We had been waiting for this “Marseillaise” since 2006 and the golden descent of Antoine Dénériaz in Turin.
France finally holds, 16 years later, its new Olympic champion in alpine skiing and it owes it to Clément Noël.
Dazzling on his second run of the slalom on Wednesday on the snow of Yanqing, the young 24-year-old prodigy went to confirm all the expectations that rested on his shoulders.
And brilliantly.
How do you feel after this Olympic title?
CLEMENT CHRISTMAS.
I don't fully realize it yet, I think.
It's a pretty magical feeling because it's the Olympics, it's a race every four years and it's hard in a discipline like ours to be present on D-Day. So, there you go, it's pride.
Did you think about the medal before the race?
This morning, less.
I was focused on my race and on what I had to do.
But the last few days a little bit.
Seeing the other French people win medals makes you want to.
That's how we also get the most out of the Games, it's because we perform.
We're not just here to enjoy the Olympic Village, so I've been thinking about that for the past few days.
🤯 A furious second round and Clément Noël climbed to the top of Olympus 😍 #ChaletClub #Beijing2022 pic.twitter.com/k1FYL5BoZm
– Eurosport France (@Eurosport_FR) February 16, 2022
Was the day stressful?
No, it's fine.
Afterwards, it's not a day that is pleasant to spend.
There are still times when we are waiting, we are always a little under tension.
We're trying to relax a bit between the two rounds, but I've always had people around me to talk to.
I like not being alone, otherwise I think too much.
How did you experience this exceptional second round?
I wasn't completely sure of the speed coming down, I was quite surprised.
I knew it was pretty good, not completely sure it was very good.
I don't have many memories of that round.
Just that it went well and I didn't make any mistakes.
When you see that you're taking the best time, do you think it's off to a good start?
I am thinking of the podium, yes.
I say to myself: “I hope it will do for a medal.
" All the people who were a bit at the finish said to me: "It'll do, don't worry, it was a big big race.
But I, as long as I haven't seen the third pass behind me, I don't believe it.
So, I hope it does for a medal, after that I don't necessarily think of gold.
I was more stressed when I was waiting downstairs than when leaving.
Is it a revenge after finishing fourth in 2018?
No.
In Pyeongchang, I was a little frustrated, but I had nothing to regret.
I had done my best skiing, I was young, I had come to discover.
It's a good memory, not a revenge.
It gave me an Olympic experience.
If it was my first time at the Games this year, I might have been a bit more impressed with everything.
There, I knew the operation, it surely helped me.
With this gold medal, the first for France since 2006, you are making history.
Have you thought about it?
Not necessarily at the moment.
We are not used to gold at every Olympics.
Alpine skiing is very dense, it's not easy.
When you arrive as the favourite, you have to assume this status, especially in slalom.
On the last Olympics, it is rarely the favorite who won in this discipline.
This makes it even stronger.