Let's start at the beginning. Andrea Massi, who takes the most credit for the exceptional successes of Tina Maze, put the photo on the fridge door to help Tina overcome the "Vonn syndrome" and to stir cruel competitiveness in Tina. It was a successful move, as it is well known in Slovenia. The journalist and writer Vesna Milek asked Tina about her reaction to the photo which suddenly appeared in the kitchen in the talk show Od blizu (Close up).

"It was a strange feeling, a provocation which helped." And how does she feel now when she sees the photo? "I am grateful for all the moments we shared. Her charisma made me better, and the fact that Andrea always held her up as an example, and claiming I was the only one who could stop her. Once I started improving and making pressure on Lindsey, she slowly started losing ground. Unfortunately, she got injured during that season."

And how does it feel to live in a "normal" world, far from the gladiator ring? "It is great. It came as a great shock, after days of giving everything you have day by day, dealing with yourself, trying to improve, and fighting to overcome things which are preventing you from reaching the desired results. And then everything changes, there is a kind of void, but still – there are so many things which give me pleasure, and I found other things which fill that void."

But she misses certain things: "Sport creates euphoria; in a certain sense, only musicians can stir the same feelings within an audience. I miss the energy given by large audience, and it would be a good reason to continue and keep in touch with crowds of spectators, their support, their matched gasps and shared thoughts. I miss such moments and appreciate them, as I have experienced them."