Biathlon: no podium for Les Bleus in the pursuit at Nove Mesto
In the heat of Nove Mesto (Czech Republic) on Saturday afternoon, short sleeves and shorts were the order of the day for the men’s pursuit at the Biathlon World Cup, as was the case for local man Tomas Mikyska.
For this penultimate meeting of the winter on the format, the French were all well ranked and in a position to shine. All with one objective in mind: to finish on the podium and break the record for the number of top 3 finishes achieved in a single winter (52).
Equalled on Friday evening by the women, this mark could therefore be beaten in this race. But under the Moravian sun and in front of the huge grandstand at the packed Vysocina Arena, the leading sprinters were unable to keep up the pressure. Emilien Jacquelin (16/20), who was in the lead at the start, and Eric Perrot (18/20), who had a fever on Friday, were also suffering from a cold and were unable to fight it out on the track : the Dauphinois finished eleventh and the Peiserot eleventh.
Quentin Fillon-Maillet (17/20), on the other hand, was present and effective on the boards. The Jurassien was in a state of meltdown on the track, but unfortunately dropped three balls and let the podium slip away for a few seconds. While the French record will have to wait, Sweden’s Sebastian Samuelsson (20/20) put a smile back on the face of an entire kingdom.
First success since December 2023 for Sebastian Samuelsson
Having returned without a medal from the World Championships in Lenzerheide (Switzerland), the biathlete from Katrineholm (Sweden) produced the perfect race. With a 20/20 on the mats and fast on the snow, Sebastian Samuelsson is back on the winning track for the first time since the beginning of December 2023. This perfect shot is also his first since… two years ago , when he became mass-start world champion in Oberhof (Germany).
On the podium, he was joined by Tommaso Giacomel (18/20), who has never left the top 3 on the world circuit, and Johannes Thingnes Boe (17/20).
Resisting the comeback of Quentin Fillon-Maillet, the Norwegian took the yellow overall leader’s bib by 5 points from Sturla Holm Lægreid (19/20), fifth on the day.
Top 10 for Oscar Lombardot
Switzerland’s Niklas Hartweg (19/20) completed the flower ceremony, while Doubiste’s Oscar Lombardot (19/20) achieved the best result of his career in tenth place. Moving up eight places in the rankings, the Franc-Comtois achieved this result after experiencing a number of difficulties this winter.
It was a difficult day, however, for Fabien Claude (15/20), eighteenth, and Emilien Claude (15/20), twentieth.
Starting in 7th place, @quentinfillon finished 4️⃣e and was the first Frenchman in the pursuit at Nove Mesto. 🇨🇿@EmilienJck finished 8️⃣e. 🇫🇷
Special mention to Oscar Lombardot 🔟e, who put in the best performance of his World Cup career with a fine 19/20. 👊🏼🥰… pic.twitter.com/OVrmoXXDz9– FFS – Fédération Française de Ski (@FedFranceSki) March 8, 2025
Full results
- The full programme for the Nove Mesto World Cup, the seventh stage of the 2024/2025 season
- Corinne Niogret: my best memory of… Nove Mesto
- Sophie Chauveau and Oscar Lombardot selected: the French squad for the Nove Mesto World Cup
- “Hold on to third place overall”: after his world gold medal, Eric Perrot is back in action in the World Cup in Nove Mesto.
- Nove Mesto: the start list for the men’s sprint is changed because of the high temperatures… Eric Perrot number 1!
- Nove Mesto: Emilien Jacquelin marks his return to the limelight by winning the sprint
- Nove Mesto: on the sprint podium, Johannes Thingnes Boe comes within 10 points of Sturla Holm Lægreid in the overall standings, Emilien Jacquelin takes third place
- Emilien Jacquelin after winning the Nove Mesto sprint: “The break was good for moving on and moving forward”.
- “She wants to keep up the pressure”: in Nove Mesto and 92 points behind Franziska Preuss, Lou Jeanmonnot sets out to conquer the crystal globe.
- Nove Mesto: the start list for the women’s sprint has also been changed, with Jeanne Richard the first starter
- Nove Mesto: Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold dominates the sprint ahead of Justine Braisaz-Bouchet and Julia Simon, Lou Jeanmonnot fourth
- “I wasn’t sure I could go on”: Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold, winner in Nove Mesto, almost put an end to her career after suffering heart problems.
- Double podium for Justine Braisaz-Bouchet and Julia Simon, Lou Jeanmonnot fourth, Jeanne Richard and Océane Michelon placed: another incredible collective performance by the Bleues in Nove Mesto.
- Nove Mesto sprint: Lou Jeanmonnot closes the gap on Franziska Preuss in the overall standings with six races to go
- Nove Mesto: Jeanne Richard keeps her blue number for best U23
- “It’s not a bad race, but it’s not good for the overall result”: Franziska Preuss takes it on the chin after the sprint in Nove Mesto
- “It’s been a tough season so far? Fifth in the Nove Mesto sprint, Austria’s Lisa Theresa Hauser savours her return to the flowers
