Cross-country skiing | “Working on intensity, with a view to competition”: after the French team’s training camp in Prémanon, Thibaut Chêne talks to Nordic Magazine

Cross-country skiing: two races on the course programme

After three weeks at altitude in Font-Romeu (Pyrénées-Orientales) at the end of September, followed by the French summer cross-country skiing championships in Autrans (Isère ) at the beginning of October, the French men’s cross-country skiing team continued its preparation with a five-day intensive course in Prémanon (Jura). On the programme: a sprint, a 10km skate and intensive sessions on mats.

The course went very well because we found what we were looking for,” Thibaut Chêne, the French team coach, told Nordic Magazine. It was a continuation of our work at Font-Romeu, with a well-managed descent in altitude. We wanted to use this time to work on intensity, with a view to competition.

The signs are green for the French men’s team. “Last year, we went into the start of the season a little worn out, both mentally and physically. This time, we wanted to avoid falling into that trap again. And I think the squad has reacted well: it’s fresher, more solid, both in mind and in body.

Of course, there’s still a degree of uncertainty: “The latest international benchmarks date back to the end of August [Blink Festival and Toppidrettsveka in Norway, editor’s note]. That’s good, but it’s still a long way off. We’re still sailing a bit by feel.

The rest of the programme promises to be busy for the French cross-country skiers. From 1 November, they will be back in the snow in Bessans (Savoie) for a twelve-day training camp. After a few days on their own, Les Bleus will head to Scandinavia for “a four-week period of high-level competition”.

First, they will contest the races in Beitostølen (Norway) on 21 and 23 November, then the World Cup stages in Ruka (Finland) and Trondheim (Norway), before making a quick return home before the stage in Davos (Switzerland).

Read also

• Cross-country skiing | Photo album: before the French championships in Autrans, the French team trained in Font-Romeu
• Cross-country skiing | “Coming here was a way of putting some rhythm back into the race”: Alexandre Rousselet assesses the French championships in Autrans
• Cross-country skiing | “I’m groping my way forward”: Lucas Chanavat gives his news after his stress fracture of the tibia
• Cross-country skiing | Tignes, Prémanon, La Féclaz, Font-Romeu, Norway or Bessans: the full programme of French team training camps to prepare for 2025/2026