Richard Jouve, 27 years old, specialty: sprint.

Fourteen World Cup podiums.

Lucas Chanavat, 27 years old, specialty: sprint.

Fourteen World Cup podiums.

The two skiers, who finished first (Chanavat) and fourth (Jouve) in the sprint qualifications on Tuesday, are the inseparable faces of the success of the French cross-country skiing team.

This winter, they chained the top 3 and even climbed together on the podium of the free sprint in Lenzerheide (Switzerland) at the end of December (Jouve 2nd, Chanavat 3rd).

Frenchman Lucas Chanavat, during sprint qualifications, on February 8, 2022 at the Zhangjiakou cross-country skiing site at the Beijing Games Tobias SCHWARZ AFP

"We have a very healthy relationship with Lucas, the same age, the same journey when arriving as young people at the federation at the same time, good results at the same time. This similar trajectory means that we are hyper accomplices", explains Richard Jouve to AFP.

Frenchman Richard Jouve, during the classic sprint qualifications, during the Nordic Skiing World Cup stage, on January 31, 2021 in Falun (Sweden) Fredrik SANDBERG TT News Agency/AFP/Archives

With unfailing rigor, the duo impresses the comrades of the longest distances, with a slightly more bohemian approach.

"Skiing is 100% my job, on the slopes and off with nutrition, recovery. I pay attention to everything. I try things all the time. I chat with the coaches, I watch what others are doing skiers, other sports", says Jouve.

“I have been optimizing everything on a daily basis for a long time,” asserts Chanavat.

"Because of the Covid, I haven't seen anyone since November apart from my girlfriend who is teleworking at home and doesn't see anyone either. I've only seen my family outside and in masks. With my nieces who are all young, it's hard to explain to them, but we know that the stakes are higher".

FABRICE COFFRINI AFP/Archives

"Too tender"

Their friendship makes it possible to appreciate the whole months spent together far from home.

But it can serve them in this discipline where you have to know how to elbow to win (nervous races at six on a course of about 1 km).

"It's hard to run together, we're so close that we can't get in the way of each other, we try not to get in each other's way, we won't dare to close the door in a bend", admits Jouve.

"During the quarter-finals we always place ourselves in different tables" (the best of the qualifications choose their quarter).

"Sometimes we can miss this aggressiveness, we have already missed races for having been too tender between us. It can make us passive, and we get overwhelmed", continues Jouve.

The French Lucas Chanavat and Richard Jouve, during the sprint final (1.5 km) of the Tour de ski, on December 30, 2017 in Lenzerheide (Switzerland) Fabrice COFFRINI AFP / Archives

On Tuesday, they could be challenged for the same medal in the sprint skate, their favorite format, and are among the favorites for the podium behind the often untouchable Norwegian Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo.

Jouve is chasing a second Olympic medal after the bronze in the team sprint in 2018 won in Pyeongchang with Maurice Manificat.

In great shape, "Momo" had been preferred at the last minute to Chanavat.

The joy of founders Richard Jouve and Maurice Manificat, bronze medalists in the team sprint at the Pyeonchang Games, February 22, 2018 LOIC VENANCE AFP / Archives

"It had to be me until the day before the race. I had prepared the Games for this race. Then it was not an easy period. I did a good job on it, after a long period of cashing in , it probably helped to strengthen me as an athlete," says Chanavat.

This time, the two friends seem indisputable for the team sprint which will take place on Wednesday February 16, in classic style.

They dream of getting on the podium together.

For the second time at the Games after a first sharing on Tuesday?

© 2022 AFP