Cross-country skiing: Les Bleus take silver in the mixed relay at the European Youth Olympic Festival
On Sunday morning, French cross-country skiers Gaëtane Breniaux, Victor Lafrasse, Anouchka Neuville and Gaspard Cottaz rounded off the Bakuriani 2025 European Youth Olympic Festival with a fine silver medal in the mixed relay.

Celebrated on the evening before the closing ceremony, all four spoke to Nordic Magazine about their race and the importance of shining as a team.
Gaëtane Breniaux, first female relay runner
“As usual, it was a complicated course, but it was easy at the start. You had to stay on your skis on the first lap and then go out on the second. That’s what I did! The relay is always different, it’s not the same atmosphere. Being in a group is more interesting and always makes you want to succeed more! You win or lose as a team.”

Victor Lafrasse, second relay
“Relays are always fun races, with a bit of pressure. I was the second relay runner, taking over from Gaëtane [Breniaux] who did a great job. Once you start, though, the pressure drops and I did what I had to do. Being a medallist in a relay has a different flavour. It’s a collective thing, it involves everyone, the staff and everyone who contributed.”

Anouchka Neuville, third relay runner
“I started with a bit of a lead after the races of Gaëtane [Breniaux] and Victor [Lafrasse]. I wasn’t in great shape, so I lost the lead in the first lap, especially as I’d been told not to put everything into it and then accelerate in the second. I didn’t really manage to do that, but at least I was able to give the lead to the leading group. It was up to Gaspard [Cottaz] to make the difference! Relays are the best races, with a different kind of pressure, the pressure to give everything for the team and the collective.”

Gaspard Cottaz, fourth relay player
“I was in last position so I got the stint at the end of the race. My job was to finish the relay as it had started, i.e. at the front. I was thrown into a group of five countries. Little by little, the Italian [Daniel Pedranzini, editor’s note] sorted things out and I managed to hang on to him. After that, it came down to the last lap for the medal! The relay is in the DNA of French cross-country skiing. It’s where France has the most medals at the Olympics. It’s a race that’s important to us, especially for sharing with our friends.”

- The full programme of the Bakuriani 2025 European Youth Olympic Festival
- Bakuriani: Anouchka Neuville carries the flag for the French delegation at the EYOWF 2025 opening ceremony
- Anouchka Neuville carried the French flag at the opening ceremony of the EYOWF Bakuriani 2025
- EYOWF Bakuriani 2025: Gaëtane Breniaux takes silver in the individual 5km classic, Anouchka Neuville fourth
- Gaëtane Breniaux, silver medallist in the individual 5km classic at the EYOWF Bakuriani 2025: “I picked up the pace as I went along”.
- EYOWF Bakuriani 2025: Victor Lafrasse wins bronze in the 7.5km individual classic by the narrowest of margins
- “Victor Lafrasse, bronze medallist in the individual 7.5km classic at the EYOWF Bakuriani 2025: “I’m very proud.
- EYOWF Bakuriani 2025: Gaëtane Breniaux takes silver in the individual 5km classic, Anouchka Neuville fourth
- “Hard work pays off”, “A difficult race, mental work”: the words of Gaëtane Breniaux and Anouchka Neuville, who won gold and bronze in the individual skateboard event at the EYOWF Bakuriani 2025.
- Bakuriani: Dauphiné Gaspard Cottaz wins bronze in the individual 10km skate event at EYOWF 2025, Simon Calandry takes fifth place
- “A fine objective that has been achieved”: the satisfaction of Gaspard Cottaz, with a tan in the individual free at the EYOF Bakuriani 2025.
- EYOWF Bakuriani 2025: Les Bleus get six out of eight in the sprint skateboard qualifiers
- EYOWF Bakuriani 2025: Daniel Pedranzini and Nina Cantieni win the free sprint, the French are held up in the semi-finals
- Bakuriani: Gaëtane Breniaux, Victor Lafrasse, Anouchka Neuville and Gaspard Cottaz finish the EYOWF by taking silver in the mixed relay
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