Les Bronzés are skiing (cross-country)… After the finish line, Richard Jouve, 27, Hugo Lapalus, 23, Clément Parisse, 28, and Maurice Manificat, 35, embark on a crazy sarabande.
The torchbearers of the 4 x 10 km tricolor have just taken third place in the event behind the untouchable Russians and disappointed Norwegians.
Sochi, Pyeongchang and now Beijing.
France has validated its subscription for bronze.
"We've been waiting for this for four years," smiles Parisse, who has already won a medal in South Korea.
It's a huge relief to know that the medal stays with us.
It's a crazy race.
In relay, I manage to surpass myself with the energy that everyone transmits to me.
There is something extra about skis.
Hugo Lapalus, the youngest of the quartet, enjoys his first podium at the Games.
"I dreamed about it so much," he explains.
And with these guys on top of that, it's phew.
I have no words to describe it.
I never thought I would find myself among them four years ago!
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🇬🇧 Heroic, our Blues!
Maurice Manificat, Richard Jouve, Clément Parisse and Hugo Lapalus win Olympic bronze in the relay!
#Beijing2022 #ChaletClub
👏 @manificaventure @Richardjouve @Clement_Parisse @HugoLapalus74 pic.twitter.com/jysHqFC4Di
– Eurosport France (@Eurosport_FR) February 13, 2022
For once, the “former” Maurice Manificat has finished the relay.
What leave him with a flavor and an emotion different from his two previous experiences of the same result.
"It's also another stress," he observes.
I managed to surpass myself because the days that have just passed have been complicated.
I am not in a serenity of phew.
We had already experienced emotions with the sprinters
(Editor's note: very affected by their poor performance)
a few days ago.
I had already shed tears, now I don't have any more.
We bounced back, it was important for the team.
Doing it again is just amazing…”
Under heavy snowfall, the Blues had some slip problems.
This leaves a slight feeling of frustration to their coach.
“I'm super proud of my guys but at the same time I felt it was the day when we could change the color, he analyzes.
I'm torn but I try to savor.
We pulled out all our guts to go get her, with the same philosophy as usual.
Our complex in relation to nations like Russia or Norway is diminishing and we are asserting ourselves as the third nation in the world among boys.
Richard can dynamite the race, Hugo asserts himself as one of the great hopes of French sport, Clément is that cam, he does the job and Maurice is better and better over the races.
It's hard to die!
We are like a family, we are all super happy.
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