After the Olympic Games, this Saturday March 5 marked a return to the World Cup route for the biathletes who have three stages left before going on vacation. It started individually with a women’s sprint (7.5 km) and continued with a sprint (10km) for men.
After their disqualification on Thursday during the relay, the French biathletes were keen to catch up on the sprint. But, en Finland, on Saturday, no Frenchwoman managed to get on the podium. The race was won by Germany’s Denise Herrmann, followed by the Norwegian Tiril Eckhoff and the Swedish Stina Nilsson.
Anaïs Chevalier-Bouchet, double silver medalist at the Beijing Winter Olympics in the mixed relay and the individual, finished in fifth place. “I can’t start as fast as I would like. But I gave it my all. It’s a race that is good for the head”, reacted the Frenchwoman in the mixed zone. Justine Braisaz-Bouchet, Olympic champion in the Mass-start, is in 14th position ahead of Julia Simon (18th), Anais Bescond (21st) and Chloé Chevalier (48th). “I’m disgusted, said Justine Braisaz-Bouchet. It could do something beautiful today. Because I feel very good on the skis.”
Marte Olsbu Roeiseland only finished 8th on Saturday. The Norwegian, however, retains her place as World Cup leader with 685 points, ahead of Elvira Oeberg, fourth in the sprint.
Quentin Fillon Maillet took an option in the race for the small crystal globe of the sprint in Kontiolahti. The five-time Olympic medalist at the Beijing Games got the better of his direct competitors, achieving a clear shot. Emilien Jacquelin, sixth on Saturday, can dream of a good pursuit on Sunday despite two shooting errors, thanks to a very good time on skis.
In the fight for the small globe, Sebastian Samuelsson (5th) missed the mark, following a complicated standing shot that resulted in two faults. He leaves the red sprint bib to Quentin Fillon Maillet, who takes off only stages from the end of the season. Author of a faultless, the young Norwegian Filip Fjeld Andersen finished in second place in the day’s race and won a second career podium. The German Johannes Kuehn completes the top 3, 29 seconds behind the French leader.