Cross-country skier Liliane Gagnon had an exceptional day in the 20km freestyle mass start at the World Cup in Groms, Switzerland, finishing ninth. For the athlete from Saint-Ferréol-les-Neiges, who has never reached the top 30, it is the best individual result in the World Cup.
“It's surreal! I still have a hard time believing it,” said the 21-year-old Gagnon in an interview with Sportcom. “I try not to look too much at the results in case something changes. I've been feeling in good shape since last weekend, but I didn't want to jinx myself. I would have been happy to get into the top 30, but to get ninth place, phew! Honestly, I have no idea what happened!”
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The Quebecer crossed the finish line 16.1 seconds after the winner, American Jessie Diggins, winner of the recent Tour de Ski and specialist in freestyle distance competitions. Also medalists were the Swede Frida Karlsson (+0.6 s) and the Swiss Nadine Faehndrich (+2 s). Olivia Bouffard-Nesbitt from Morin-Heights took 54th place (+6 min. 37.3 sec.).
Gagnon had already earned a ninth-place finish in the World Cup, except in the team sprint at the World Cup in Lahti, Finland, last March, when she teamed with Katherine Stewart-Jones. Before Sunday, Gagnon's best individual finish in the Big White Circus was his 31st-place finish in Saturday's freestyle sprint.
During the race, Gagnon could hardly believe that she was among the world's elite.
“I reacted very well to the attacks at the top of the climbs and never gave up while the leading field became smaller and smaller. I told myself that I would probably hit a wall because it's not my habit to ski with these girls for so long, but in the end the wall never came, I think. […] Today the focus was on form, course and great skis! I thought I could reach ninth place one day, but not today. More like in two or three years.”
Throughout the interview, we felt like Gagnon wanted to stay grounded after this performance. A top-10 finish won't necessarily become the new norm for her, except that her result on Sunday means she is now one of the favorites for the next U23 World Championships, which takes place in Planica, Slovenia, from February 5 .
“I don't want to put pressure on myself, but it's clear that I've just taken a big step,” laughs the woman who was the fastest under 23 on Sunday and had to go under the scalpel at the beginning of November because of a supraventricular problem to resolve tachycardia.
“Six days later I was back on skis [après l’opération] And I'm happy that I got back on my feet so quickly and that it didn't affect my start to the season.
Antoine Cyr was the best Canadian representative in the men's event at the same distance as he finished 22nd, 36.7 seconds behind the fastest, Norwegian Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo. Norway achieved the double thanks to Simen Hegstad Krueger (+0.7 s), while France's Jules Lapierre (+12 s) landed on the third step of the podium.
The Cross-Country Skiing World Cup is moving to the Alberta resort of Canmore, where action will resume from February 9th.