Cross-country skiing: Léonie Besson experienced her first World Cup in Les Rousses
At the start of the month, just a few days after her selection for the cross-country skiing World Cup in Les Rousses (Jura) was made official, Haut-Alpine skier Léonie Besson explained in our columns that the ticket she had won was “just enormous”.
“I don’t think you can forget this first World Cup. You really have to live the experience to the full and learn from the best in the world, while giving it your best shot with no regrets”, she added. Thirtieth in the classic sprint, Léonie Besson tells Nordic Magazine all about her experiences.
Day 1 – Wednesday, 15 January 2025
We meet at 6pm at the Nordic National Ski Centre in Prémanon. I set off in the early afternoon from Thonon, where I was staying with my mum. It was more practical for me to spend a few days close to the Jura, to shorten the journey compared to the Hautes-Alpes.
When I arrive, I pop down to the piste for a quick session at the end of the day. I took the opportunity to drop my skis off at the brand new French Ski Federation truck, which accompanies the athletes on the World Cup circuit. It’s a first for me, I’d never set foot in the truck before, and it’s true to say that the new one is really classy!

I feel a bit lost. Everything is new: the way things work, the faces. I ask Alexandre Pouyé to show me around and introduce me to the staff. He explains how everything works here. That helped me feel more at ease. Then, with the help of a technician, we select four pairs of skis that I’ll test tomorrow during the official training sessions in preparation for the race.
Back to our accommodation. We have a short meeting to work out the logistics for the next day. Once everything’s organised, all that’s left to do is get a good night’s sleep and tackle this first World Cup in the best possible conditions.
Day 2 – Thursday, 16 January 2025
My first day on the World Cup track… You can’t imagine how excited I am! I’m so excited about the event! Despite my concentration, I just want to smile all the time.
We had an appointment at 10am to test the race skis. A member of staff took care of my bag, brought my skis to the test site and tested them with me. To have someone looking after every detail of my equipment is both surprising and very motivating. Thomas Chambellant also brought me some new pairs of skis, and I was lucky enough to find some ‘Atomic’ bombs!

After that, Clémence [Didierlaurent], Léna [Quintin] and Justine [Gaillard] took us out onto the track to warm up. We took the opportunity to identify the strategic points: style changes, grip zones, technical parts… Everything went really well. With this new track and the infrastructure around it, I can hardly believe I’m in the Station des Rousses!

Back to the accommodation for lunch with the team. After a short break, we set off again in the afternoon with Léna [Quintin] and Justine [Gaillard] for a short running session. It did us a lot of good to get some fresh air. It’s important to move around a bit so you’re not cooped up in your room all afternoon.
The evening passed quickly. We had a good chat with Mélina [Berthet], my room-mate, before drifting off to a good night’s sleep.
Day 3 – Friday, 17 January 2025
Waking up at 8.30 this morning. With Justine [Gaillard] and Léna [Quintin], our team of sprinters, we set off skiing just behind the CNSNMM accommodation. It was a 1h15 session to unwind our legs and enjoy the calm before the storm. I then followed up with a quick photo shoot with Jules Claudel to capture these beautiful moments.
Back at the accommodation, we find the girls in full preparation for their first races. Before they set off for the individual 10km skate race, I give them some glitter to put on their cheeks, Jessie Diggins style!

We’re watching the boys’ and girls’ races from the warmth of our accommodation. Even though we’re just a stone’s throw from the stadium and I really wanted to watch the races from the side of the track, it’s not the time to be brewing juice and chilling out unnecessarily.
In the evening, there’s a meeting about the next day’s race. There’s a lot of information, so I write everything down on my phone so I don’t forget anything. I go back up to my room, roll, massage my legs and then off to bed!
Day 4 – Saturday, 18 January 2025
The alarm goes off. It’s the big day. I go downstairs for breakfast. The excitement starts to build. Then I get ready, do my hair and the girls and I add glitter to our cheeks. Once we’re ready, we leave the accommodation and arrive at the site at around 11.30am.
As soon as we arrived, I could feel the excitement. There are already a lot of people, and that makes everything even more real. I’m beginning to realise that this is it. The atmosphere is different from what I know, more intense, busier. I’m feeling a bit stressed, which is rare for me. I’m trying not to think about it too much, to concentrate on what I have to do, and I’m enjoying every moment this day has to offer.

First stage: testing the skis. I went round the piste to check the grip. They glide well. As I pass, I see my family, my mum is there. I stop for a second to say hello. This little moment does me good.
The skis have been validated and now I’m going to warm up. I’m not changing anything, I’m just doing what I’m used to doing and trusting myself. The sun is still shining on the stadium and it’s a balmy day. Time flies and the hour approaches. I hurry to be on time for my 12:25 start.
Once up there, I stretch and do a few knee lifts. I grab my skis, the transponders and head for the starting snowshoe. Once in the starting paddle, the cheers go up. Everyone wishes me good luck. I hear my name, shouts and voices. The atmosphere is electric. A ball of emotions is forming: stress, joy, excitement, it’s all coming together.
I take my place in the gate. The countdown begins. 3, 2, 1… and off I go. I push as hard as I can, pushing as hard as I can down the straight, before hitting the first bump. And then… it’s a wall of noise. The shouting, the cheering, the crowd. It’s so loud I forget to breathe.

