Courchevel's Worlds track, the Eclipse, will witness the twilight of the career of Clarey, 42, who repeated he was "99 per cent" sure he would retire at the end of the season .
But the Olympic downhill vice-champion is still able to touch the peaks, as shown by his second place on the frightening Streif of Kitzbühel less than three weeks ago in the World Cup.
In addition, Clarey draws from his trophy cabinet, which also includes a silver medal in super-G at the World Championships in Are (Sweden) in 2019, a mental lightness.
"All in all, I know that I can do it, and that I have the keys to the big meetings", he assured Monday during a press briefing before the scheduled descent on Sunday. .
"I have two international medals, it's something that can never be taken away from me, it takes the personal pressure off me. But that's not why I'm going to arrive without ambition", a- he added.
The dean of the circuit feels "super serene, not stressed".
"I'm going to have to be determined to do something on Sunday, I'm not here to have fun. I'm going to have to get warrior mode out because it's going to be a big fight."
Clarey, who knows how to achieve a few well-targeted goals like no other, will have to tame the Eclipse track to hope for a new podium.
During the World Cup finals in March 2022, where skiers discovered this new playground, he only took 17th place in the downhill.
"The Eclipse will leave less room for surprises than other tracks," he says.
"It's so demanding... In the downhill, we have training beforehand, everyone arrives prepared, surprises, there aren't that many. The track doesn't leave much respite, it's complete, there are has big jumps, it has slope, a lot of turns. That's what makes it difficult to manage physically."
© 2023 AFP