Laurent Dubreuil enjoyed his first World Cup victory of the season on Sunday in Tomaszow Mazowiecki, Poland, where he won the 500m. The Lévisien stopped the clock at 34.73 s to finish ahead of the one who had beaten him the day before, the Chinese Gao Tingyu (0.06 s).
The Pole Damian Zurek (0.14 s) pleased the spectators by capturing the bronze medal.
“I’m really happy,” said the man who got his hands on the 34th World Cup medal, his sixth gold, straight away via videoconference. “It ends very well an autumn which was a little more difficult than the last three seasons. […] At the end of the week, I really found my feelings and the level I expect of myself. »
Dubreuil, silver medalist in Saturday’s 500m, was once again able to skate lightly. Even if he hadn’t been the fastest on Sunday, he would still have been satisfied.
“When you cross the [finish] line, there is a 2-second pause before the result is displayed. Both races this weekend, I was satisfied with my performance before knowing my time. I knew I skated well and did what I could. That’s what I’m proud of! […] I am very satisfied with the way I was able to bounce back at the end of the week and to have regained my sensations. »
Dubreuil has had a checkered fall, except that he confirms that he has just found a new lease of life at this last World Cup before the holiday break. He also went from fourth to second place in the cumulative distance ranking, except that the 60 points which separate him from the Japanese Wataru Morishige (378) mean that he does not think he will be able to steal from him. the title at the end of the season.
The 31-year-old skater reminded himself that no matter what happened in the final weeks, this period would never be as difficult as his week between the disappointment of his fourth place in the 500m at the Beijing Olympics and his medal in silver in the 1000m won at the end of the Games.
“I know my worth as an athlete and bad passes don’t scare me. At some point I’m going to be too old and it won’t work anymore, but now I’m not and I’m able to come back! I always had confidence,” added the veteran, who says he made the right choice to skip the 1000m this weekend in order to concentrate on the 500m.
Valérie Maltais placed sixth in the women’s mass start won by Dutchwoman Irene Schouten, who beat Ontarian Ivanie Blondin and American Mia Kilburg-Manganello. The athlete from La Baie, who already had second, third and fourth places since the start of the season, wore the yellow cap of leader in the provisional general classification of the event at the start.
“Keeping the yellow cap was a challenge and my weekend here left me wanting more. At the end of today, I got stuck in traffic and I had some energy at the end. […] Races that end in a sprint are not always my strength, but I realize more and more that I have speed. I just need to position myself better,” mentioned Maltais, regretting not having been aggressive enough in the finale.
The Quebecer slips one place overall and is second with 183 points behind Kilburg-Manganello (187).
Finally, in the 1000 m of group B, Béatrice Lamarche was ranked 16th due to her time of 1 min 19.74 s.
The World Cup circuit will restart at the end of January in Salt Lake City. A week earlier, the Olympic Oval of the 2022 Games will host the Four Continents Championships.
