at the heart of the Blues’ training before Val d’Isère

It has become a (good) habit. Before going to challenge the Face de Bellevarde of Val d’Isère, the Blues and their opponents take a detour to Courchevel to prepare. This Wednesday and Thursday, most of the contenders for the podium this weekend during the Critérium de la Première neige are on track at the Emile-Allais stadium, prepared by Sébastien Santon and the teams from the Courchevel sports club, always there to welcome at best the French team, led by local hero Alexis Pinturault.

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Like all giants, the double world champion had barely gotten off the plane for the return from Beaver Creek. “We are not going to take too many risks, we have to be careful for this first session, with fatigue and jet lag,” explains the Austrian Martin Sprenger, responsible for the structure of the Savoyard. Five giant rounds on the menu at “his” stadium for this Wednesday, in the company of two Italians, before upping the ante on Thursday. At the end of his session, the local boy was able to discuss with the historic leaders of the club, Michel Raffin and Didier Barioz (former presidents and still active as volunteers) who were keen to congratulate him on his rather successful comeback. last weekend in Colorado (10^e a super-G, 16^e in giant). “That’s nice,” thanks the star at home, before packing up and joining his whole family.

It flies, it bumps in slalom

On the neighboring line, it was slalom on the program for the morning session for Steven Amiez, licensed in Courchevel, Paco Rassat, Hugo Desgrippes, Léo Anguenot (who will be in giant on Thursday) and Victor Muffat-Jeandet (restricted to slalom at home in Val d’Isère). It’s spinning. It works. Man in form at the start of the season (6^e to Levi, 4^e in Gurgl), Amiez is fast and steady while his father, Sébastien, loyal to the club, appeared at the foot of the track. The American Jett Seymour also continues the rounds – and the retirements – in the middle of the Blues under the watchful eye of his Savoyard coach Claude Crétier.

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Nils Alphand on track

Barely back from Beaver Creek (29th in the super-G, 30th in the descent), to avoid too much jet lag (eight hours), “and get some fresh air”, Nils Alphand was also on the track this Wednesday in company of the technical group. The go-getter from Serre-Chevalier had even put on his… slalom skis for the occasion. He leaves with the speed group on Sunday, heading to Val Gardena

For the second morning act, at 11 a.m., the French technical group was in giant mode with Clément Noël, back in the discipline on Saturday in Val, Thibaut Favrot, best Blue in Sölden and Beaver Creek and the local Diego Orecchioni. Back in the World Cup, after podiums in the European Cup, the young Tignard Flavio Vitale is well on the track, just like Alban Elezi-Cannaferina (on the podium in Zinal in the European Cup) before his first on the Face . He will share a moment with his leaders after greeting everyone in the club premises.

At each pass, technical instructions come from the radios of the coaches, Kevin Page, Thomas Maître, Mathias Rolland and Romain Velez. “It moves a lot for not much in the end. » “You have to be patient. » “It’s not bad for engagement. » The chrono also gives its truth.

“A good session,” summarizes the French staff, who have not finished their day. In the afternoon, it was an additional watering session to further harden the coating. Because on Thursday, we have to do it again.

Odermatt and Tumler expected Thursday

Absent this Thursday, the Swiss will be there in Courchevel for the second day of training. We will find some tough guys with Thomas Tumler, surprising winner at Beaver Creek, Loïc Meillard, and Marco Odermatt, still with zero points on the clock in the giant race after his exits from the track in Sölden and Beaver Creek. The Americans with River Radamus and Tommy Ford must be there as well as the giants of standing (the Italian Luca De Aliprandini and the Croatian Filip Zubcic).

The Blues will naturally be at the forefront for this new session before heading to Val d’Isère in the afternoon. Clément Noël will put on his slalom outfit again, aiming for a hat-trick after his Levi and Gurgl successes.