Inseparable in the French cross-country skiing team, the two athletes share success at the highest level, extreme professionalism and the realistic ambition of an Olympic medal in the individual sprint this Tuesday in Zhangjiakou.
In the small world of cross-country skiing, the competition could almost believe that Richard Jouve and Lucas Chanavat are twins. Same age (27), same sprint specialty and same number of World Cup victories (14). The two skiers, installed near the summits of the world sprint, are the inseparable faces of the success of the French cross-country skiing team. Both will try this Tuesday to extricate themselves from the qualifications (from 9:45 a.m.) and hang a medal in the final of the individual sprint, scheduled shortly after 1 p.m. (French time).
This winter, they chained the “top 3” and even climbed together on the podium of the free sprint in Lenzerheide (Switzerland) at the end of December (Jouve 2nd, Chanavat 3rd). “We have a very healthy relationship with Lucas, the same age, the same journey when arriving as young people at the federation at the same time, good results at the same time, develops Richard Jouve. This similar trajectory makes us hyper accomplices.
Rigor close to asceticism
With unfailing rigor, the duo impresses the comrades of the longest distances. “Skiing is 100% my job, on the slopes and off with nutrition, recovery. I pay attention to everything explains Richard Jouve. I try things all the time. I discuss with the coaches, I look at what other skiers are doing, other sports.
Rigor close to asceticism for Chanavat, during these last pandemic months: “I have been optimizing everything on a daily basis for a long time, swears the child of Grand-Bornand. Because of the Covid, I didn’t see anyone since November except for my girlfriend who telecommutes at home and doesn’t see anyone either. I saw my family only outside and with the mask. With my nieces who are all young, it’s hard to explain to them, but we know that the stakes are higher.
Proof of the extreme meticulousness devoted to Olympic preparation, the two asked the opinion of army specialists concerning the management of the cold in anticipation of the Games, where a thermal amplitude, between -20 and -10°C these twenty-four hours was expected at 1,600 meters above sea level. “There are lots of details, protocols to be vigilant about so as not to freeze up in training or in the race”, evokes Richard Jouve about these military councils.
“Too tender”
Their friendship makes it possible to appreciate the whole months spent together far from home. It can also serve them in this discipline where you have to know how to elbow your way to win, in these nervous race formats for six over a course of about 1 kilometer. “It’s hard to race together, we’re so close that we can’t get in the way of each other, we try not to get in each other’s way, we won’t dare to close the door in a bend, admits Jouve. During the quarter-finals we always place ourselves in different tables [les meilleurs des qualifications choisissent leur quart].» He pursues : “Sometimes we can miss this aggressiveness, we have already missed races for having been too tender between us. It can make us passive, and we get overwhelmed.
This Tuesday, they could be fighting for the same medal in the sprint skate, their favorite format, and are among the favorites on the podium behind the untouchable Norwegian Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo. Jouve is chasing a second Olympic medal after the bronze in the team sprint in 2018 won in Pyeongchang with Maurice Manificat. In great shape, the latter had been preferred at the last minute to Chanavat. “It had to be me until the day before the race. I had prepared the Games for this race. Then it was not an easy period. I did a good job on it, after a long time to cash in, it probably helped to strengthen me as an athlete,” says Chanavat.
Still present in Beijing, Manificat will leave its place this time, as the two friends seem indisputable for the team sprint which will take place on February 16, in classic style. They dream of getting on the podium together. From this Tuesday?