Pursuit: Johannes Boe untouchable, first podium of the winter for Fillon Maillet

Untouchable Boe, first laurels for Fillon Maillet. He had been waiting for her for a long time now. The wait ended this Saturday during the pursuit of Pokljuka (Slovenia) for Quentin Fillon Maillet. The holder of the big globe corrected an anomaly by getting his first podium of the winter (19/20), second behind a Johannes Boe (18/20) still on his cloud.

Never worried, the youngest of the Boe siblings easily won a 62nd career success, and inflated his lead at the top of the general standings. The Norwegian’s last rival for the big globe, Sturla Laegreid (18/20) was not perfect against the targets, and the legs did not necessarily follow (4th). Tarjei Boe confirmed his return to grace with a second podium in two days, third on Saturday.

If he had been told that his first podium would come at the end of the 10th race of the season before this winter, Quentin Fillon Maillet would undoubtedly have had a lot of trouble believing it, as the ambitions of the Jurassien transpired from all his public interventions. After a necessarily disappointing start to the season for a double Olympic champion in title and holder of the big globe, QFM finally seemed to be gaining momentum. Admittedly, not enough to shake up the ogre Johannes Boe, but enough to regularly apply for places on the podium, often the last two.

Imperial QFM on recumbents

Imperial on the recumbents (10/10), the Jurassic only let slip a ball on the last standing. No one took advantage of it among his opponents, and Fillon Maillet escaped to a first podium this season. All that remained was to know the color of the medal. It was necessary to produce a final attack to dismiss Tarjei Boe from second place and then take advantage of a happiness that was too common last season, and too rare during this one. Behind the tricolor leader, Fabien Claude signed a good comeback (13th with bib 37, 18/20), Antonin Guigonnat finished 16th (17/20) and Oscar Lombardot entered the points for the first time. of the season (38th, 16/20).

Boe on health walk

The question is no longer whether he is definitely back to his best. Yes, Johannes Boe has regained a speed on skis and an address against targets that he would not have denied a few seasons ago. Beyond the displayed power, Boe exudes a feeling of control, even ease. Two balls dropped on the mats? He took over the equivalent of a penalty lap each lap on his pursuers. Add to that a last school standing, combining precision with a hellish pace, and you get the prototype of the ultimate biathlete.

The qualifiers will begin to seriously fail for the one who heads straight for a fourth big globe. His closest opponent, Sturla Laegreid (4th today), began to draw physically and saw his shot disintegrate little by little. Now pushed back to 104 lengths from his compatriot, the dolphin of J.Boe does not seem to have the weapons to thwart the yellow bib. With less than half of points than Johannes Boe, Fillon Maillet still got back on the overall podium (377 points). The gaps are already huge, like the differences created on the track (despite a last lap by releasing, Boe posted the best ski time of the pursuit). Already seven successes this winter, 62 in his career: Cadet Boe’s quest for records continues.