Biathlon | Biathlete Mathieu Garcia, semi-finalist in the sprint skate, looks back on his participation in the French rollerski championships: “Putting on a number is never trivial”

Biathlon: Mathieu Garcia with the cross-country skiers in Autrans

Last Saturday, among the best cross-country skiers in the country, one biathlete made it all the way to the semi-finals of the sprint skate at the French Rollerski Championships in Autrans (Isère): Mathieu Garcia, who was selected for an IBU Cup last winter.

We’re still in the preparation period and it’s always interesting to go and test yourself against other athletes in another discipline,” he went on to explain to Nordic Magazine. For us, it makes sense to do a sprint KO because it’s a lactic session in real conditions. Putting on a race number is never trivial. I’m happy to have run, it’s a change of scenery and makes you see other things!

Eleventh in the final rankings, the biathlete from CS Villard-de-Lans wasn’t the only one to put the rifle aside for a race , as Vosgienne Maëla Correia, Savoyard Rosalie Odile, Aindinoise Eline Curnillon, bronze medallist in the U18s, Bassurois Valentin Lejeune, Doubiste Canelle Midez, Chartrousin Lou Thiévent and Chamroussienne Caline Pic also took part.

At the start of the week, he headed for Font-Romeu.

In terms of positioning, we still have a lot to win, even if I did well,” analyses Mathieu Garcia. Where the difference is made, and I saw it, is on the home straight. They really have a very high speed and they’re just 2 or 3 km/h faster. It’s interesting to see that, even if this kind of confrontation is quite rare for us. It gives us some clues as to where we can improve.

Starting this week, the Isérois rider will join the Dauphiné committee’s university squad for their final altitude training camp of the preparation programme in Font-Romeu (Pyrénées-Orientales).

“We’re entering a period of fine-tuning before the selections at the beginning of November, which will be very important, as they are every year,” concludes Mathieu Garcia.

• French Championships: Jules Chappaz gold in the Autrans sprint skating event, Rémi Bourdin and Sabin Coupat on the podium, Mathieu Garcia semi-finalist
• Corrençon-en-Vercors: Lisa Siberchicot and Mathieu Garcia win the sprint at the Nordic Day in Corrençon
• Mathieu Garcia, who was selected for an IBU Cup leg last winter, tells Nordic Magazine: “Sooner or later, they’ll be betting on me”.