Party time in Pinzolo for Telemark World Cup: French day-one sweep, Taylor and Michel roar back

The second stop of the 2025/26 Telemark World Cup season witnessed two high-octane days of sprint racing in Pinzolo – a venue making its third appearance on the calendar – with French athletes dominating day one before Great Britain’s Jasmin Taylor and Switzerland’s Nicolas Michel hit back in a gripping day two.

Excellent work from organisers kept the course in prime condition across both days (19-20 December) despite a recent Alpine warm spell, while a lively local crowd and a parallel community program – including 'TeleKidz' Telemark Skiing taster sessions and a gourmet food festival – underlined Pinzolo’s “racers and amateurs together” spirit.

French dominance on emotive first day

Having been hit by the recent loss of her beloved grandfather Maurice, France’s Argeline Tan-Bouquet dug deep to overturn a first-run deficit - in part due to a two-second jump-line penalty - with a stellar second run to take her past Switzerland’s Léa Lathion, who had been wearing the World Cup leader’s jersey for the first time.

“I’m super happy with my skiing today, the team here at Pinzolo have done a great job. I always have trouble with the jump and on the first run I missed the line, but on the second run I just focused on staying relaxed and being fast,” said Tan-Bouquet, a third-place finisher at the season opener in Hintertux, Austria.

Bleu was the colour in Friday’s men’s race too, where Yoann Rostolan claimed his first World Cup victory with a commanding display, topping both runs and mastering a set-up where the jump – 19m for the men, 15m for the women – demanded both thrust and technique. Countryman Alexis Page, a runner-up at Hintertux, secured another second place, while Michel seized the final spot on the podium ahead of Italy’s Raphaël Mahlknecht, who was roared into fourth by the passionate home crowd.

“A day with a win is always a good day! I know how fast I can go but in Hintertux I made mistakes, which I avoided today,” said Rostolan, savouring his landmark moment before a hat tip to Page, his friend and team-mate. “Alexis is so consistent, he’s always on the podium and in training his times are always ahead of everyone else’s. I’m confident he’ll get wins this season too.”

Taylor and Michel hit back on day two

“Go big or go home” summed up Saturday’s races with big, flowing turns and a tricky gate right after landing off the jump. And though onlookers agreed the Nordic skate section was accessible even for the less skate-specialist racers, the section had a major impact on the final timings. 

Britain’s Jasmin Taylor, winner of last season’s Overall, Classic and Sprint Globe titles, signalled she was back to her best by topping both women’s runs to clinch her first victory of the 2025/26 campaign. ”Great conditions here in Pinzolo, it just shows that the level of the sport and the athletes is increasing season on season,” said Taylor, a hugely popular figure within the Telemark community.

Over in the men’s race, Michel (SUI) - winner of the sprint at Hintertux and a veteran of over 200 career starts - nudged the in-form Rostolan into second, ahead of a richly celebrated third spot for local hero Mahlknecht. “It’s been two good days here in Pinzolo and a great event for Telemark here in Italy,” said the Italian athlete afterwards. “Today I showed what I’m capable of - a podium in a home race feels priceless!”

Michel, for his part, shrugged off first-day fatigue with a win that tightens his grip at the top of the Overall standings. “Yesterday I was a bit short on energy, but today I felt able to push more and it ended in a victory,” said the Swiss, who finished second in the Overall, Sprint and Parallel Sprint standings last season. 

Team France on a roll and Kennerson comeback

“Our preparations were optimal for Pinzolo and on the first day we achieved one of our best ever team results, with Yoann winning his first World Cup victory, Argeline on top with a very complete race, and podiums for Alexis and Camille [Bourbon] too,” was the verdict of France’s head coach Antoine Bouvier, whose charges Tan-Bouquet and Rostolan are both currently second in the Overall World Cup standings. “And on day two Yoann continued his good form by finishing second and Laly [Chaucheprat] produced a superb race to take second and her first podium of the season.”

Meanwhile, making a welcome return to the World Cup scene was American Jed Kennerson, who ticked off a major milestone on his recovery trail by competing at Pinzolo just two years after having to relearn to walk following a life-threatening brain and spine injury. 

Nor can we fail to mention another World Cup first, a DJ set by Page and fellow French athlete Théo Sillon at the closing party, the debut of their ‘Race to Rave’ project and another illustration of why Pinzolo is viewed as a perfect snapshot of Telemark Skiing culture. Special thanks go to the organisers, volunteers and the local snowboard shapers’ crew for the loom and jump: no dig, no ride.

What’s next?

The hunt for FIS Telemark World Cup glory is gathering pace, with just six points spanning women's Overall leader Lathion, second-placed Tan-Bouquet and reigning champ Taylor in third. Over in the men's category, two wins from three sprint races so far has Michel ahead of in-form French duo Rostolan and Page, but who will finish fastest on the next leg of the circuit, at Carezza on 14-15 January?