Biathlon: the French in the mix at the IBU Cup
This Thursday morning, the 2024/2025 season of the IBU Cup circuit opened in Idre Fjäll (Sweden) with a men’s sprint. Scheduled to start at 10.30am, it was run in sunshine and temperatures of around -6°C. For this major first, the expected duel between Norway and France on the track and shooting range did not disappoint.
In a race of a very, very high level, the scores of 10/10 and 9/10 on the mats paid off and were worth a fine final performance. Norwegian Sverre Dahlen Aspenes (9/10), 27 years old and with just seven World Cup starts to his name, dominated the proceedings thanks to his speed on cross-country skis (best time). The native of Skatval (Norway) won the IBU Cup for the fifth time in his career, beating his compatriot Martin Uldal (9/10) by 12.5 seconds.
On the third step of the podium was Antonin Guigonnat from Haut-Savoie. With a 10/10 behind the rifle, the Morzinois, selected this week to compete in the World Cup, got his season off to an ideal start. Bleeding on the track (eighth fastest time), he finished third at 14 sec 0.
Just behind him, at 19 sec 7, was Emilien Claude (9/10) from the Vosges. Leading the race after the horizontal run, the biathlete from Basse-sur-le-Rupt (Vosges) missed out on the podium after the standing run. Fourth place was nevertheless a magnificent performance and he too took a step towards the World Cup.
Axel Garnier in the top 15 on his IBU Cup debut
However, the two French riders present at the flower ceremony still have to watch out for Doubiste’s Oscar Lombardot. With a 10/10, the ES Saugette rider finished seventh and could do well in Saturday’s second sprint.
Respectively fifth and sixth, Germany’s Simon Kaiser (9/10) and Norway’s Isak Frey (9/10) completed the flower ceremony. The top 10, behind Lombardot, was filled by Lucas Fratzscher (9/10), Johan-Olav Botn (7/10) and the returning Sivert Guttorm Bakken (8/10).
As for the other French players, the results were good:Axel Garnier (10/10), making his IBU Cup debut, finished fifteenth, Gaëtan Paturel (8/10) seventeenth and Théo Guiraud-Poillot (7/10) twenty-second.
Full results
- IBU Cup in Idre Fjäll: the great battle for the last two French men’s World Cup places in Kontiolahti gets underway
- 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 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”.
