Interview with Simon Fourcade

Maybe you could start with a little description of your individual race in Lahti. How did you experience the race, especially the last lap, and what were you thinking respectively feeling when you crossed the finish line and Raph came to embrace you …
Right before the race I was pretty calm, confident and above all very concentrated. I knew that if I'd follow my plan and if I'd not want too much or crack mentally, I'd be difficult.
Then I go on the last lap and I'm told that I was in front. I was crazy, I was shacking and on the beginning I was really fast, because I really wanted to beat Raph :)
In the finish Raph embraced me strongly. We get along very well and it's nice to have my first podium together with him, even if it was not me on the top.

Right before Lahti were the World Championships where you finished twice 8th. You must be very satisfied ?
My goal was to reach the Top 10 : I've done it. We (that means Raph and me) did a long training camp before and it's good to say that this work is somehow paid.

How was you season, are you content ?
My season (that is not finished yet) is really good. I'm very satisfied. I reached all my goals and I've some new for the remaining two World Cups.

After your big achievement as Youth and Junior all the world expected a lot of you. How did you experience the passage to senior category ? Did you feel pressure ?
The passage was rather difficult. I don't know if I was expected a lot, but I expected a lot of myself an to see that it's difficult to be in front at once, this was very hard. But now I think that I've reached a certain level due to the work and I hope that it's only the beginning.

Raph called you his successor. Do you agree ?
Many people say this and I feel honoured, nevertheless it's getting annoying because I'm called Simon Fourcade and I want the people to know this. I hear to often : "Look, that's the new Poirée !!!"
But beside this Raph is someone who's very important to me. When I was a child, it was he who brought me to Biathlon. I saw him in TV and my room wad full of his pictures.

After the Olympics last year, Vancouver 2010 as the big goal …
Yes, that's my big goal, but I prefer not to thing about it too much. It's still far away and there're still so many steps to go.

What memories do you have from your very first World Cup ?
It was in Oslo in 2004. It was big, it was nice, a big change in comparison to the juniors and the European Cups. The level was very elevated. After the sprint I was crying because I did not understand how it is possible that my rivals can be that fast.

Do you have an idol ?
I watch Ole Einar Bjoerndalen a lot. He's a real example for me. Otherwise I like Yannick Noah (tennis) a lot.

Interview made by Anne Gassner in March 2007