Biathlon: three Olympic tickets still to be awarded
Early on Monday afternoon, the French Ski Federation (FFS) made official its selection for this week’s Biathlon World Cup in Ruhpolding (Germany). This is an important list, as it is the last stage of the world circuit before the Olympic cut.
Camille Bened, Julia Simon, Justine Braisaz-Bouchet, Océane Michelon, Lou Jeanmonnot, Fabien Claude, Emilien Jacquelin, Eric Perrot and Quentin Fillon-Maillet have already stamped their passports for Italy, but there are still three tickets to be issued: two for the men and one for the women.
“The last OSCC will take place on the Monday following the last race in Ruhpolding,” explained Stéphane Bouthiaux, director of the French biathlon teams, in our columns a few weeks ago. That‘ s when the final Olympic tickets will be issued.
There is one important element to take into account, as announced by the boss of the French biathlon: “The last three selected will necessarily have been through the World Cup and will have performed well there”. So the group selected for the Ruhpolding stage is full of lessons to be learned.
Jeanne Richard killed the women’s game
First of all, in the women’s event , the last spot for the 2026 Olympics seems to have been locked up by Jeanne Richard from Haut-Savoie, who was solid last week in Oberhof (Germany) and has been retained in the group. Barring a huge turnaround in fortunes, her first Olympic selection will be made official in a week’s time. The situation is exactly the same for Oscar Lombardot in the men’s event.
As a result, one Olympic ticket remains to be allocated in the men’s group. Valentin Lejeune was unable to kill off the match in his two World Cup starts, and has been demoted to the IBU Cup, from where Emilien Claude will return for the Bavarian races.
Emilien Claude holds all the cards
As Simon Fourcade recently explained to Nordic Magazine, it is a “comparison of performances” that will enable the staff to give their final Olympic ticket.
We’ll try to be as objective as possible, but there won’t be any direct confrontation,” says the coach. We’ll decide on the basis of what we’ve seen, but under no circumstances will raw results be the only factor. Twentieth place in Ruhpolding is not necessarily the same as twentieth place in Oberhof, and vice versa. The selectors will take an overall view.
Be that as it may, Bassurois Emilien Claude now has all the cards in his hand to discover the Olympic greatness.
The French selection for the Ruhpolding Biathlon World Cup 🇩🇪
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 French biathlon squad for the Milan/Cortina 2026 Olympic Games
Men
- 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) 🇫🇷
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) 🇫🇷
- The full programme for the Ruhpolding World Cup, the fifth stage of the 2025/2026 season
- Emilien Claude replaces Valentin Lejeune, women’s squad unchanged: France’s selection for the Ruhpolding World Cup
- The French team selection for the Milan/Cortina 2026 Olympic Games
- Camille Bened on the list with the stars of the French team: the CNOSF announces its first selection for the 2026 Olympic Games in Milan/Cortina
- Early announcement, Camille Bened, Fabien Claude, final tickets up for grabs: Stéphane Bouthiaux, France team boss, explains the first Olympic selection.
- “If Oscar Lombardot and Valentin Lejeune manage to score big points at Oberhof…”: the Oberhof sprint, an important moment in the race for Olympic tickets. The Oberhof sprint, an important moment in the race for Olympic tickets
