French snowshoeers are still without a podium at the Olympics

Vincent Louis and the France team dreamed of gold. DTN Benjamin Maze has always been very clear: “My goal as DTN is for the Frenchman to win a medal”. However, on Monday morning, in the heat of Tokyo, the Blues were no better than thirteenth-placed Vincent Lewis (Connex 17, sponsor 21), without being able to play big. A result far from expectations, as it is the first time in Olympic history that a men’s team does not place an item in the top 10. Even if the mixed relay is on Saturday (12:30 a.m., French time) I should let the French triathlon team open its counter.

Olivier Marceau explained

After several years of fighting to break into the Olympic world, the triathlon landed at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. In a country where the triathlon effort occupies a good place, the Frenchman is a candidate for magic. World champion a few weeks ago (in a one-day race), Olivier Marceau (27) is one of the tough guys (clips in the lead, especially in running) but has to bow especially to Canadian Simon Whitfield (winner).

Amal Bellobri

In 2004, in Athens, Frédéric Bellupry was not expected. A rising star in French triathlon at the age of 24, Ile-de-France has not, on paper at least, been passed Olivier Marceau-level under the Swiss colors (dual citizenship) but is still looking for an Olympic medal. However, it is the young Frenchman who sticks to the leading group up to the running portion, before folding. Finally the fifth (New Zealand’s Hamish Carter win), he signed at that time the best French result in the Olympics. Behind him, in addition to Marceau (eighth), the French made a good group shot with 12th place from Karl Blasco and 14th place from Stephane Polat.

After four years in Beijing (China, 2008), the situation of the Bellobri was of a different kind. With a surprising fifth place in Greece and three European titles (2005, 2006 and 2008), the Frenchman is a declared candidate for the podium. In the race to win to run, the Frenchman lost a foot five kilometers from the goal, and was eliminated by a sunstroke. Finally in 10th place, laurel laurels leave to German Jan Frodino, while young national promise Laurent Vidal (24 years old), discovers the Games (36th place).

London, shot group

In 2012, France came to the Olympic Games in London with a beautiful fleet. With his first try in 2008, the team’s road captain Laurent Vidal, well backed by David Hoss (28), was of about the same level or less, while young Vincent Lewis makes his debut at the deep end.

At home, Britons Alistair and Jonathan Brownlee dictate things, blowing everything up, and only Spaniard Javier Gomez is able to come and disrupt my two siblings. And at the back we find Huss (the fourth) and Vidal (the fifth), both authors of a great race, yet admit the fact that the three are in the fore “I was above the lottery”.

At 23, Vincent Lewis completed this beautiful group shot with 11th place.

Try Louis

In full progression, with the first French victory in particular in the World Triathlon Series (Hamburg 2015), Vincent Lewis is a favorite to win the title in Rio. From this perspective, he runs the race, without limiting his efforts, particularly in relation to the bike to promote a breakaway where the Brownlee brothers are also present, who help him with his work. On the hypothetical podium at lowering the bike, the Frenchman stuck to the crazy British train in the heat of Brazil before blasting off the ride and finishing seventh.