Cross-country skiing : a new, more spectacular trail in Les Rousses
Two years after the resounding success of the 2023 edition, the cross-country skiing world cup in Les Rousses (Jura) is making its return to the international calendar. Starting this Friday, some of the world’s best athletes will take to the start line in the inaugural individual skate race.
The event will take place on a 10-kilometre route that has undergone a number of changes. In fact, following the competitions held two years ago, the various staff and athletes on the circuit were able to provide the organisers with suggestions for improvement.
These requests have been heeded, as the distance and sprint tracks will make the competitions more attractive than ever: “The new track will provide more spectacle and will also be better from a sporting point of view”, admits Alexandre Rousselet, head of the world group, speaking to the FFS.
“It’s a real World Cup track and there will be plenty to do”.Hugo Lapalus at the FFS
Hugo Lapalus is a fan of difficulty and of routes that include some nice bumps, and is looking forward to the first event. “I really like it because the finish is quite different. It’s more explosive and the fans will be delighted to see the finish from start to finish,” says Le Cluse. The bump towards the springboard has been widened, so it’s a real treat. It’s a real World Cup track and there will be plenty to do.
“The track has been well worked on. It’s really beautiful and the organisers have done a great job on it. They’ve listened to our feedback and it’s great,” enthuses Bornandin Lucas Chanavat. All that’s left now is to run on it to get an idea of how it feels [Laughs]. For the public, it could be nice because they can see everything from the top of the stadium.
And even though the French clan has recently been hit by an avalanche of illnesses, there’s no doubt that the French cross-country skiers will be keen to express themselves in front of the crowds that are expected to flock to the side of the track. “We’re very happy because we’ve had a lot of discussions with all the teams about improving the track. It’s very dynamic and technical, with downhills where you have to keep your wits about you,” explains Olivier Michaud, French Teams Director. You have to be hyperactive at high speed while not getting into the red on certain bumps. That’s going to require real concentration. It’s a playful track.
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