Biathlon: a first individual World Cup top 10 for Oscar Lombardot
Doubiste Oscar Lombardot ‘s winter of 2024/2025 has been full of ups and downs. To begin with, theES Saugette lad started his season with a disappointment, failing to secure one of the two tickets available for the first stage of the World Cup. All this despite the fact that he had spent the summer preparing with Group A.
“He had to go through the selections again at the start of the season. It’s a position that’s never easy when you’re with four colleagues who don’t have to do it,” his coach Simon Fourcade tells Nordic Magazine. It was difficult and we talked about it at the season debriefing meeting so that we can put those who can be selected in better conditions from next winter onwards.
Having been relegated to the IBU Cup in December, Oscar Lombardot struggled to produce any convincing results.
“He also had compartment syndrome, which he had operated on at the end of December. This prevented him from expressing himself for a long time, but as soon as he returned to competition he performed very well on his ski speed, which enabled him to get a ticket following Antonin Guigonnat’s withdrawal. He took his place in the World Cup at the end of the season after having experienced the World Championships in the role of substitute”, adds Simon Fourcade.
93% shooting success rate in March at the World Cup
In the final weeks of the winter, the Franc-Comtois was finally able to show off his best side, between the flower ceremonies at the IBU Cup and a European bronze medal in the relay.
“From the moment he came back, he immediately performed well, culminating in his first career top 10, which will lead to great things for the future,” notes his coach. It has to be said that at the beginning of March, Oscar Lombardot finished tenth in the pursuit in Nove Mesto (Czech Republic). A first-class performance that opens up some great prospects for him.
Over the last seven World Cup races, he has had an exceptional average of 93% in his shooting, which is no mean feat,” says a delighted Simon Fourcade. Unfortunately, he fell ill and, apart from Nove Mesto where he was able to express himself fully, it was complicated for him in Pokljuka where he was in incubation and then in Oslo-Holmenkollen where he was in remission.
- Simon Fourcade talks to Nordic Magazine about Les Bleus’ winter: “I never thought we’d have a season like this”.
- Julia Simon’s 2024/2025 season as seen by Cyril Burdet: “Her ability to bounce back and cope with difficulty is incredible”.
- Eric Perrot’s 2024/2025 season as seen by Simon Fourcade: “He’s really a very mature person, and he’s continuing to chart his course”.
- Cyril Burdet on Océane Michelon’s 2024/2025 season: “She’s undoubtedly the revelation of the winter”.
- Simon Fourcade’s view of Emilien Jacquelin’s 2024/2025 season: “This is the third year in a row that he has struggled to achieve at the World Championships”.
- Cyril Burdet on Justine Braisaz-Bouchet’s 2024/2025 season: “What I remember is her ability to be there on D-Day for a major championship”.
- Fabien Claude’s 2024/2025 season as seen by Simon Fourcade: “We managed to raise his level in the sprints”.
- Jeanne Richard’s 2024/2025 season as seen by Cyril Burdet: “She built her winter on exceptional shooting stats”.
- Quentin Fillon-Maillet’s 2024/2025 season as seen by Simon Fourcade: “It’s great to get an athlete like him back to the top”.
- Lou Jeanmonnot’s 2024/2025 season as seen by Cyril Burdet: “The last 500 metres of the winter must be included in the assessment, but we mustn’t forget everything that was done before”.
- Simon Fourcade on Emilien Claude’s 2024/2025 season: “It’s great to know that we can rely on a fifth boy of his quality”.
- Sophie Chauveau’s 2024/2025 season as seen by Cyril Burdet: “The balance sheet doesn’t live up to her expectations or her potential”.
