Cross-country skiing: Léonie Perry continues to assert herself
In mid-December, Léonie Perry from the Vosges achieved her first World Cup success by finishing sixth in the individual 10km skate race in Davos (Switzerland). That’s how she approached the Tour de Ski a week ago, with legitimate ambitions.
However, the first few rounds of the legendary team event proved difficult for the cross-country skier from La Bresse (Vosges).
“I didn’t have the right feeling and I didn’t manage to exploit my qualities. I’m more of a power runner and I didn’t have too much power there. That put me pretty far back in the opening skate sprint, even though I was hoping to do better than last year,” she tells Nordic Magazine. In the individual classic, it was the same. I didn’t feel powerful or capable of producing strong skis. The results weren’t necessarily very good, but then there was a short rest day that really did me good and allowed me to get back into the swing of things with a fresh start.
Alpe Cermis, a leap into the unknown for Léonie Perry
On Wednesday, Léonie Perry was introduced to the new heat mass-start format. I was very happy to take on this 5km, a format that’s a little nervous,” she laughs. A short distance like that is something I really appreciate on paper. After that, it was new, so we had no idea what to expect. We were in the unknown and I was in a very strong group, especially with Jessie [Diggins], Emma Ribom, Moa Ilar and Ebba Andersson, who I managed to beat in the end.
Fourth in her heat – the fastest of the four – at the finish, the Bressaude came within a whisker of her first World Cup podium.
I’m very happy with my result,” says Léonie Perry. I gave it my all! It was a very special format and I’m clear about the fact that I had a good pool. I don’t know if I can say I’m frustrated… It was just a bit sad to think that the podium came down to nothing. I’m already so happy to be able to get this kind of place that I can only take positives from it. It’ll make me want to push even harder next time to get a better performance and get on that box.
As the final weekend of the Tour de Ski approaches, with a classic sprint and then the final climb, the 21-year-old Frenchwoman has a goal in mind: “ I’d like to break into the top 30 overall,” admits the rider currently in thirty-third place. On Sunday, I’m going to start on the Alpe Cermis without any reference points and without any idea of what it’s going to be like. I’ve never done this before in my life, but we’ll see where it takes me!
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- Toblach: Gus Schumacher wins the Tour de Ski mass-start skate heat, Jules Chappaz just off the podium
- Toblach: Léonie Perry less than a second off the podium, the mass-start skate heat for Jessie Diggins
- “Having been sixth before, I inevitably have a few regrets”: Léonie Perry came very close to the podium in the mass-start skate heat at Toblach.
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- Tour de Ski: Jessie Diggins crushes the 20 km classic pursuit in Toblach, Léonie Perry tops the French rankings
- Jessie Diggins and Johannes Hoesflot Klæbo still in the lead, Hugo Lapalus in the battle for the top 10: the overall rankings of the Tour de Ski after four stages out of six.
