Cross-country skiing | “It was still a crazy fight” : one year on, Hugo Lapalus has again taken his place on the podium in the general classification of the Tour de Ski

Cross-country skiing : Hugo Lapalus more successful than ever at the Tour de Ski

The French cross-country skiing team has heart, and Hugo Lapalus proved it again on Sunday on the terrifying slopes ofAlpe Cermis (Italy). In contention for a place on the podium in the overall Tour de Ski rankings ahead of this legendary final event, the Frenchman put in another excellent performance on the transalpine climb.

One of the best performers on this nineteenth edition of the Tour, the Haut-Savoyard threw all his energy into the battle mid-afternoon to finish fourth at the top of the track usually used for downhill skiing. An excellent result that saw him move up to third place overall on the tour.

A year after climbing it for the first time, Le Cluse achieved a feat that no French cross-country skier had ever done before, by finishing in the top 3 of this legendary event twice in a row. For Nordic Magazine, he agreed to recount this fantastic day with emotion.

• First of all, how were you approaching this final, decisive day for the overall classification of the Tour de Ski?

I found myself in much the same situation as last year, with the possibility of a podium finish in the Tour de Ski at the end of this final stage. It was quite stressful this morning with the long wait before the race. But that’s all part of the fun! It was another crazy battle and it was great. A lot happened. It ended well and that’s the main thing.

• Did you already have a clear tactical plan for the climb?

What I needed was to be in a good position when I left the stadium and throughout the crossing before the climb. That was really important, so I tried to stay in position. After that, on the climb, I knew I had to be on the skis of the guys who were going to play the game like [Simen Hegstad] Krueger or Friedrich Moch who were really going to play the stage as they had nothing left to win overall. [Mika] Vermeulen was also in the mix because he’s in very good form at the moment. I knew more or less who to target. Once I got going, I just had to get on my skis and hold on as long as possible to see if those behind me would crack for the overall.

• How did you manage this event, despite the fatigue of seven races in nine days?

I was already feeling tired this morning. After that, I think it was the same for everyone. It’s down to who manages the recovery the best. I started off on the skis of Mika and Simen and I quickly saw that they were in a good group. I could also see that things were starting to go a bit wrong behind them. I was well aware of [Haavard] Moseby and [Erik] Valnes, who were direct competitors in the rankings.

• You lost ground at the end of the course… What were the reasons for this?

Unfortunately, I crashed into a gate on a bend. That knocked me down and I lost contact with the two in front. I tried to get back in straight away, but it didn’t work. As a result, I’m not in with a chance of a podium today. But that’s the way it is and that’s the game. I just had to be more careful. The most important thing was still the overall classification.

• Were you aware that you could become the first Frenchman to finish on the overall podium two years in a row?

I didn’t have that in mind, but it’s certainly always pleasing. In any case, we’re going for the best possible result with this whole team. It’s also important to repeat good results. It makes everyone happy and it’s a great reward for all the work that’s been done behind the scenes too.

• It seems that the presence of your friends from Team Farté is definitely giving you wings…

It’s clear that when they’re here, I get the impression that things are going really well. So I’ve asked them to come every weekend [Laughs]! It’s going to be complicated for them with work. On a more serious note, it’s always great to be able to share with friends. It adds something extra. They drive seven hours to come and see us at the weekend, so that’s really nice of them. When you’re having a bit of a hard time in the bumps, it adds that little extra something that feels good.

• Was it special not to share this with the whole team, decimated by injuries in recent days?

Of course it’s different because it’s not shared with the rest of the team and the guys you train with all year and see all the time. There’s the staff there, that’s for sure, but a small part of the team is missing when the athletes are gone. And that’s a bit of a shame. But the most important thing is that they’re back on their feet for what’s to come. In any case, all the staff were there and all the friends, so it was great.

• This latest excellent performance should whet your appetite for what’s to come…

We’re going to have a bit of a rest beforehand [Laughs]. But for the rest, it’s going to be great. There’s the Les Rousses stage coming up pretty quickly. We’re going to have to be on our toes to get back on the skis. We’re going to try to have fun and do well at home. It’s always nice to race at home. We’re going to make the most of the public who will be there to cheer us on.

• What is your overall assessment of the start of the winter season?

It certainly feels good to finish the first part like that. The Tour de Ski was clearly the objective. The start of the season was mixed, but after that it quickly got back on track with the Lillehammer skiathlon and the podium in Davos. I arrived at the Tour de Ski with a bit more confidence. There was consistency and that’s really important. That’s what I’m looking for when I always want to be placed. We’ve done a month and a half, there’s still two or even two and a half to go. You have to keep at it and do what you know how to do. There will be some big goals at the Worlds. It’s motivating and makes you want to go for it!

Read also

• Photo album of Hugo Lapalus’s podium finish in the Tour de Ski general classification
• Tour de Ski: Hugo Lapalus wins the first purple Tour de Ski best climber bib
• Tour de Ski: solid fourth place at the top of Alpe Cermis, Hugo Lapalus takes his second top 3 overall in a row
• Val di Fiemme: Hugo Lapalus just off the podium at the top of the Alpe Cermis, Simen Hegstad Krueger in control