The Tour de Ski, a flagship event on the international cross-country skiing calendar, ended on Sunday with the 10 km freestyle mass start in Val di Fiemme, Italy. Nine days of competition with, in total, seven events to complete: Antoine Cyr and Olivier Léveillé are far from having had a relaxing New Year.
Without World Championships and without Olympic Games, the 2023-2024 Tour de Ski was the highlight for athletes and cross-country ski enthusiasts.
After battling a virus during the holidays, Cyr only hoped for one thing: to be at the start on day one, in Dobbiaco. Luckily for him, his wish was granted.
“Being able to recover from the flu and be at the start of the Tour de Ski was already quite an achievement, in my opinion. After that, doing well at the Tour de Ski was even better! », indicated the cross-country skier from Outaouais, just after finishing this veritable cross-country skiing marathon.
Last year, during his first participation in the Tour de Ski, Cyr finished 16e in the general classification. This year, he proudly came close to top 10 with a 12e place.
Norwegian Harald Østberg Amundsen finished at the top of the men’s general ranking, while American Jessica Diggins triumphed in the women’s category.
“Twelfth in the Tour de Ski, I think it’s one of the good results that Canada has had, including the Alex Harvey years,” continued Cyr.
It’s sure that it’s super encouraging for the form and for the rest of the season.
Antoine Cyr
Cyr’s best finish came in the fifth event, the 20km classic-style pursuit on the Swiss slopes, where he took seventh place, just under 50 seconds behind the first cross-country skier.
“In cross-country skiing, like in any other sport, to get on the podium, the stars have to be aligned. You have to have a good performance and the physique is there. In Davos, during the 20 km, the stars were aligned. I think it’s my highlight of the Tour de Ski,” he confided in the comfort of his Italian apartment.
Sunday, in the 10 km freestyle mass start event, Cyr took 14e rank, 1 min 34 s behind the winner, the Frenchman Jules Lapierre. The podium was completed by the German Friedrich Moch and the Frenchman Hugo Lapalus.
It’s a step that I always dread a little because it’s not normally my cup of tea. Today [dimanche]I had a really good race and I was able to finish 14e while protecting my overall ranking.
Antoine Cyr
Staying ahead of the peloton and once the climb begins, giving 110%, this is the strategy that Cyr had in mind before finishing the last event.
“It was a complicated Tour de Ski, but when you are well surrounded with a good team and good support, you are able to get through it. I think 12eit’s a great reward for the whole support team and my coach at home,” he analyzed.
Satisfied with his performances overall, Cyr was not afraid to confide to Sportcom that the most demanding part during this type of competition is the travel.
“As soon as we finish the races, we jump in the car and drive for hours to get to the next stage. It’s difficult physically and mentally, because it’s not the best way to recover from a ski race,” explained Cyr, who had the chance to ski in front of his parents for the very first time in Europe.
“I spend a lot of time in Europe. It’s almost my second home because I spend a little more than five months here a year, not counting training camps. […] I am happy to be able to show them my daily life when we are in Europe. »
For his part, Olivier Léveillé also took part in the last start of the event, where he ranked 45e with a time of 36 min 53.1 s, which gave him 45e level in the general classification of the Tour de Ski.
After such a physically and mentally busy week, the vacation will be well deserved for the cross-country skiers of La Belle Province. Cyr will also take the opportunity to spend a family vacation in Venice, just to take a few days off.