Emotional interview at the Nordic World Ski Championships.

Lapalus breaks down in tears during the interview

French cross-country skier Hugo Lapalus had high hopes for the 2025 Nordic World Ski Championships in Trondheim. At the end of the classic 10-kilometer race, he had to accept that he could not perform to his best and burst into tears.

March 05, 2025

From: sn

Instead of making it to the podium, the 25-year-old finished in eleventh place, far below his expectations. In an emotional interview with Eurosport Lapalus explained why this day was so difficult for him: "It was really very hard. I didn't reach my goal. We had actually planned to fight for the medals. But I'm obviously not in good shape." Then the 25-year-old started to sob bitterly.

Lapalus acknowledged that the snow may have played a role, but knew that it was not the main cause of the disappointing result: "It just wasn't my day. My goal was to fight for a medal, to be in the top five. I have no idea why it went so badly today, but that's part of the game." The pressure he faced throughout the race was palpable.

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For Lapalus, the race was not only a sporting battle, but also an emotional one. The pressure to meet one's own expectations and the performance that the public expects of one is enormous. The mental burden that rests on an athlete's shoulders when he fails at such a crucial moment should not be underestimated.

Despite the setback, Lapalus was already optimistic and looking ahead to the challenges ahead. "Now we have to concentrate on the relay. After that we'll see." Even though this day didn't go as he had imagined, he certainly won't make the same mistake again.