You tore your cruciate ligament on January 15. How are you feeling now?
I'm doing quite well, considering the circumstances. I'm already quite far along for a cruciate ligament tear.

When do you think you'll be back on the bike and riding your first races?
That's really difficult to estimate. You don't have a cut-off date from which you can resume full weight-bearing, like when you get a cast off. It's more about how you feel. If you feel good, you can put more weight on it. And it also depends on when I'm back to a good level. But the goal would be to be able to ride again from the first World Cup.

Your team-mate Roel Paulissen has said: racers who are injured in winter win the big races in summer. Which one do you win in the summer?
The European Championships!

Not the World Championships?
Uh, but there too. Maybe the European Championships are still too early. I don't yet know when I'll be back in full form. But the European Championships could be good because not everyone is competing there, so you could manage something.

Is it a dream of yours to win the European Championships?
Well, it's certainly better to win the World Championships, but maybe the European Championships aren't as well-staffed this year and you can take advantage of that. I can certainly concentrate well on the World Championships this year due to my injury and the track in Mont Sainte Anne also suits me well, so I want to do well there too.

You had surgery immediately after your injury. Tell us, how has your rehab been so far, what do you do during the day?
You actually move as much as you can from the very first day. At the beginning, the focus is on mobility exercises so that you can bend your knee again. Then you continue with stabilization exercises for the thigh to rebuild the muscle and relearn the movement of the muscle. The main component now is actually getting the balance between the legs back. As soon as I have regained full mobility, I can start cycling again. I'm also increasing my running from day to day.

Something completely different. It's still three years until the next Olympic Games. You come from a country where 5-10 riders could actually qualify for the Games each time, but only 3 are allowed to take part. How do you see your chances?
It's still difficult to get a place, but at the same time, a lot can happen in the next three years.

But at the same time, such strong competition must also drive you to perform at your best. Is that perhaps the reason why we Swiss are so strong?
I think so. Mainly because we know each other well and are not big rivals. We train together and also help each other with the material. If someone tries something new and it's good, then they share it with the others.

Since you've been living in Graubünden again, you've had an excellent training partner in Nino Schurter right on your doorstep. Have you already done a few laps together?
Yes, I've been out with him a few times. I can still learn a thing or two from him, especially in the technical area.

Who do you think will win the World Cup next year, apart from Martin Gujan?
I think Absalon will be difficult to beat again.

Will Absalon be the dominant force again?
I don't think he'll dominate like he has in recent years, but most of the victories will still go to him. I think the World Championships have given him an incentive to work harder and train harder again.

Who do you think is the up-and-coming talent on the cross country circuit ahead of the 2012 Olympics? Who would you hire as team manager?
I think the Emily Batty, haha. Seriously, I don't know the juniors well enough but I think Mathias Flückiger is the man for the future.