On the eve of the 90km Vasaloppet race from Sälen to Mora in Sweden, French athletes from various teams express a mix of excitement and caution due to tough conditions and weather uncertainties. Coach Maxime Grenard highlights the importance of group positioning and refueling for his Team Nordic Expérience Coste – Fromageries Marcel Petite squad. Notably, recent Transju’Classic winner Thomas Joly has withdrawn due to illness.
The Vasaloppet, a legendary cross-country skiing event, is set for Sunday, March 1, 2026, with French participants approaching it with realistic expectations. Maxime Grenard, coach of Team Nordic Expérience Coste – Fromageries Marcel Petite, anticipates "still pretty tough conditions" over the 90km course, including a "very, very fast" start. He emphasized to Nordic Magazine the need to "pick the right groups" and manage refueling, noting the race's reliance on crowd momentum where "you’re never on your own."
His men's athletes, Nathan Jouannon and Antoine Millet, appear in good shape but are not targeting top positions; instead, they aim to perform their best, with refueling as a key factor. Boris Berglez, however, has been out of form since the Transju’Classic and will need intelligent race management to gain positives. On the women's side, Suzette Christin is on a strong run, while Léonie Harivel, after a tough season start, has trained diligently and excels in demanding long races, as Grenard observed: "Long, hard races, where you have to go mentally, she’s often there."
Other French skiers share similar sentiments. Laurie Flochon Joly of Team Futura GTE Trentino, who placed 14th in the preceding Tjejvasan, aims for a top-20 finish but worries about equipment choices amid forecasts of snow and rain-snow mixtures that could create wet track sections. Her teammate Margaux Gaillard, despite a complicated February, is eager for the experience. Hanna Fine, the Transju’Classic winner from Team Slavia Pojišťovna Robinson Trentino, deals with a sore wrist but remains enthusiastic.
Among the men, Jérémy Royer of Team Eksjöhus feels "pretty good" after recovery from illness and eyes a podium if conditions align, stressing ski waxing and positioning. Simon Vuillet of Team Slavia Pojišťovna Robinson Trentino is conserving energy post-illness, expecting a "long, slow and hard" race.
In a setback, Thomas Joly of Team Ramudden, the recent Transju’Classic victor, will not start due to illness and fever, dimming hopes for a strong French challenge.
