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Frenchies Thomas Joly and Jennifer Lambert won the Transju’ Marathon Classic 50 km, the highlight of the first day of the 44th edition of La Transju’.

With his fist raised as he crossed the finish line, Thomas Joly (Team Nordic Expérience), winner of last year’s sprint, was able to enjoy his last straight line this time. Having escaped for several kilometers with his team-mate Jérémy Royer (already 4th last year), he was able to make the difference with 400 m to go to take a second victory in a row at the end of a particularly demanding course with its 855 m of positive difference in altitude over a distance of about 50 km.

“I am very happy”, he says. This second victory was finally harder to get. This course is really difficult. Jérem was really fit. We started really strong. He was pushing hard all the way. He tried to take me out in La Sambine. But I didn’t move. As a result, he believed in it less than I did. That was a key moment. Then in each little uphill I made it a little harder so that he didn’t get in front. I had confidence in myself at the end. Today, I wasn’t the strongest skier all along the race. But I knew when I was going to be in pain and when it would hurt. I won a bit with my head. Winning La Transju’ is never just another victory. The Transju’ is a big objective of the season”, confirms the winner. “It is the race I want to win in France.”

Thomas Joly will now head back to Scandinavia with the Vasaloppet, the mythical Swedish race, as a big goal in a fortnight’s time. Third and fourth, Matis Leray and Paul Combey complete the domination of Team Nordic Expérience. Winner in 2018 and 2019, Antoine Auger takes the sixth place.

Men Transju Classic 50 Results

1. Thomas Joly (Team Nordic Expérience), 2h01’25”.
2. Jérémy Royer (Team Nordic Expérience), 5” behind
3. Matis Leray (Team Nordic Expérience), 2’41

A first for Jennifer Lambert

“You’re too strong!” Laurie Flochon Joly’s first words to Jennifer Lambert, her teammate from Team Nordic Expérience, testifies to the domination of the winner of the women’s race, who was already on the podium last year (3rd). “I am very happy and very moved”, says Jennifer Lambert, her voice trembling and her eyes shining. “I needed this to give me confidence for the rest of the season. I felt that in the climbs I had a bit of an advantage. I knew that if I wanted to win, I had to build up my race as I went along because I am not a finisher. We rode together with Laurie and Solène (Faivre, 4th afinally, overtaken by Hanna Fine). With my teammate, we forced things a bit to start together. Once we had done that, I said to myself that I had to think about myself to get the victory. The Transju’ is THE mythical French race. Taking part in it is already great so even more to win it! It’s also the first time I’ve won a race like this in a mass-start.” She too has the Vasaloppet in her diary.

Ladies La Transju Classic 50 Results

1. Jennifer Lambert (Team Nordic Expérience), 2h26’59” (15th overall)
2. Laurie Flochon Joly (Team Nordic Expérience), 2’29
3. Hanna Fine (Team Vercors Isère), 4’22

Cross-country skiing enthusiasts

Although the first runners reached the finish line in just over two hours, the day was stretched out for many runners in the 400 skiers strong field on this Transju’ Marathon Classic 50 km. Without this disturbing them for a single second. “I came first and foremost to make a lot of friends,” says Yasuhiro Nakazawa – 71 years old, from… Tokyo. “I had already come three years ago but the race had been canceled due to the lack of snow. I went back to Japan sad. I had to come back.” Gary Neptune and Eva Gottschall came from Colorado. “We have already participated in many Worldloppet races, such as the Vasaloppet,” says Eva. “We came to Europe for three weeks to see family in Germany and it was obvious for us to take part in the Transju’.“

Maurice Manificat favorite for La Transjurassienne

Tomorrow, Sunday, it’s time for La Transjurassienne, the biggest race in France with nearly 2 500 skiers at the start, on a course reduced to 50 km (instead of 70), due to insufficient snow conditions to slide to Mouthe (Doubs), the usual place of the finish. Even waiting until the last minute to register, Maurice Manificat will be at the start this Sunday at the Combe du Lac de Lamoura, the emblematic place for the start of the Transju’. On the strength of his XXL prize list, he will inevitably be the favorite. World vice-champion in the 15 km free technnique race, seven times bronze medallist in relays at the Olympic Games (4 times) and the World Championships (3 times), the 36 year old Frenchman will obviously be eagerly awaited.

After two months disrupted by an infectious bronchitis and sinusitis, Manificat, who is currently training at the National Nordic Ski and Mountain Centre (CNSNMM) in Prémanon, has chosen to take part in the Transju’ as part of his preparation for the world championships in Planica at the end of the month, where he will compete in the 15 km individual skate. “The dark period is behind us, now it’s time for the light,” he wrote on his Instagram feed. Depending on the intensity he decides to commit to the event.

In the women’s race, Céline Chopard Lallier (Team Nordic Expérience) will also be aiming for the double but will have to dominate Émilie Bulle (Team Vercors Isère), third last year, or Océane Bépoix (Féclaz Formation Longue Distance), winner of the Marathon du Forez a few days ago and already fifth in 2022.