Posted at 9:20 a.m.
(Zhangjiakou, China) Antoine Cyr has a major ally for his first Olympic Games. Almost every day, he speaks with Alex Harvey to share his impressions of the routes at the Zhangjiakou National Cross-Country Skiing Centre, which promise to be very selective.
“Even Alex is a bit feverish for us,” testified Cyr, 23, on the sidelines of a training session on Wednesday morning.
“Alex was an idol for a long time. He was then a teammate and a mentor. Now I think I can say he’s a friend and a mentor. I use it on all occasions. We text a lot. We were talking about routes earlier. He knows them. I sent him pictures. We talked about it a bit. »
What did the former world champion advise him? “That, I can’t discuss… No, no, I’m kidding you! »
Harvey invited him to modulate his effort on a steep circuit like this. “Also he ran so much against Bolshunov, Iivo Niskanen, Cologna. He knows their way of skiing. I use that, I ask questions, I try to know their strategy a little in advance. »
When Harvey retired in 2019, many observers worried about the immediate future of Canadian cross-country skiing. Starting with coach Louis Bouchard, who expected a few lean years after the departure of his protege.
It is clear that many beautiful things have happened since.
Rémi Drolet, for one, played his first World Cup in Quebec City as Harvey said goodbye in March 2019. A year later, the Rossland, B.C. native finished 4and in the 30km at the World Junior Championships and contributed to a historic silver medal for Canada in the relay.
At 21, this son of Quebec parents will participate in his first Olympics. “It’s too early in my career to try to win medals or stuff like that,” warned Drolet on Wednesday. But I would like to know that I am of a good level and that I am able to compete with the best skiers in the world. »
A math and physics student at Harvard, Drolet took a year off to try his luck in Beijing. A protege of Dave Wood, who coached Olympic medalists Beckie Scott and Sara Renner, he considers Harvey a role model.
“He is certainly inspiring. Once someone has done it, it helps a lot because you see that it’s not impossible and you might be able to reach that level one day if you keep working. »
Drolet particularly targets the 15 km classic of February 11. Overall, “A top-10 would be really amazing. »
“Believe in your chances”
PHOTO SEAN KILPATRICK, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Athletes in training
Olivier Léveillé accompanied Drolet during the 2020 silver medal relay. A year later, he achieved a real feat by winning bronze in the 10 km freestyle. He thus became the first Canadian medalist at the World Juniors since Alex Harvey, who succeeded three times.
He was also inspired by Harvey, whom he occasionally met on the slopes of Mont-Sainte-Anne.
“In sports like cross-country skiing, where Canada is not dominant, the biggest challenge is to believe in your chances,” said Léveillé, also an Olympic rookie. To have someone who did it before us, it makes you believe in it even more. To confirm that there are those who have made it and that we too can do it. »
A resident of the Pierre Harvey National Training Center (CNEPH) since 2019, Léveillé, a native of Sherbrooke, is a direct beneficiary of Alex’s legacy.
“The structure was implemented largely thanks to him. It is of a very high level. The traces of its passage help us on a daily basis. »
Thirtieth of the 15 km classic and 17and from pursuing Ruka to the World Cup at the start of the season, Léveillé would like to repeat the feat in Beijing.
“I must not lose sight of the fact that I am young. At 20, I will be one of the youngest on the starting line here. No matter if it’s going well or badly, I must not forget that I have several years ahead of me. […] It is certain that to place myself in the top-30, it would be incredible. That would be my ambitious, but realistic goal. My craziest goal would be a top-20, like I did at Ruka. »
Like Léveillé, Antoine Cyr distinguished himself in Finland, ensuring his qualification for Beijing with a brilliant 11th place in the 15 km classic and a 12th position the next day in the 15 km pursuit.
Disappointed not to have been able to take part in the Tour de ski, which “would have been the ultimate preparation”, Cyr believes he benefited from a last internship in Silver Star, in British Columbia, where the altitude is comparable to that of the center from Zhangjiakou (1650m). “Except for the cold and the wind here, we found the same conditions. »
The Gatineau resident is especially targeting the 15 km classic, the 30 km skiathlon and the sprint relay, an event where he finished seventh at the last Worlds with Graham Ritchie, also 23 years old and fourth Olympic rookie on the men’s team in Beijing.
“I have a performance goal in mind. For my mental preparation, I haven’t said it yet, I keep it to myself. I’ll let you know if I succeeded or not! »
” all in »
From Saint-Ferréol-les-Neiges, an interested viewer will certainly follow the races. Alex Harvey, who took part in his first Olympics in Whistler at the age of 21, is the first to applaud the next generation.
“During my last training seasons, I rubbed shoulders with the young people when I was at Mont-Saint-Anne and I know that they are really all in for the sport, Harvey testified in an email. I am not surprised by their progress because I know that the athletes who are with Louis at the CNEPH benefit from the same training philosophy and structure and the same service infrastructure as mine did at the time. »
“Afterwards, it is clear that I am impressed to see the speed with which they have reached the level of the top 12 in the world. In a sport like cross-country skiing, nothing is magic; results like the youngsters had at the start of the season are simply the logical consequence of their efforts and the infrastructure that supports them. »