Biathlon | No change for the last pre-Olympic World Cup: the French team’s selection for Nove Mesto has been announced

Biathlon: France heads to Nove Mesto with an unchanged squad

On Monday morning, the French Ski Federation (FFS) announced the squad selected for this week’s Biathlon World Cup in Nove Mesto (Czech Republic).

Quite simply, for this final round before the Olympic Games in Milan/Cortina 2026, the staff have changed nothing compared to Ruhpolding (Germany). This means that Lou Jeanmonnot, Justine Braisaz-Bouchet, Julia Simon, Océane Michelon, Jeanne Richard and Camille Bened make up the women’s team.

In the men’s race, Emilien Claude and Oscar Lombardot are back alongside Quentin Fillon-Maillet, Fabien Claude, Emilien Jacquelin and Eric Perrot.

In fact, this selection is a foretaste of the full list of biathletes selected for the 2026 Olympics, which will be announced on Tuesday. Barring a huge surprise, Jeanne Richard, Emilien Claude and Oscar Lombardot will complete the group.

The French selection for the Nove Mesto 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 full programme for the Nove Mesto Biathlon World Cup 🇨🇿

Thursday 22 January

• 6.15pm: Men’s 15km individual short

Friday 23rd January

• 6.15pm: Women’s individual short 12.5 km

Saturday 24th January

• 1.15pm: Mixed singles relay
• 3.10pm: Mixed relay

Sunday 25 January

• 3.15pm: men’s 15km mass-start
• 6.15pm: women’s 12.5km mass-start

• The full programme for the Nove Mesto World Cup, the sixth stage of the 2025/2026 season
• The girls go home for two days, the boys join the Czech Republic on Monday: two different strategies for the French team before Nove Mesto.