France

D1 is coming back this weekend! 2/2 (Men’s D1)

The big day has arrived. Almost two years exactly after the last competition, Division 1 is back where it ended, in Sarcelles. The elite of French hockey will meet for the first round of the best championship in France this weekend. Let’s analyse the forces in action. After the ladies, it’s time for the men !

Fontenay is back with more energy than ever for this new season of D1 with a firm objective: to regain the first place. Arnaud Laggabe and his teammates will have to work hard. A place outside the podium would be a disappointment, but the recent winners of the TDV will certainly be one of the main contenders for the title.

Could this be the year of maturity for Moirans ? After winning the first stage of the Montpellier points challenge and being a finalist in the TDV, Moirans will try to confirm their good start to the season. With several international players, like Maxime Piaser in Elite and the former U24, Antoine Grandamas, Clément Arocas and Maxime Chalayer, the Moirans team is a serious candidate for the podium but they will have to be solid.

Who will be able to stop Rennes in this French D1 championship ? Two-time defending champions Rennes will be the team to beat this season, but it is doubtful that the tactician Raphaël Ginsbourger and his team will let themselves be beaten easily…

With a strong squad that includes Pierre Alban Lalys and the brothers Ulysse and Hyacinthe Flandrin, Dinan are also candidates for a place at the top of the standings ! Will Dinan be able to confirm their position on the third place of the podium in 2019-2020 ?

Saintes, Franconville and Pontoise : The Troublemakers ?

The Diderot XII team will be one of the most international in this D1. With an interesting squad where everyone contributes with two Hungarian players and an Argentinian. Diderot is hoping to break the established order

Saintes has climbed the ladder one by one. This season, the team made up of the international elite, Xavier Beaulieu, will have assets to put forward, why not go and challenge the top teams and be one of the surprise teams of this round 1 of D1 ?

Led by their strategist, Paul Barro and their British international, Graham Fletcher, Franconville will also be one of the teams to watch. The Francilians will have to pull off some surprises if they want to be on the podium against the big favourites in Round 1

Known for imposing a physical challenge, Pessac will be one of the head-scratchers of this round of D1 with a recognizable game and a unfailing motivation. Playing Pessac will not be easy.

Pontoise will be one of the teams to watch. After an unsuccessful run two years ago at the French championships, the Val d’Oise team will be one of the most difficult to beat in this round of D1, with a possible top 5 target.

Finally, Le Chesnay is one of the historical and experienced teams of this round of D1. Solid thanks to their back line and carried by their leader, Stéphane Sandor, the team from Yvelines knows how to adapt to their opponent by adding some physicality and could create some surprises