“We went crazy”: two broken sticks and a stampede, the setbacks of Mathis Desloges in the team sprint at the 2026 Olympics

So far, everything was crystal clear in cross-country skiing in Milan-Cortina. When Johannes Klaebo and Mathis Desloges appeared at the start of a race, the first finished crowned and the second silver. The trend was only half-confirmed this Wednesday at the end of the free team sprint in cross-country skiing in Val di Fiemme.

If the untouchable Norwegians again crossed the line in first position, the Blues struggled. Already handicapped by gastro in the classic sprint, Jules Chappaz was overtaken by fate a second time, through his partner Desloges, chosen to accompany him in the team event.

The Isérois was unable to really take part in the fight for a fourth silver medal. And for good reason: the 23-year-old cross-country skier broke two sticks at the start of his first and second runs. He seemed to get pushed around slightly at the start of his second stint.

“I thought he wasn’t human”

Visibly disgusted, he did not stop in the mixed zone, unlike Chappaz. “We were unlucky,” the founder emphasized on France TV. It’s a bit hard, it’s not at all the scenario we had imagined. We were both really good. We had a good qualifying, we managed to place ourselves well in the first two laps. And then there we were, we lost our shit. Mathis farted twice at the change. »

Considering the stakes, it was not particularly surprising that it rubbed in the relay zone. “When 15 teams play for the medal in a small area like that, there can be clashes and we clearly suffered them,” regretted Chappaz. He breaks two sticks, he leaves last twice, he did his best. I thought he wasn’t human, but in the end he’s still a little bit human. After all the efforts, on the last lap it was a bit hard for him. We came for a medal, we leave… I don’t even know how many we finish, we don’t care. »