France is sending 13 cross-country skiers to the World Cup final in Falun, Sweden, this weekend: four women and nine men, including sprint specialists Lucas Chanavat and Richard Jouve. 

For the latter, there is a lot at stake on the opening day in Falun: Friday features the last sprint World Cup for the season. If Jouve wins the sprint race in Falun, he could take home the crystal trophy.

However, the overall title depends on whether Johannes Høsflot Klæbo participates. Klæbo, who was infected with Covid-19 at the World Cup in Lahti on February 26 to 27, sits in first place overall with 562 points. Jouve is in second place with 467 points. Chanavat is in third place, with 363 points. 

Jouve is certainly on a roll: Last Thursday, he won the World Cup sprint in Drammen, Norway, bagging his first-ever World Cup podium. 

The women’s overall sprint World Cup is already determined: even though one sprint race remains next weekend, there is no way that anyone can pass Maja Dahlqvist in the overall points standing in the FIS Sprint World Cup. 

The World Cup event in Falun on March 11 through 13 will be the last of the 2021-22 FIS Cross-Country World Cup season. The first day at the Falun World Cup features sprint races for both men and women, followed by 10km skate for women and 15km skate races on Saturday, and relays for both men and women on Sunday. 

This is the French team to the World Cup final in Falun
Men
Lucas Chanavat 
Jules Chappaz 
Renaud Jay 
Théo Schely 
Richard Jouve 
Hugo Lapalus 
Maurice Manificat 
Clément Parisse 
Jules Lapierre 

Women
Léna Quintin 
Flora Dolci 
Mélissa Gal 
Delphine Claudel