By Roxane Lacroix
After the abrupt end of season X, a lot has happened around the Pro Team athletes in France. For example, Antoine Auger has set a record of 100 km SkiErg. A new french project linked to Visma Ski Classics is growing. Alexis Jeannerod has ideas on how to train to be stronger in the key moments in season XI.
As in many places ski season was also shortened in France because of Covid-19, and the Challenger race La Savoyarde on March 8th marked the end of the season.
One week later, a total lockdown was decided by the government which lasted almost 2 months. French could go out only for food shopping and practice sport for one hour per day, within one kilometer from their home.
Thankfully the lockdown didn´t result in a complete stand still – in fact, a lot happened during the spring in France!
We did an interview with Alexis Jeannerod but first read some crispy news about French Pro Teams.
Robin Duvillard becomes the new Pro Team director of Team Vercors Isère, the youngest team of the Pro Tour in season X. After being a part of the team as an athlete, he will pass by the other side of the track for next season and will continue to comment world cup races on Eurosport in France.
Antoine Auger from E-Liberty Ski Team achieved the new record of 100 km double poling on SkiErg after 6 hours 42 minutes and 32 seconds of tough effort.
After 9 months, Team Nordique Crédit Agricole Franche-Comté has a new fan! Anouk Faivre Picon gave birth to a cute girl named Stina! Congratulations to her!
Additionally, we have heard rumors of a new project that has developed in France and will be part of the season XI. More information will be announced in the coming weeks! Stay Tuned!
We also talked to Alexis Jeannerod, Ed System Bauer Team, about his feelings of the last season:
Can you summarize in a few words the last season? Was it up to your ambitions?
“The last season was quite strange for me. I felt stronger than last year but nothing went right… I aimed to reach the top 5 and I didn’t succeed! I look forward to season XI!”
You are always in the leading group until the end of races, or almost. You also show that you are a strong man in the leading group. What went wrong in order for you to achieve your goal?
“I think I still lack some strength and sprint abilities to fight better on a sprint finish… That’s my main goal for the next season, I want to be stronger in the key moments of the races and I have some ideas in mind to work in that way…”
The last three races, where you got really good results in the past got cancelled. What was your feeling regarding those races?
“Of course I was sad that they got canceled. But it was needed and I think everybody understood it quickly…”
Like we said before in the article, France was in quarantine for almost 2 months. Did you stay healthy? How did you live through it? What did you do and how did you train?
“I was healthy and full time occupied. I stayed with one friend and we remodeled a flat from A to Z… the 2 months went by fast and now the flat is ready for renters! My shape for working is now very good but quite bad for training.”
