Our special correspondent in China
To discover
The Olympic medal table: Norway already in the lead, France unlocks its counter
Full results of the 2022 Winter Olympics
The complete program of the Beijing Olympics 2022
The late installation and the competition site
Terence Tchiknavorian (current 2nd in the World Cup):
“The acclimatization went well.
We had two days to get used to the temperatures, which are very low here, before starting training.
At the start, it was a bit laborious because the route was different from the one we had discovered in November.
The start is identical, they just modified two or three parts following the recommendations we made three months ago.
There's a bit more speed and jumps, so I think it's going to be a great race."
François Place (world champion in 2019):
“Our arrival went very well.
We had already been here last November for a World Cup stage and I must admit that this time it took less time than at the time.
Regarding the course, there are a few parts that have changed.
The start is essentially the same.
The upper part of the course has seen the addition of a jump, and the middle part has been modified much more.
The course is a bit more imposing than in November.”
Bastien Midol (current 3rd in the World Cup):
“These are my first Games, so this is a real discovery for me.
On the other hand, I already knew the site, having visited it last November.
But in an Olympic context, it's still very different.
It's fun to be able to meet athletes from other disciplines and to be able to exchange.
Ambitions for these Beijing Games
Jean-Frédéric Chapuis (Olympic champion in Sochi in 2014):
“My back is fine.
I hope he will leave me in peace during these Games.
I didn't go to Sweden for the last stage of the World Cup in order to rest.
So there, things are going well.
Hope it lasts.
But suddenly, I arrive at these Games as an outsider, not as a favourite.
I'm going to play my luck to the fullest, give the maximum and I hope that will allow me to scratch a medal.
François Place:
“Since Pyeongchang, I have won two medals in the World Championships, plus a few podiums in the World Cup.
I have a lot more experience.
As a result, I approach these Games very calmly, with the ambition to do well.
In Pyeongchang, I made a few small mistakes that cost me dearly.
I will try to keep the same state of mind as on the last big events, hoping that it will pass.
We have a fairly dense team, with four skiers who essentially have the same objectives.
It will be complicated to have four medals (smile).
Terence Tchiknavorian:
“It's true that I made a good start to the season, which I'm quite satisfied with.
As a result, I arrive at these Games with great ambitions and the confidence to achieve something good.
I think I'm one of those who can hope for a good day on Friday and I'm keen to really perform."
Bastien Midol:
“My first objective is simple, it is to be able to give my all, without constraint.
Afterwards, if I succeed, I know that in general I manage to produce good skiing and inevitably, the medal will become a strong objective.
It all comes together a bit.”
Fear of bad sliding, as in team snowboarcross
François Place:
“No, I'm not worried.
It's true that in snowboarding, they encountered a problem.
Afterwards, you shouldn't think too much about that and we had enough time to study the conditions, the temperatures, the snow... And between training and Friday's race, a priori, the conditions should remain the same, at a few small details, with very cold snow, and I have complete confidence in our technicians.
I know the job will be done, and done well.”
Bastien Midol:
“We saw the snowboarders' race.
Personally, I was unhappy for them.
When you're an athlete, you've been waiting for the Games for four years and on D-Day you don't have the weapons to be able to give your all, it's painful.
Now, for us in skicross, I have complete confidence in our technicians.
We've been working together for a while now.
There have never been any errors.
Maybe sometimes our hardware hasn't been top of the line, but we've never had a situation like they did.
But I have no fear at this level concerning us.
Jean-Frédéric Chapuis:
“No, I'm not worried.
It is certain to have seen them that they did not slip and that the technicians missed each other at the worst moment.
Unfortunately, this can happen.
But I have total confidence in our technicians who are doing everything to make it work and that we are in the best conditions on the material level.
There's no reason for it to go wrong."