Last year, Jules Chappaz swapped out his entire quiver of skis, just months before the World Championships.
This year, right before the Olympics, he’s completely changed how he trains.
And the results? Pretty amazing. This weekend, he wrapped up the dryland racing season with a gold and a bronze medal at the French national championships in Autrans.
Now, the 26-year-old is heading into his first Olympic Games brimming with confidence.
“I’ve never been better. I can’t wait to start the season,” Chappaz says.
It Wasn’t Always Like This
But it’s no coincidence that Chappaz is where he is now.
The start of last season was rough — Ruka was disappointing, and Lillehammer was even worse.
“The season started terribly. I couldn’t even make it past the prologues. Nothing was working,” he says.
In the middle of a 20-kilometer World Cup race in Davos, just before Christmas, Chappaz had had enough.
He dropped out, went home frustrated and confused.
He pulled out of all upcoming races, including the Tour de Ski.
Even the World Championships in Trondheim — his big goal ever since winning bronze in the sprint at the 2023 Worlds — didn’t seem to matter anymore.
“I was just sick of it. I didn’t want to compete anymore,” he admits.
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Photo by: Nordic Focus
A Hard Reboot
Chappaz realized he had to do something drastic.
The solution? Stop obsessing so much about training, racing and results. Spend time with his girlfriend. Do things that make him truly happy.
“I skipped all the hard workouts and competitions. During Christmas, I just stayed home, trained easy, and only did what I felt like doing,” says Chappaz, who’s from La Clusaz, near Mont Blanc.
For weeks, that’s all he did.
“I had to find the joy again. But after a while, I actually started wanting to train hard again. By the time the World Cup came to Les Rousses at the end of January, I was ready. I’d found my spark again.”
The Turning Point
The home race in Les Rousses (FRA) was a breakthrough.
Chappaz made it to the sprint semifinals for the first time in over a year.
A week later, he finished second in the team sprint.
Then in Falun (SWE), the last World Cup before Worlds, he placed fourth — his second-best World Cup result ever — and earned a spot on the World Championship team.
At Worlds, he finished fourth in the sprint, just two-tenths of a second from a medal.
After that, Chappaz was unstoppable: podium finishes in every race he entered — two second places and one third place.
“I’m super happy with how the second half of the season went,” he says.
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Photo by: Nordic Focus
Never Again: A Whole New Approach
What he did after that awful December gave him a huge wake-up call.
He knows he can’t afford another slow start — not mentally, not physically, and definitely not this year, when Olympic qualification depends on early results.
So he’s doubled down on what worked: more time with his girlfriend, more rest days, and yes — say “screw it” a bit more often.
He’s also simplified his entire training plan.
No more complicated schedules or week-by-week adjustments. Just a steady rhythm.
“Every week is pretty much the same. I train about 20 to 24 hours, with two or three hard sessions. And I always take a full rest day at least every two weeks. That’s way more than I used to,” says Chappaz.
And it’s paying off.
“Now I have a better balance in life, and everything just works better. This has been my best summer of training ever. I’ve logged more hours, more and higher intensity, and with better quality. I feel fresher, both physically and mentally,” he says.
Chasing Klæbo
Last year, Chappaz replaced his entire quiver of skis and boots all his skis, when he switched to Madshus right before the 2025 World Championships.
This year, he changed everything about how he trains.
Now, Jules Chappaz is setting the bar higher than ever: an Olympic medal in 2026.
“I was on the podium several times last winter and came super close to a World Championship medal. So I know I can be right up there.”
Johannes Høsflot Klæbo won all six gold medals at the last Worlds. Can anyone beat him at the Olympics?
“Good question. I’ve never beaten him before. But they say cross-country skiers peak between 26 and 30. I just turned 26 — so hopefully, this is the start of my golden years.”
The 2026 Winter Olympics will be held in Italy from February 6 to 22, with cross-country events taking place in Val di Fiemme.
Photo by: Nordic Focus