Give us the details of your injury and explain your come back to ski competition in 2009.

This year, my training will be very different. I've had plenty of time to think about many things during this year and a half of trouble, injury and pain. I've actually come to realize that I've been following the wrong path; I thought that winning a World Cup meant nothing; I thought that winning an easy race meant nothing. I wasted a lot of energy fighting against the FIS system. I'm sure that I lost 3 Crystal Globes because of this. I've also realized I'm not the warrior I thought I was. I'm a show man, winning just for winning meant nothing to me, but winning by simply being the best on a very difficult slope meant a great deal. As the Olympic Games approach, I force myself to change my strategy and vision. Perhaps the course will be easy; after all it's an FIS course and maybe it'll be the sort of typical race that I don't want to participate in. But, to be a champion, you have to be able to win across all disciplines.  This is part of my mental preparation: there are no small challenges, no small races but, there's a podium and a victory for every event.

As for my physical preparation, I've just finished a season of typical high level sports training but, it just doesn't work for me. A fun factor is crucial in my training program.  So, you won't find me running around an athletics track but, you will see me on a tennis court. You won't spot me on a bike but, you will see me walking in the mountains just to do a base jump. Weight lifting is the only compulsory thing and my coach prepares special sessions with fun themes. Having fun and making progress, because skiing is a game and the Olympics Games are here soon!

What do you think of the French Ski Federation's organization for Skier-X athletes?

Personally, I feel that the system is perfect: skilled staff and a very good atmosphere. When things go wrong, you only have to go and explain to those in charge, at the top of the pyramid, and in 2 seconds everything's sorted out. By the way, our trainers are guys with complementary expertise, different from classical alpine skiing and when I train with them I have an excellent time!

What are your objectives and dreams for this season, and for the Olympic Games?

The Olympics are in fact a one day race. You have to win on that day 'cause the best skier in the world is revealed in one race and not over the entire season. It's a game and that's fine with me, I prefer one day races. So, my aim is to win and then rush off to Alaska to do Freeride skiing for the rest of the year!

How have you been able to remain among the best Skier-X specialists for 10 years?

I don’t know. Maybe I ski with a different frame of mind. Everyone has come from Alpine skiing, including me, but I’ve moved on to Freeride and do it assiduously with great pleasure. Maybe that's part of the answer, to do every kind of skiing. Of course, at my level, I have fun doing freestyle, rails and jumps, and the most important thing is to have fun. When I'm having fun skiing, I’m not good at doing anything else. Just having fun isn’t easy, as you can imagine!  

As the most titled X-Games athlete, what’s your opinion of this event?

I don’t know, maybe I like the atmosphere around the races… you have to be there to feel it. I like the X-Games because even if the run is flat, the jumps and turns are rough. Actually, thinking about it, I’m only motivated in competitions where you’ve got to have guts. Looking back over the past, I realize that I almost always brought home a little something or took a podium in all the races with a true Skier-X spirit. As my team manager will tell you; we inspect a run and already know whether I can win or not.

Tell us about your unusual Alpine, Freeride and Skier-X career.

I need to breathe, my life has to be on the move, I just have to be moving. I'd had enough of alpine skiing, it was much too strict for me, it was so boring, I burnt out. Nowadays, I need to Freeride to really be motivated to do Ski Cross!  But, I also need to base jump to experience similar sensations when I Freeride and jump rocks, just as I need to play tennis or golf to feel good mentally before going base jumping!