Biathlon: Fabien Claude takes his second individual podium of the season in Oberhof
Some days will go down in the history of French sporting achievements. On Friday, Quentin Fillon-Maillet, Fabien Claude and Emilien Jacquelin scored anincredible hat-trick in the biathlon world cup sprint in Oberhof (Germany), making history in their sport.
Already on the podium in the sprint at Hochfilzen (Austria), Fabien Claude made the most of his moment in the day’s top 3. Very diligent in front of the targets with a perfect 10/10, the Frenchman savoured the moment in the finish area: “It’s good to put in a collective performance like this. It’s been a while since we did a hat-trick. It’s the first one I’ve taken part in. We’re enjoying it and everyone’s smiling,” he told La Chaîne L’Équipe in the mixed zone.
Last winter, the rider from the Vosges region of France spent a long time chasing after his benchmark performances in this format. This season, he seems to have found the solution. “In biathlon, there’s no secret. You have to put the balls in the net and let’s just say that, this season, I’ve managed to find the net twice [Laughs] in the sprint, he congratulated himself. In the start area, I saw that my little brother Emilien [Claude] had scored 10/10. I looked at the physiotherapists and said it was up to me to do the same. I’m happy with our collective performance today.”
“ We are rewarded for the work we do every day with the coaches”Fabien Claude on La Chaîne L’Équipe
A long time away from the podium in recent seasons, the Frenchman also knows that his return to the forefront of the international scene has been made possible by a fantastic team effort. “Two years ago, we wanted to give this team a new lease of life. And I think that today [Friday], we’ve been rewarded for the work we put in every day with the coaches, he admitted. We still had great skis, so the technicians had a lot to do with it too. This year, everything is going well and well done to everyone!”
This Saturday, in the pursuit through the Thuringian Forest, Fabien Claude will start just 15 seconds behind his compatriot Quentin Fillon-Maillet and 7 seconds ahead of Emilien Jacquelin. These small gaps promise a wild race: “Anything is always possible and we’re going to do everything we can to give it our all. In biathlon, nothing can be taken for granted. It’s going to be a tight race and we’re going to have to put the balls in the net to put up a good fight,” he said.
Read also
- The photo album of the magnificent triple win by Quentin Fillon-Maillet, Fabien Claude and Emilien Jacquelin in the Oberhof sprint
- Oberhof: foreign media impressed by the hat-trick of Quentin Fillon-Maillet, Fabien Claude and Emilien Jacquelin
- Oberhof: victory for Quentin Fillon-Maillet in the sprint, Fabien Claude and Emilien Jacquelin give France a treble
