An endearing face of French cross-country skiing, with the name associated with all the tricolor Olympic medals with the exception of one, Maurice Manificat approaches these Games with intact enchantment and a communicative "super mood".

"I'm like a child", delivers the delighted mine by videoconference the soon to be 36-year-old founder.

"I left like during my first Games to make my little collection of pins."

French cross-country skier Maurice Manificat is carried in triumph by his teammates, after their 3rd place in the 4x10 km relay, at the Nordic Skiing World Championships, March 5, 2021 in Oberstdorf CHRISTOF STACHE AFP / Archives

Between a pubalgia that disrupted his pre-season preparation and a rib injury caused by a fall in the Tour de Ski at the end of the year, the Haut-Savoyard feels "lucky to be there", he who could have missed his fourth - and arguably last - Olympic Games.

"But the end is to perform well in the races, he warns. These are the Olympic Games, only every four years: I'm not here to go sightseeing but to get a medal by giving the best."

Even if he has few references this season - only two races due to his injuries - "Maurice is unpredictable", reminds AFP the director of the French cross-country skiing team Olivier Michaud.

"Karma on Skis"

Manificat also clings to the signs: "We're playing card games to keep busy at the moment and I'm really bad. It suits me very well because I tell myself that I will have karma on the skis."

If the bad luck accumulated by his series of injuries also counts, Sunday should smile on him.

Especially since before this sad season, he had finished second in the Tour de ski last year.

"When I'm going to get strong, I'm going to be bleeding!", He warned before the Games to AFP.

And "his first goal" after almost two months without a bib is the Olympic skiathlon on Sunday.

A sequence of 15 km of classic then 15 km of skating, the "most important race of the Games" for him.

French cross-country skier Maurice Manificat, during the classic 4x10 km relay at the Pyeongchang Olympics, February 18, 2018 FRANCK FIFE AFP / Archives

Because this "basic solitary", "in (his) world", as he describes himself to AFP, has a world medal in the individual race - the silver of the 15km free in 2015 - but none under the rings where he shone collectively.

Without this being contradictory according to him: "I like the group too, he confides. The group takes me out of my world."

The world apart from "Momo", his nickname among cross-country skiers.

That of someone preferring to keep his blog to his profile on social networks.

"It's going too fast, he comments. The blog, you keep a long-term record."

French cross-country skier Maurice Manificat, during the Olympic skiathlon (15 km of classic then 15 km of skating) at the Pyeongchang Games, February 11, 2018 Christof STACHE AFP / Archives

On his, remain his favorite films - mostly anticipation feature films - his reading - Tom Clancy and Science and Life - and less ordinary, his favorite free software.

The inventory sticks to the course of this graduate of molecular and cellular biology.

Abandoned, the blog came back to life at the start of the season and for the occasion Manificat bought "a paid pack that removes advertising" on the screen, he explains in a message to Manificat: " Long live the modern world where everything pays off, even the right not to be bothered.

© 2022 AFP