“My goals were far below of what I actually achieved!”

France’s Gael Blondeau was the breakout star of this year’s FIS Nordic Junior World Ski Championships in Oberwiesenthal (GER). The 19-year-old, who had almost exclusively started in the Alpencup until this season came away with an individual bronze and a team silver medal, both of which were not exactly expected beforehand. Nordic Magazine caught up with the shooting star to talk about his medal experience, his knee problems and what’s on the horizon for Gael Blondeau.

You had a very good winter on the Continental Cup with good top 15 and an eighth place in Eisenerz (AUT). What do you think is the reason for your progress?

Gael Blondeau: Last season was almost a blackout for me because of a knee injury. This summer I was able to work well but my results this year are unexpected. My goals were far below what I achieved. It’s great to see that work pays off.

Which kind if knee problems do you have to deal with?

Blondeau: I have the so-called Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS), which is also known as “runner’s knee”. It’s a problem that I’ve had for two, three years and that bothers me most of the time. I have to live with it by doing exercises that prevent pain. It is not easy to solve. Last winter it hurt a lot and there was almost nothing I could do.

Your season was marked by the World Juniors in Oberwiesenthal (GER) where you won two medals: it must have been an incredible week!

Blondeau: Yes! I was going to come back with a team medal because we believed in it, that it was possible. Individually, that wasn’t the goal at all and, yeah, of course it’s really cool.

During the individual race, you made up a lot of places during the cross-country ski races to win the bronze in the photo finish: tell us about this race.

Blondeau: I knew that it was going to be a tough race. Mattéo Baud, my teammate, came back to me and we took turns in the first two laps. I tried to start slower at first to get into it. In the third lap, I started to accelerate. The coaches told me that the top six were not far away. I found myself in the group for the podium at the bottom of the last climb. From that moment, I told myself that it was possible.

It was a long wait to know if you were third or fourth…

Blondeau: When I started my sprint, I didn't even know if it was possible fight for a medal. When made the lunge toward the finish line, I did not expect to be in front. No results were announced, nobody knew ... It was the journalist who came to ask me the questions who actually told me that I won a medal.

When you arrived at the competition site that day, did you imagine this result?

Blondeau: On the track, I immediately felt good but on the jumping hill that was not the case. My training jumps were not good, I had trouble getting into the rhythm of the hill. With the stress of the competition, which I like rather well, it boosted me and I got out my best jump. After the individual jump, there were a lot of people fighting for those medals. Frankly, it was almost impossible ... but, in the end, I did it!

A few days later, you gave the silver medal to the French team by defeating Norway and Germany in the final of the cross-country race: it must have been a proud moment to offer this podium to team!

Blondeau: I wanted to do it for my friends. Everyone was expecting me to perform well in a finish line sprint after my individual finish! It's always more fun to do it as a team.

Your teammate Laurent Muhlethaler advised you to not go to the World Cup right away. He thinks, based on his personal experience, that it is better to have more time in the Continental Cup to grow: do you agree?

Blondeau: Listening to Laurent, knowing that he won two medals at the Junior Worlds like me, it is logical and normal. Besides, he's kind of our idol, we want to do like him. After that period, I want to go to the World Cup, of course, but there is no rush. There is still a lot of work to do before I can go there to play.

Find the original French version here.