Biathlon: Franziska Preuss, a fatal first prone shot
Late on Saturday afternoon, German biathlete Franziska Preuss suffered a nightmare with her first shot in the pursuit at Nove Mesto (Czech Republic). Yellow bib on her back, she missed the last three targets. A 2/5 score pushed the leader of the overall World Cup rankings to the bottom of the standings.
“I don’t really know what to say. It was obviously difficult to start the race with those three faults and to be relegated to second place. It’s quite unusual for a mistake like that to happen at such a time, she explained later that evening in an audio message sent to journalists by the German Ski Association. I can’t explain it either. The mistakes were all a long way off.”
After this disastrous start, Franziska Preuss managed to get her aim back on track, clocking 15/15 to move up to thirteenth place at the finish. This position, combined with fourth place for Lou Jeanmonnot, enabled her to keep her yellow jersey for 36 points.
“I think I saved my mistakes well and made up for them without letting myself down. After that, I just wanted to get three more good shots in and I managed to do that,” she says with satisfaction.
Withdrew from Sunday’s relay, Franziska Preuss will now return home to Ruhpolding (Germany) before heading for Pokljuka (Slovenia).
- The full programme for the Nove Mesto World Cup, the seventh stage of the 2024/2025 season
- Corinne Niogret: my best memory of… Nove Mesto
- Sophie Chauveau and Oscar Lombardot selected: the French squad for the Nove Mesto World Cup
- “Hold on to third place overall”: after his world gold medal, Eric Perrot is back in action in the World Cup in Nove Mesto.
- Nove Mesto: the start list for the men’s sprint is changed because of the high temperatures… Eric Perrot number 1!
- Nove Mesto: Emilien Jacquelin marks his return to the limelight by winning the sprint
- Nove Mesto: on the sprint podium, Johannes Thingnes Boe comes within 10 points of Sturla Holm Lægreid in the overall standings, Emilien Jacquelin takes third place
- Emilien Jacquelin after winning the Nove Mesto sprint: “The break was good for moving on and moving forward”.
- “She wants to keep up the pressure”: in Nove Mesto and 92 points behind Franziska Preuss, Lou Jeanmonnot sets out to conquer the crystal globe.
- Nove Mesto: the start list for the women’s sprint has also been changed, with Jeanne Richard the first starter
- Nove Mesto: Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold dominates the sprint ahead of Justine Braisaz-Bouchet and Julia Simon, Lou Jeanmonnot fourth
- “I wasn’t sure I could go on”: Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold, winner in Nove Mesto, almost put an end to her career after suffering heart problems.
- Double podium for Justine Braisaz-Bouchet and Julia Simon, Lou Jeanmonnot fourth, Jeanne Richard and Océane Michelon placed: another incredible collective performance by the Bleues in Nove Mesto.
- Nove Mesto sprint: Lou Jeanmonnot closes the gap on Franziska Preuss in the overall standings with six races to go
- Nove Mesto: Jeanne Richard keeps her blue number for best U23
- “It’s not a bad race, but it’s not good for the overall result”: Franziska Preuss takes it on the chin after the sprint in Nove Mesto
- “It’s been a tough season so far? Fifth in the Nove Mesto sprint, Austria’s Lisa Theresa Hauser savours her return to the flowers
- Nove Mesto: with 20/20, Sebastian Samuelsson dominates the pursuit, Quentin Fillon-Maillet fourth
- “I’m going to enjoy this victory”: before the pursuit in Nove Mesto, Sebastian Samuelsson hadn’t won a World Cup race since December 2023.
- Nove Mesto: third in the pursuit, Johannes Thingnes Boe takes the yellow bib… for 5 points
- “It’s just incredible”: first World Cup top 10 for Oscar Lombardot, tenth in the pursuit in Nove Mesto
- Nove Mesto: Julia Simon triumphs in the pursuit ahead of Hanna Oeberg and Océane Michelon, Lou Jeanmonnot again fourth
- “I have fewer distracting thoughts, I’m totally there”: how Julia Simon, winner of the Nove Mesto pursuit, explains her return to the top of the World Cup standings
- Nove Mesto: before Pokljuka, Lou Jeanmonnot moves back to within 36 points of Franziska Preuss in the overall standings
- “It’s very satisfying”: after her world medal, Océane Michelon takes her first World Cup podium in Nove Mesto
- Nove Mesto: Jeanne Richard retains the blue bib of best U23… 2 lengths ahead of Océane Michelon
- “I finally feel like I’m where I want to be”: Hanna Oeberg made a fine comeback in the Nove Mesto pursuit
