Cross-country skiing: a long rehabilitation for Delphine Claudel
At the end of December, just a few days before Christmas, Delphine Claudel revealed on her Instagram account that she had suffered a stress fracture in her right foot. Since then, the member of the French cross-country skiing team has been continuing her rehabilitation, working hand-in-hand with the reathletisation centre in Albertville (Savoie).
However, with an injury to the second metatarsal of her foot, the Vosgienne is still groping her way forward. A slow and cautious recovery that will not allow her to return to the World Cup ranks this winter. For Nordic Magazine, the 28-year-old cross-country skier took the time to explain what she’s been up to and how her recovery is progressing. Interview.
- To begin with, how are you doing overall?
It’s getting a bit long, I admit. After that, I’m well looked after and I’m currently at the reathletisation centre in Albertville. I’m managing things well thanks to that too. I’m not very patient under normal circumstances, so I have to make the best of it. As soon as I push too hard, the pain comes back quite quickly. In the end, there’s not much I can do. It’s hard to know how things will progress over the next few weeks.
- What sporting activities are possible with your injury?
I do weight training, a bit of home-training and ski erg to keep fit. But there’s no notion of development. In terms of morale, it’s going well all the same, but it’s starting to take a bit long. During the reathletisation, we’ll see how things develop and whether I can put loads back on or not. I still don’t know if I can try to go skiing for even ten or fifteen minutes. I’m going to start again gradually and let my feet do the talking.
“I’m obviously annoyed not to be able to ski this year”Delphine Claudel for Nordic Magazine
- Are you ahead of or behind the times you were hoping for when you announced your injury?
I thought I’d be back on the skis by now [laughs]! After that, I don’t know much about these fractures but I was hoping to be back on the slopes by then. It’s much, much longer than that. I don’t even know if I’ll be able to get back on skis at the end of the season. It really bothers me not to be able to ski this year. I know that where I’m injured is quite complicated because it’s under load all the time. It’s not the best place for it to recover quickly from what I’ve understood. There’s improvement some days but as soon as you make a false step, it calls you back to order. It’s still very fragile.
- How do you keep busy outside sport?
There’s been a lot of rest and let’s just say it’s going well so far. I’ve spoken to quite a few people. I’ve also gone back to La Féclaz for reathletisation, so I’m travelling back and forth between here and Albertville. I still manage to find things to do and I don’t go round in circles. But in fact, what annoys me most is not being able to walk normally and do activities without wondering about the load I’m putting on my foot. I read a lot and do puzzles. I also watch a lot of skiing on TV.
- Isn’t it too difficult to follow your team-mates from behind the screen?
No, it’s not! In fact, it’s really cool to be able to follow them. First of all, I’m also happy when they succeed. I think it helps me almost more to see them. I want things to work out for them so I’m really behind the band. It doesn’t hurt me at all.
- How do you keep in touch with your team?
It’s a bit difficult to see them at the moment because we’re preparing for the Worlds. I bumped into Mélissa [Gal] at La Féclaz and I was delighted. I often get messages from Flora [Dolci], Léna [Quintin] and Maëlle [Veyre]. Alexandre [Pouyé, coach of the French women’s team, editor’s note] and I often call each other. Things are going really well on that front.
“I have time and I also know that my season is over”Delphine Claudel for Nordic Magazine
- Having mentioned the physical aspect, how do you feel mentally?
I think it might get complicated if every time I do something, the pain comes back quite quickly or something like that, because I’m going to feel like I’m stagnating a bit. And then I won’t understand if I don’t manage to get through it in the next few weeks. I think that could stress me out. But for the moment, I’m putting my trust in the cell. They say that it’s quite normal and that the place is sensitive. You don’t have to think too much about it, you just have to be patient and trust me. I’ve got time and I also know that my season is over. So now the idea is to get back on track so I don’t have any more worries.
- Are you also thinking about your summer preparations?
It’s possible that I won’t be able to prepare 100%. Once it’s healed, I’ll still have to be careful because it’ll be fragile. What’s more, it’s going to take months and months to heal. So I also have to prepare myself for the possibility that I won’t be able to race as much as I would have liked this summer. These are things I have to accept, and I still hope to be able to work well for the Olympics.
- A few days after you announced your injury, you confided in our columns that an injury often made you stronger. Is that still the case today?
I’m really reconsolidating my body [Laughs]. By doing a lot of weight training, I’m gaining arms and thighs. Even if it’s on a small scale, I feel that my T-shirts are a bit tighter. These are small details, but you have to work on something else. It’s interesting because I’m rebuilding something almost from scratch. I hope I won’t have to adapt my preparation too much, but I know I really want to do it and I’ll be at my best when things get better.
- How would you like to get back into sport?
The idea would even be to start again in April. After that, it’s a month and a half away, so we’ll have to see if my foot is still sore. The schedule will really depend on the foot. We haven’t planned anything yet. We’d really like to be able to get back to endurance training in April. In the meantime, I’m doing a few activities because I also need to exercise. I’m not going to say too much about what’s going to happen next, because you could be disappointed.
“There’s plenty to play forDelphine Claudel on France’s chances at the Trondheim Worlds
- You’ll also be following the Worlds in Trondheim (Norway) from behind your screen for the first time…
It’s going to feel weird. I have to admit that right now I’m a bit nervous [sic]. I’ve been thinking about it for a few days now and I’m thinking that the Worlds in Norway must be a real thrill in your career. I’d hate to miss that atmosphere. That’s what really gets me going too. The mood that surrounds the competition when it’s on the skis and we’re all fighting for the same thing. It’s something quite special that you only find in sport. And I think that in Norway, it’s going to be unique.
- How would you assess the French national team’s season?
So far, so good. There have been some great performances. I think that the girls are doing well, according to the feedback I’ve had. They struggled at the start of the season with illnesses and setbacks. But right now, I have the impression that the three selected girls have managed to take a bit of a break. They’ve been preparing at home. They also did a short training camp in Prémanon and that enabled them to start again from scratch and take a break from this competition every weekend. Their form will continue to improve before the World Championships and that will get them in shape. There’s plenty to play for over there.
For the boys, the start of the season was also a little complicated in Scandinavia. But we still have solid players. Hugo [Lapalus] is there, as is Mathis [Desloges] and Victor [Lovera], who has really come into his own over the last few weeks and is holding his own. Personally, I’d always put my money on Jules [Lapierre] or Clément [Parisse]. They have so much team spirit that at these Worlds, in the relays and even individually, I think they can go very far and get great results with the Norwegians and in front of the Norwegians.
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