Biathlon: France already on the podium at the World Cup
At 13:15 on Saturday, 258 days after the last shot was fired at the biathlon world cup, the great winter soap opera began again. After long months of waiting, it was a single mixed relay, contested in Kontiolahti (Finland), that kicked off the hostilities. For the occasion, the French team fielded a magnificent pairing, with Julia Simon and Quentin Fillon-Maillet, both world champions in the speciality in the past, being chosen.
It was La Beaufortaine who set off first, experiencing the great thrill of officially launching this 2024/2025 season. In the lead from the very first lap, Julia Simon took control of the peloton and, after the first two passes over the shooting range with just one pick, she handed over to her team-mate from the Jura with a lead of almost 15 seconds.
Les Bleus gambled on victory… before falling apart
At the time, we thought that Les Bleus were going to unwind their biathlon and take their first victory with disconcerting ease. But that was to forget that the Sweden of Ella Halvarsson and Sebastian Samuelsson were not going to give up until the end. The Norway of Juni Arnekleiv and Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen, on the other hand, laid down their weapons and finished fifth, without ever having made the podium.
The end of the race was dominated by a high tension duel between Sebastian Samuelsson and Quentin Fillon-Maillet. Back on the Frenchman’s skis before the last standing run, the Swede won his duel on the final run over the mats. Author of a 5/5 when the Grandvallier picked twice, he flew to victory. France, meanwhile, had to battle hard against the Germany of Justus Strelow and Vanessa Voigt and it was finally in the sprint that the customs officer from Franche-Comté gave the Blues second place.
Even though the disappointment of not being able to win must be great in the French clan, seeing this season begin with a podium finish is inevitably good news. Last year, France had fifty-two podium finishes.
Full results
- The full programme for the Kontiolahti World Cup, the first stage of the 2024/2025 season
- Corinne Niogret: my best memory of… Kontiolahti
- The French mixed relays lining up for Saturday’s World Cup opener in Kontiolahti
- Kontiolahti: an opening day without Johannes Thingnes Boe, Hanna Oeberg, Endre Stroemsheim, Anna Gandler, Sturla Holm Lægreid, Johannes Kuehn or Tarjei Boe
- Kontiolahti: the reasons why the French men’s team is starting the World Cup with just four biathletes
- Anaïs Chevalier-Bouchet and Antonin Guigonnat victorious, Italy triumphant, Martin Fourcade rested: what happened the last time mixed World Cup races were held in Kontiolahti
- Top 3 nations cup target for France: the hunt for Olympic quotas for Milan/Cortina 2026, the other key issue of the 2024/2025 season
