The task becomes more complicated for Mathilde Gros, Taky Marie-Divine Kouamé and Julie Michaux. The three track runners, in search of Olympic qualification for the team speed event, are now under threat from the Canadian women, silver medalists this Wednesday at the Pan American Championships in Carson (United States). Currently eighth and last qualified, the French are only 500 points ahead of Sarah Orban, Kesley Mitchell and Lauriane Genest.
The next few weeks will therefore be decisive. And the Canadians are leaving with a head start. Only the two best results obtained during the three rounds of the Nations Cup being taken into account, the French can only win a few small units. Canada, which missed Hong Kong in March, can pocket big points during the last stage, played this Friday, April 12 at home in Milton.
The place of Les Bleues at the Olympic Games is therefore in great danger. Absent from the podium in Adelaide (5th) and Hong Kong (7th), Mathilde Gros, Taky Marie-Divine Kouamé and Julie Michaux have no other choice but to shine on Canadian soil if they want to defend their chances this summer. But their destiny is not in their hands. In case of victory, they must hope that Canada does not do better than a third place and if they finish 2nd their opponents will not have to appear on the podium. If the tricolors rank further, there will need to be at least a three-place gap between the two nations for France to qualify.