(Zhangjiakou) Walking through the tunnel leading to the stadium, Antoine Cyr and Graham Ritchie had the same thought: “Let’s go for a medal today. »
Posted yesterday at 9:25 p.m.
Seventh in the team sprint at last year’s Worlds, the 23-year-old cross-country skier didn’t see why they wouldn’t aim higher at the Beijing Olympics. Even after a painful fortnight, especially for Cyr, who would not have been surprised not to receive the call from his coach two days earlier.
But Erik Braten stuck to the original plan for this classic-style event: Cyr as a starter to keep pace with the big nations, Ritchie as a finisher in the event of a tight outcome.
The Canadian duo proved him right, even if he did not reach the podium at the end of the race presented under the reflectors and by -15 ° C, Wednesday evening. Cyr and Ritchie caused an upset by finishing fifth, a result they celebrated like a gold medal in the finish area.
“Honestly, yeah, fifth place feels like a win today,” Ontario’s Ritchie admitted to The Presshis face still red after the violent efforts he had just produced 30 minutes earlier.
As the first torchbearer, Cyr was brilliant given his inexperience in a peloton of such a level. His direct rivals were Bolshunov, Valnes, Niskanen, three Olympic champions. In the second leg, the young man from Gatineau was particularly smoking hot, following in the footsteps of Finn Niskanen, gold medalist in the 15 km and perhaps the best classic technician in the world, on the main climb of the circuit.
“To find myself in his skis and to be able to stay relaxed, I was like, ‘OK, I’m having a good day today!’ »
For Cyr, it was night and day after three nightmarish opening races after which he questioned his preparation and ability to bounce back by the end.
“It was a lot of emotions today. I didn’t get the Olympics I wanted. It was disappointment after disappointment. Today was amazing. I had a great day, Graham too. The team sprint is a good format for both of us. »
By text, Cyr received continual encouragement from his friend and mentor Alex Harvey, fourth in the freestyle sprint relay at the Vancouver Games with Devon Kershaw in 2010. The two men triumphed in classic a year later at the Oslo Worlds. .
“If there’s anyone who knows the added challenge of the Olympics, the pressure, access to food, travel time, etc., it’s Alex. It means a lot, getting his support. »
Fifth when receiving the last stint from Ritchie, Cyr did everything to hang on to Bolshunov, winner of the skiathlon, and then to Valnes, who imposed a hellish tempo on the final ascent. Niskanen followed, but the Quebecer just missed the mark before the turn.
“When we shot, I was really up against, really at the max, max, max. I just narrowly missed the draft. It’s happening fast. I was maybe two yards short, and I was in the draft and coming back. It’s two meters that I didn’t have in me. »
We had the podium right in front of us. I’m a little disappointed because I needed two little double pushes to get back on the descent. After that, we were fighting against three Olympic champions…
Antoine Cyr
Ritchie couldn’t hang on to Sweden’s Oskar Svensson, but was able to resist the return of Italian Federico Pellegrino, silver medalist in the individual sprint, to consolidate this fifth position.
At the end of the final straight, Cyr welcomed him like a hero with a “wouhou! felt good.
Johannes Hoesflot Klæbo easily dropped the Finn Maki and the Russian Terentev in the last battering 500 meters from the end. The Norwegian finally smiled and celebrated after this second sprint gold medal at the Games, a second straight double after that of 2018. Finland picked up the silver, ahead of the Russian Olympic Committee by just under two seconds.
“They want more”
The two Canadians quickly jumped into the group of technicians and coaches who applauded them at the edge of the finish. Cyr fell into the arms of his girlfriend, Laura Leclair, skier for the Canadian team in Beijing.
“Both skied so well, we are very proud of them,” she reacted a few seconds later. ” I think that'[Antoine] went looking for something deep inside him. In fact, I’m really not surprised that he released this performance. »
Far from his level in all the events until then, Cyr found it difficult to explain this reversal of the situation.
” I do not know what happened. Erik is confident in my skiing abilities. The team always had faith in me, but there I felt the guys were like, ‘Look Tony, you’re the choice. I was talking with my waxer Simon [Boisvert], he said to me: “Tony, it is you in classic who have it, go show them what you are capable of.” »
Changing in a room before the interviews, Cyr and Ritchie almost regretted not having won a medal. Music to the ears of Braten, who reported the story to The Press.
“They get this completely crazy result and they immediately want more,” noted the Norwegian coach. This is the key element. It’s something you can use so much for motivation. It’s the perfect combination: satisfaction, but hungering for more. »
PHOTO AARON FAVILA, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Graham Ritchie (foreground)
During the race, the announcer did not fail to highlight Canada’s performance, “the big surprise” of this final. Recalling the title of 2011, which he himself had described in Oslo, he underlined on the microphone that “Harvey and Kershaw crossed their fingers for their team in front of their television”.
Harvey actually followed the event in Saint-Ferréol-les-Neiges, but in replay. He was still surprised. “It reminds me of Vancouver 2010,” he wrote to us a little later. “A little Quebecer and an Ontarian as a team. Same for Tony and Graham! »
Kershaw, who lives in Lillehammer, did not miss a second of the final. During the Games, he hosted a podcast for the specialized American site fasterskier.com. He had not spared his fellow Canadians so far.
“Happy you say? I’m cr… happy for them! he exclaimed from Norway. “These guys skied so well. Succeeding in a race like this, when it matters most, is what matters most. Doing this at 23 is even more impressive. To do this at 23, at altitude, at your first Olympics, after these guys struggled so much during the championship, it shows real talent. »
“I’m so proud to see them turn things around mentally. It’s incredible. I myself have never been so strong. I’m thrilled for the guys. If you see Tony, give him the biggest pat on the shoulder. That was one hell of a performance. »
Thus ended the first Games of Antoine Cyr, who preferred to forfeit the 50 km on Saturday in order to prepare for the end of the World Cup season.
“Sport, when you’re at your lowest, it hurts and it’s hard. To come back and do a race like that today is just amazing. »
Earlier in the day, Katherine Stewart-Jones and Dahria Beatty stopped in the semifinals of the women’s sprint relay. Sixth in the first heat, the Canadians were dislodged by faster times in the second start. They finished in the 12thand place, one better than at the Worlds last year.
“Our goal was to go to the final, but I didn’t have the legs I wanted, I was a little tired,” acknowledged Chelsea native Stewart-Jones.
“Dahria skied really well. I can’t be disappointed with our effort because I really gave it my all. »