I keep going. I’m giving it my all, every push counts. But at the top of the descent, I made a mistake. I wasn’t pushing hard enough. I know it’s going to cost me seconds. But right now, I’m not thinking about that. All that matters is finishing. And to finish as quickly as possible.
Once I’d crossed the finish line, it was all downhill again: the emotions, the lactic acid… And then I heard my name. I’m told I’ve qualified for the final stages of my first World Cup! I want to shout for joy and jump up and down, but I restrain myself. Instead, I raise my skis in the air and smile with all my might.
Then it’s off to the buzzer to decide which group I’m going to play in. Alexandre Pouyé and I decided that the last quarter-final would be best. I buzzed and saw my name appear on the screen. It’s a small moment of satisfaction. I go back to get changed and start the recovery process: a bit of physio, hydration, food, elevated legs… Then I wait for the finals.
That’s it, it’s time. I’m off to warm up again. Nothing new, I’m sticking to my usual routine. It helps me to keep my feet on the ground and not get carried away. Once in the start area, I meet all the coaches. Thibault Chêne gives me a final briefing, simple but motivating. His words give me energy.

I collect my skis, put on my transponders and find myself back in the snowshoe. This time there are six girls at the start. A camera passes in front of me and I say hello. It’s strange, but pleasant. I take full advantage of the moment, smiling from ear to ear.
“Take your start position… Set… GO!” I push on my poles… and then I hear a loud crack: crack. My stick hits the gate. I raise my hand: it’s broken. At that moment, the only thing that crossed my mind was: holy shit!
I kept going, a bit lost and without a stick. I took off my strap and saw Gaëlle [Félix] rushing over to give me a new one. I put the strap back on in a flash. At that moment, something inside me changed. I switch to ‘killer’ mode. I see the other girls in the distance, they’re in my sights and I say to myself: come on, you’ve got to give it your all!
Unfortunately, they had already gone ahead, they were already a long way off. I wasn’t in the game any more, but there’s something inside me that makes me believe even when it seems impossible. I gave it my all and so did the crowd. I felt carried, helped and supported like never before. At that moment, I didn’t want to disappoint them. I made a great comeback, I closed the gap, I was in great shape! But then the girls went downhill 2.5 seconds ahead of me, 2.5 seconds too long…

I crossed the finish line last in my quarter. Not disappointed, but frustrated. I was so keen to play, to fight against the best to see where I stood. This time, things didn’t go to plan. There will be new opportunities, and I hope this is just the beginning.
After the race, I get interviewed by quite a few people, sign autographs and take a few photos. I’ve never done any of this before, it’s fun, it’s like a game.
I get changed and then go back to the coaches for a debrief on the race. I can feel that they’re frustrated for me too. I then went to see my family and friends, and everyone was very supportive. They congratulate me and support me. I return to the accommodation with the physiotherapists and Alice, the doctor. There’s a light atmosphere in the car and we’re all having a laugh. It’s nice to finish the day like that.

When I go back up to my room, I can’t believe what’s just happened. I still have the screams of the crowd in my head. It’s all coming together. It was such an intense, beautiful day. But in the end, tiredness got the better of me. Despite the excitement, I fall asleep quickly, even though I’d like this day to go on forever. Good night.
Day 5 – Sunday, 19 February 2025
When I wake up, I feel like I’m in a dream. What I experienced yesterday seems so far away and yet so close. The emotions are still there, but there’s no time to think about them too much this morning: we have to clear the rooms quickly and go skiing early with Liv [Coupat], Clément [Parisse], Mélina [Berthet] and Ivan [Essonnier] before the girls’ mass-start, scheduled for 11.20am.
Honestly, I’m pretty worn out. This morning’s session seemed to be the hardest of the winter! But I’m discovering the beautiful slopes of the Jura. The snow is good, the scenery is magnificent, and we’re making the most of it.
Back at the accommodation, we jump on the shuttle bus to the stadium. The race is about to start, and I’m ready to give it my all. The race is impressive, the girls are so strong! From the edge of the track, I give everything I’ve got to support them.

The atmosphere on that side, as a spectator, is different. I see things from a different angle, I learn just as much and I feel the emotions differently. After the race, I meet up with friends. We have a laugh and a chat, and of course I can’t resist the temptation of a fondue hot dog at the Gruyère stand. Of course, I also ate all the cheese available for tasting, oops!
I also stop off to chat with a few partners. I love these moments, these convivial moments when I meet people and can take the time to build relationships. But it’s getting late, it’s getting cold, and the boys’ race isn’t for another two hours. I decide not to wait. I pack up my gear, load up the car, and we end the weekend with a little meeting with the coaches.

Time to set sail. I’ve got a four-hour drive ahead of me before I get home to Briançon. Four hours to digest everything that’s happened this weekend.
I can now answer my own question: yes, you never forget your first World Cup! It’s been an intense five days, full of emotion and learning. It was the best weekend of racing I’ve ever had! Thank you to everyone who contributed to it! See you soon on the skis.
- Cloé Pagnier, Clémence Didierlaurent, Léonie Besson, Mélina Berthet and Justine Gaillard, selected for the World Cup for the first time in Les Rousses, were thrilled to hear: “The culmination of a lot of things”, “It’s going to be crazy”, “It’s just amazing”.
- Les Rousses: classic sprint qualification for Johanna Hagstroem, Léna Quintin, Léonie Besson and Mélissa Gal also go through
- “It’s more frustrating than disappointing”: the reaction of Léonie Besson, quarter-finalist in the Les Rousses classic sprint on her first World Cup.
- The complete Les Rousses World Cup