On the one hand one of the finest prize lists of women's alpine skiing, on the other the story of a miracle of the springboards.

The Worley-Rolland tandem defied the odds to win the votes of their peers.

The pocket giantist (1.58m) and the halfpipe acrobat will carry the tricolor in the Bird's Nest during the opening ceremony on February 4.

The joy of Frenchman Kevin Rolland, after his bronze medal in the halfpipe at the Olympic Games in Sochi (Russia), January 18, 2014 Javier SORIANO AFP / Archives

This man-woman duo, modeled on the Agbégnénou-Aït Saïd pair in Tokyo, is a first for the Winter Games.

Tessa Worley and Kevin Rolland, who will try to lead the Blues beyond the record of 15 medals in Sochi and PyeongChang, succeed the five-time Olympic biathlon champion Martin Fourcade (2018) who has since put his rifle away.

Tessa Worley, during the first round of the giant of Kronplatz (Italy), January 25, 2022 Jure Makovec AFP

Queen discipline of the Winter Games, alpine skiing had not had the honor of carrying the French flag since the Salt Lake City Olympics twenty years ago and Carole Montillet, crowned Olympic downhill champion a few days after the ceremony of 'opening.

Something to inspire the double giant slalom world champion Tessa Worley (32), who is only missing an Olympic medal from her rich record - 15 World Cup victories and a giant globe in 2017.

Tessa Worley celebrates on the podium, her title of giant world champion, on February 16, 2017 in Saint-Moritz Fabrice COFFRINI AFP / Archives

Survivor Kevin Rolland (32), halfpipe bronze medalist at the Sochi Games in 2014 and returned from a serious accident in 2019, completes this tandem without Gabriella Papadakis or Guillaume Cizeron.

Frenchman Kevin Rolland, after his The joy of Frenchman Kevin Rolland, after his bronze medal in the halfpipe at the Olympic Games in Sochi (Russia), February 19, 2014 LOIC VENANCE AFP/Archives

The skating couple, favorite for the title in ice dancing after their silver medal four years ago, were however a serious candidate for the duo of flag bearers.

Pinturault and Laffont gave up

As for Alexis Pinturault and Perrine Laffont, two very solid candidates too, as winner of the general classification of the Alpine Skiing World Cup and Olympic champion in mogul skiing in PyeongChang, they gave up for a question of calendar.

In addition to his three Superpipe gold medals at the X-Games (2010, 2011 and 2016), Rolland's novel had to weigh in the balance.

Like the choice this summer of gymnast Samir Aït Saïed, who had returned from a broken left leg which had horrified spectators at the Rio Games,

Frenchman Kevin Rolland, during the Superpipe final at the X-Games, September 28, 2012 in Aspen (Colorado) DOUG PENSINGER GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/Archives

The skier from La Plagne was seriously injured in April 2019 when he fell more than ten meters during an attempt to break the world record for the highest quarterpipe jump.

Victim of a head trauma, a fractured pelvis and multiple internal traumas, he had been hospitalized for 45 days, some of them in a coma.

This did not prevent him from putting his skis back on in October 2019 and then taking 8th place at the 2021 Worlds in Aspen (Colorado).

The pair of flag bearers was appointed by a college made up of two "ambassadors" per federation competing in the Games, each time a man and a woman, elected by the public via social networks.

Biathlete and cross-country skier Benjamin Daviet, who has won six Paralympic medals (including three gold), was named flag bearer for the Paralympic Games (March 4-13) by a vote of French para-athletes appearing in the pre-list for the Beijing Games.

He succeeds Marie Bochet, eight-time Paralympic alpine ski champion.

© 2022 AFP