Biathlon: Eric Perrot, Quentin Fillon-Maillet, Lou Jeanmonnot and Julia Simon for France
At midday on Thursday, the staff of the French biathlon team announced the composition of the French mixed relay team that will compete in the first event of the Milan/Cortina 2026 Olympic Games on Sunday from 14:05. We have learned that Eric Perrot, Quentin Fillon-Maillet, Lou Jeanmonnot and Julia Simon have been appointed by the coaching staff to defend the French colours.
I would have used this composition too,” Corinne Niogret, 1992 Olympic champion in the women’s relay, told Nordic Magazine. All in all, it seems logical, even if it’s perhaps daring to start with Eric Perrot for his first Olympic Games. Personally, I’d probably have put Quentin [Fillon-Maillet] in first, but we know how good the two boys are and I’m not worried about that choice.
The decision to select Quentin Fillon-Maillet rather than Emilien Jacquelin to accompany Eric Perrot on the men’s side follows sporting logic , as the Jurassien is currently better ranked than the Dauphinois in the overall World Cup standings.
“Last year, it was a bit controversial that Quentin [Fillon-Maillet] wasn’t lining up for the mixed relay at the Worlds, so perhaps the men’s team has established rules for taking the top two overall finishers for this opening race,” says the 53-year-old Aindinoise, who now lives in the Gard region of France.
“If France has anything to play for in the final round, it won’t give up”.
On the girls’ side, the return of Julia [Simon] in January and particularly in the last mass-start before the Olympics undoubtedly played a part in the decision,” continues Corinne Niogret. If France has anything to play for in the final round, she won’t give anything up. The ski/shoot combo works in her favour compared to Justine [Braisaz-Bouchet], for whom you think it might be a little too shaky in terms of shooting on a relay like this.
The decision to put Julia Simon in the finisher’s position and not Lou Jeanmonnot, the current world number one, is a logical one. Lou’s [Jeanmonnot] level of cross-country skiing is unquestionable, but it’s true that Julia [Simon] won’t give up mentally,” she reiterates. It would be great for the show to have to fight right up to the final straight, but for the athletes, I’d prefer them to have victory in their pocket before that.
They’re favourites, but…
It has to be said that Les Bleus will be the scarecrows of the race at the start of the mixed relay.
They’re one of the favourites, but it’s the most homogenous format, because a lot of nations will be fighting for the podium: France, Sweden, Germany, Italy and Norway,” explains Corinne Niogret. There could also be a country like Finland or the Czech Republic who come out of the woodwork on the day of the Games. These are teams that can win a medal because of a misunderstanding, as Les Bronzés used to say!
Despite this, the double Olympic medallist is not giving in to euphoria just a few hours before the start of the 2026 Olympics.
“The French go into the Games having done some great things beforehand, so they’ll be expected to do well in all the races, but it’s still biathlon. You can miss a shot, especially in Antholz with the altitude and where there can be wind at the shooting range. There are all sorts of little things that come into play and can mean that you finish fourth. That’s also the magic of the Games, where it’s not necessarily the one who deserves it most who wins”, concludes Corinne Niogret.
The French mixed biathlon relay at the Milan/Cortina 2026 Olympic Games
- Eric Perrot 🇫🇷
- Quentin Fillon-Maillet 🇫🇷
- Lou Jeanmonnot 🇫🇷
- Julia Simon 🇫🇷
The French biathlon squad for the Milan/Cortina 2026 Olympic Games
Men
- Emilien Claude – ARMÉE DE CHAMPIONS / Basse sur Le Rupt Nordic skiing (Massif des Vosges) 🇫🇷
- Fabien Claude – ARMÉE DE CHAMPIONS / Basse sur Le Rupt Nordic skiing (Massif des Vosges) 🇫🇷
- Quentin Fillon-Maillet – DOUANE / Ski Club du Grandvaux (Massif Jurassien) 🇫🇷
- Emilien Jacquelin – DOUANE / CS Nordique Villard de Lans (Dauphiné) 🇫🇷
- Eric Perrot – ARMÉE DE CHAMPIONS / Ski Club Peisey-Vallandry (Savoie) 🇫🇷
- Oscar Lombardot – Entente Sportive Saugette (Massif Jurassien) 🇫🇷
Ladies
- Justine Braisaz-Bouchet – DOUANE / Club des Sports des Saisies (Savoie) 🇫🇷
- Lou Jeanmonnot – ARMY OF CHAMPIONS / Olympic Mont d’Or (Massif Jurassien) 🇫🇷
- Océane Michelon – ARMÉE DE CHAMPIONS / Bauges Nordic Skiing (Savoie) 🇫🇷
- Julia Simon – DOUANE / Club des Sports des Saisies (Savoie) 🇫🇷
- Camille Bened – Ski Club Chablais Nordic (Mont Blanc) 🇫🇷
- Jeanne Richard – POLICE NATIONALE / Les Gets Ski Competition (Mont Blanc) 🇫🇷
The full biathlon programme for the Milan/Cortina 2026 Olympic Games
Sunday 8 February
- 2.05pm: 4x6km mixed relay
Tuesday 10 February
- 13:30: Men’s 20 km individual
Wednesday 11 February
- 2.15pm: Women’s 15km individual
Friday 13 February
- 2pm: Men’s 10 km sprint
Saturday 14th February
- 2.45pm: women’s 7.5km sprint
Sunday 15 February
- 11.15am: Men’s 12.5km pursuit
- 2.45pm: women’s 10 km pursuit
Tuesday 17th February
- 2.30pm: Men’s 4×7.5 km relay
Wednesday 18 February
- 2.45pm: Women’s 4x6km relay
Friday 20 February
- 2.15pm: men’s 15km mass-start
Saturday 21 February
- 2.15pm: women’s 12.5 km mass-start
- Races, training sessions, shooting trials, ceremonies: the full programme for the Milan/Cortina 2026 Olympic Games
- 2026 Olympic Games: the full biathlon programme for the Milan/Cortina 2026 Olympic Games
- Anterselva Biathlon Arena: everything you need to know about the Antholz venue, which will host the biathlon events at the Milan/Cortina 2026 Olympic Games
- The French team selection for the Milan/Cortina 2026 Olympic Games
- The French team’s kit for the Milan/Cortina 2026 Olympic Games
- Pierre Mignerey, FFS National Technical Director, outlines the French team’s ambitions for the 2026 Olympics: “It’s clear that we expect the biathletes to be on the podium”.
- The men’s group on 3 February, the women’s on 4: when do the stars of the French team arrive at the Antholz Olympic site?
- Coaches, physiotherapists, physical trainers, press officers, technicians: what kind of support will the French team have at the Milan/Cortina 2026 Olympic Games?
- The start of the Olympic adventure: day of departure to the Anterselva Biathlon Arena in Antholz for the French men’s team
- The first photos of Fabien Claude, Eric Perrot, Quentin Fillon-Maillet, Emilien Jacquelin, Oscar Lombardot and Emilien Claude training in Antholz
- It’s the French women’s team’s turn to travel to Antholz: launch day of the Olympic adventure for Les Bleues
- Who will join Eric Perrot and Lou Jeanmonnot on the opening mixed relay? The French staff face several options and a difficult choice
- With Eric Perrot, Quentin Fillon-Maillet, Lou Jeanmonnot and Julia Simon: France announces its mixed relay quartet
- The dream team: Italy unveils its star-studded mixed relay squad
