Cross-country skiing: Flora Dolci just a breath away from the top 10 in Les Rousses
On Thursday, on the eve of theindividual skate, the opening event of the cross-country skiing world cup in Les Rousses (Jura), Flora Dolci confessed that she felt “only 70%” of her full potential. Sick during the Tour de Ski, the Frenchwoman then came down with a virus which has prevented her from being in top form in recent weeks.

However, over the 10 kilometre course, the Haut-Alpine did not disappoint. Setting off at a good pace, the French cross-country skier even competed with the best on the first intermediates of the course. Finally in eleventh place at the finish, just over 47 seconds behind Jessie Diggins, the day’s overall winner, the 25-year-old had mixed feelings about her initial performance in the mixed zone.
“On the heat of the moment, I’m a bit disappointed because I wanted to be on the podium. The feeling wasn’t too bad and I’m really happy to be racing here, but I have to admit that I was a bit disappointed straight away,” she told Nordic Magazine. I really wanted to take off, but I gave it my all and I have no regrets.

After a promising start to the season, Flora Dolci is hoping to turn a corner this winter after coming very close to a first career top 3 last year in the individual skate event in Östersund (Sweden) on 10 December 2023: “I’m dreaming of a podium finish this winter. I hope it will end up in the Engadine, in Cogne or at the Worlds,” she says.
The AS Edelweiss rider quickly got down to business on Friday on what promised to be a demanding track, and she already knew what to expect. “It’s a really hard track. Even when you’re in top form, I think you’re affected by the race. On some tracks, you can feel when you’re flying. Here, it’s inevitably harder,” she says. It breaks your legs. As for me, I’ve just come back from illness. I’ve managed to breathe deeply and that’s not bad.
“Two hours before the start, the stress got to me”.Flora Dolci at Nordic Magazine
And while she says she wants to “go all out” in the 20-kilometre mass-start classic scheduled for Sunday, Flora Dolci knows she can count on a red-hot crowd to support her: “It’s a bit stressful being at home. It’s special because you’ve been training here for years and you can sometimes forget that you’re also running here. Two hours before the start, the stress got to me. But overall, it’s fantastic”, she admits.
Read also
- Les Rousses: Jessie Diggins wins the individual skateboard event, Flora Dolci the best French skater
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