France, Feb. 23 -- Edgar Grospiron's skis propelled him to Winter Olympic gold over the bumps of snow in the moguls event in 31.23 seconds in Albertville, south-eastern France, in 1992. More than three decades later, the Frenchman faces a more sustained demand: a five-year mission to oversee the organisation of the 2030 Winter Olympics in the French Alps.

His first comments as the go-to face of the impending winter extravaganza were as assured as yesteryear's surge to glory.

"The challenge ahead of me is like a long field of bumps," quipped Grospiron, who embarked on a career as a motivational speaker after hanging up his skis. "So you're going to need strong knees ... don't worry, I'm used to it.

"We're going to encounter bumps, but o...