. Even Fischer was in awful shape – that was strange to see him like that! I suppose that’s the reason why three German strongest biathletes (Gross, Greis and Fischer) didn’t perform at the first World Cup stage. But in Osrblie Germans were performing perfectly and already three World Cup stages in a row they show amazing results. No doubt in Rupholding competition is incredibly strong so my 6th place is definitely a good result. - What tactic did you use on the track? - Tactic in individual races is something very relative. Of course it does exist in Sprint but not so important as in the Relay, Pursuit or Mass Start. For example in Relay you can see the leaders and you try to catch up with them, even if you are a bit tired. It’s easier to control the situation. But in Sprint you are alone on the track. Only you and time. So physical shape influences on the result more than tactic. - By the way, why in Rupholding coaches decided to put you as in Hochfilzen a year ago on the first leg? -I guess because I performed well on this leg previous times: in San Sicario on the Olympic track and then in Hochfilzen. Anyway, our coaches made lots of experiments during previous and current seasons, tried to put different sportsmen on different legs. For example, Nikolay Kruglov can’t perform successfully on the first leg and as he said himself last winter 1st leg is not his favorite. Anyway he performs just perfect on the second or third legs. My very first Relay – in Oberhof last season – I run on the last leg. At first you don’t think about it, you just want to be at least chosen for the relay squad. - I think that those who start on leg 1 need to be a bit impudent so not to be lost at the beginning of the race. - Honestly saying I don’t have problems with this. In Hochfilzen on the first lap I even stepped on the skis and ski poles of other sportsmen. For example if I see two biathletes ahead of me and there is a small spare space of 50 cm between them I attack. Of course you wouldn’t do this in normal races but here you use every chance to attack. It was different in Rupholding. But I was rather impudent in attacks here as well. Probably that’s the reason why coaches put me on the first leg. - Do you feel all the responsibility of starting on the first leg? - Of course I do and everyone actually does. The other question is whether the sportsman can be stronger it or not. - Do you have favorite disciplines? - Sure: Mass start Pursuit, Sprint and Relay.