Biathlon: more flowers in the IBU Cup for Emilien Claude
After a one-day break, the IBU Biathlon Cup in Idre Fjäll (Sweden) was back in action this Saturday morning with a second men’s sprint. Already in the lead on Thursday, the Norwegians once again dominated proceedings with Isak Frey’s unstoppable 10/10 victory. Also the fourth fastest skier, he won by 17 sec 8 over Johan-Olav Botn (9/10) and 33 ec 4 over Martin Uldal (33 sec 4).
While Germany’s Roman Rees (10/10) reassured himself with a fourth place, Emilien Claude (8/10) from the Vosges, fifth at 56 sec 5, put in a second fine performance. Back at the flower ceremony, he should certainly be moving up to the world cup next week. Lucas Fratzscher (8/10) took sixth place ahead of Norwegians Sverre Dahlen Aspenes (6/10) and Sivert Guttorm Bakken (8/10).
Tenth-placed Antonin Guigonnat (8/10) closed the top 10 behind Simon Kaiser (8/10) and was 1 sec 1 ahead of Doubiste’s Oscar Lombardot (8/10), who was eleventh. Axel Garnier (9/10), who was in fine form, was thirteenth, while Gaëtan Paturel (7/10) was twenty-second and Théo Guiraud-Poillot (9/10) twenty-seventh.
Full results
The general ranking
- Sprint in Idre Fjäll: why won’t Paula Botet have the chance to wear the yellow bib as overall leader of the IBU Cup?
- IBU Cup Idre Fjäll: Sverre Dahlen Aspenes wins the first sprint of the winter, Antonin Guigonnat third ahead of Emilien Claude
- Idre Fjäll: with 10/10, Paula Botet and Chloé Chevalier crushed the opening sprint of the women’s IBU Cup with a double victory
- Voldiya Galmace-Paulin on her IBU Cup debut in Idre Fjäll: “A top 20 for my first race, I’m really happy, especially shooting 8/10”.
- The last two men’s World Cup places will be decided in the sprints at the IBU Cup in Idre Fjäll
- Firsts for Martin Botet, Axel Garnier and Voldiya Galmace-Paulin: the full French team selection for the IBU Cups in Idre Fjäll and Geilo
- “I’ll have to be a natural to produce my biathlon at 100% of what I know how to do”: Oscar Lombardot prepares to stake his place in the World Cup at the IBU Cup in Idre Fjäll
- Théo Guiraud-Poillot’s ambitions a few days before the start of the IBU Cup: “I’m not necessarily aiming for the World Cup at the start of the season, but…”.
- “I’m on the way up and in great shape”: the joy of Axel Garnier from Haut-Savoie, who has qualified for the IBU Cup for the first time.
- “There’s a chance I’ll qualify, but it’s also possible that I won’t make it through and my season won’t stop”: Emilien Claude’s state of mind ahead of the IBU Cup in Idre Fjäll, where he’ll be playing for his place in the World Cup.
- “I know that my form will improve as the races go on”: sick in Bessans after her concussion, Anaëlle Bondoux remains confident ahead of the start of the IBU Cup
- Voldiya Galmace-Paulin, aged just 19, on her first IBU Cup selection: “It’s really good to discover a new circuit, it makes you want to do it”.
- “We get on very well”: Anaëlle Bondoux and Voldiya Galmace-Paulin, the two French precociousness queens reunited at the IBU Cup
- Camille Bened, in fine form at the Bessans selection trials, tells Nordic Magazine: “I’m waiting to see if I can build on this over time to become very regular”.
