Transju ready for a big party

The largest cross-country skiing event in France, La Transju' will take place on Saturday, February 11 and Sunday, February 12 in the Jura Mountains. The recent snowfall has cleared the horizon for the organizers and all the enthusiasts who will be able to set off on the nominal course between Lamoura and Val de Mouthe.  

To remember about La Transju :

• Recent snowfalls have allowed us to prepare the trails on the original route of the Transju'.
• Classic style events on Saturday, skating events on Sunday.
• The Transju' is the longest race on the Worldloppet freestyle circuit, the reference circuit for long distance events
• A high level fight between the best French and European players
• The Nordic sports fair in Les Rousses to collect your race numbers and to meet the many partners and exhibitors

"We're ready." 

The words of Marie-Pierre Guilbaud, race director of La Transju', will propel all cross-country ski enthusiasts towards the ^44th edition of France's biggest race, organized on February 11 and 12 in the Jura Mountains. The snow has finally fallen and given us a boost," she explains. Everyone was waiting for it, starting with the skiers who had delayed their registration due to lack of snow. For the past few days and with the heavy snowfall, we have seen the number of registrations climb."

The snow cover should even allow participants to ski on the historic course linking 9 villages in the Haut-Jura and Haut-Doubs, between Lamoura and the Val de Mouthe, a course that has made La Transjurassienne a mythical event over the years, with its grandiose scenery and unique atmosphere at each village crossing. If the current situation holds, we will indeed be able to take the nominal route," confirms the race director. There is between 40 and 50 cm of snow. Some passages have already been reinforced by the track services. Everything is being done to ensure that the race will take place under normal conditions. The forecast for the next ten or twelve days is favorable with no precipitation and significant cold between -15° and -20° at night. We are still dependent on the weather in the last few days before the race but today everything is fine."

Optimal conditions for cross-country skiing: 

If some people are worried that the preparation will be cut by several weeks due to the lack of snow, the race director wants to reassure them. There are three weeks left and the current conditions are really superb for training," says Marie-Pierre Guilbaud, a former champion (four victories in the Transjurassienne between 1989 and 1995, and participation in the Albertville Olympic Games). All the French teams have started to show up. Those who feel a little short to tackle the longer events can also switch to shorter distances and still come to the party. The weekend's program is indeed varied enough to allow everyone to find a race adapted to his or her practice or current form.

"We are optimistic, because it is possible to do the course between Lamoura and Mouthe. Winter is gradually settling in, the lakes are freezing and we are expecting the next snowfall this week, which will strengthen the tracks on the sensitive areas at the bottom of the valley", confirms Pierre-Albert Vandel, President of Trans Organisation.

A particularly dense program in classical and skating

As in previous editions, Saturday will be dedicated to the classic style events. The first participants will start at 9 am from Les Rousses for the Transju'Classic 50 km. In the early afternoon, the participants of the Transju'Classic 25 km and the Transju'Expérience Classic 20 km will start in Chapelle-des-Bois.

On Sunday, it's time for the skating events with the traditional mass start of La Transju' at the bottom of the Combe du Lac, in Lamoura. On the program, 70 km and 1000 m of positive altitude difference. The Transju' Marathon 50 km will start from Les Rousses at 10:30 am, the Transju' Skating 25 km and the Transju' Experience from Chapelle-des-Bois, at 1:00 pm and 1:15 pm. An Ultra'trans challenge will reward the best runners in the combined Transju' Classic 50 km on Saturday and the Transju' Sunday.

Prestigious races to add to the list of winners

If most of the participants will come first and foremost to take part in the great celebration of cross-country skiing, at the head of the race, the struggle will be as always intense between the best French and even European specialists. Included in the calendar of the prestigious Worldloppet circuit, which brings together the greatest cross-country ski races in the world, the events of La Transju' attract the best such as Simon Desthieux, Olympic champion in the mixed relay in PyeongChang in 2018 and world champion in the men's relay in 2020, Anais Bescond, Olympic champion with the mixed relay at the PyeongChang Olympics in 2018, Célia Aymonier, bronze medallist in the women's relay at the 2017 world championships and many others. Many will want to add their name to the list of winners of the event and thus succeed Emilien Louvrier and Céline Choppard Lallier, winners last winter on La Transju' in skating, and Thomas Joly and the Finnish Katie Roivas, crowned on La Transju'Classic 50 km.

International Nordic show in Les Rousses: a place for exchange and sharing

The international Nordic sports exhibition, located at the Les Rousses sports center, will host the number collection area from Friday, February 10, at 9:00 am. The participants but also all the fans of the discipline will be able to meet all the partners and exhibitors, and share a moment of conviviality. One of the values of La Transju'.

The Transju program: 

Saturday, February 11:
- 9 a.m.: The Transju' Marathon Classic 50 km (start in Les Rousses)
- 1 p.m.: The Transju' Classic 25 km (start in Chapelle-des-Bois)
- 1:30 p.m.: The Transju' Experience Classic 20 km (start in Chapelle-des-Bois)

Sunday, February 12:
- 8:30 a.m.: The Transju' 70 km (start in Lamoura)
- 10:30 a.m.: The Transju' Marathon Skating 50 km (start in Les Rousses)
- 1:00 p.m.: Transju' Skating 25 km (start in Chapelle-des-Bois)
- 1:30 p.m.: The Transju' Experience Skating 20 km (start in Chapelle-des-Bois)