While he broke the world record over 5000 meters last November, Timothy Loubineaud is approaching the Milan-Cortina Winter Games with a certain measure, having now been officially selected for the event.
Timothy Loubineaud will not miss the Winter Games. In parallel with the announcements concerning ice hockey and biathlon, the French National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSF) has confirmed six names for the speed skating events planned at the Fiera Milano Exhibition Center.
A French team of which the native of Arcachon will be the leader, he who stood out last November with a new world record in the 5000 meters in Salt Lake City. However, if the results speak for him, Timothy Loubineaud is keeping a low profile as the Olympic meeting approaches. “We are not talking about medals, the only objective is to be as strong as possible,” he said in comments collected by the regional daily Southwest.
Royé aims for “zero regrets” at the Winter Games
A statement confirmed by Ludovic Royé, national technical director in charge of the discipline. Indeed, the latter assures that the objective regarding the psychological approach to the event is “to have zero regrets over all the events” but also to see the skaters “deliver the best of what each and every one of our athletes is capable of doing”. The performances will come later even if the idea of getting on the podium is not far away. “We will take the results and in particular the medals which I hope will fall into our basket”, adds the DTN who concedes “that there may be a little excitement” in view of the performances recorded this winter by the Tricolores.
A preparation far from France for Loubineaud
“But when you ask me our objectives, today, we are not talking about medals,” he concluded. An approach to the Winter Games that the French team will not be able to carry out in France due to the glaring absence of infrastructure dedicated to speed skating. But she could go through the European Championships organized in Poland at the beginning of January. “It will be a preparation race with no results objective and then head to Milan at the end of January,” said coach Alain Nègre. In any case, the Tricolores and Timothy Loubineaud will have the choice of making the trip or staying in Inzell, where they can train in the best conditions.
