Biathlon: Les Bleus finally get down to business
While the Norwegians resumed collective training in mid-May in Oslo (Norway), the Swedes are currently in altitude training at the Lavazè pass (Italy) and the Germans in Livigno (Italy) and Obertilliach (Austria), the French men’s biathlon team has yet to take part in a single training camp together.
And so the rally planned from this Saturday until next Friday in Corrençon-en-Vercors (Isère) comes at just the right time.
“I’m not worried at all! We’re well on track, although I have to admit that, for me as a coach, it’s going to be good to be back with the lads for some real training sessions. So, for me, this is the training camp that marks the start of the new season,” explained Simon Fourcade, the French national team coach, to Nordic Magazine. During the few days in Prémanon in May, we did some testing to set up individualised physical preparation programmes. Then there was the pre-Olympic camp at the end of May, which was more about cohesion than preparation.
Eric Perrot will miss two days
“This is the course that really kicks off Olympic preparation in terms of training and demands,” he continues. Housed at Zecamp, Fabien Claude, Eric Perrot, Quentin Fillon-Maillet, Emilien Jacquelin, Emilien Claude, Antonin Guigonnat and Oscar Lombardot will be working on the basics.
“In the first two training camps, there was shooting at rest, particularly at the shooting range in Toulon during the pre-Olympic gathering. This time, we’re going to be in more of a biathlon configuration, with rest sessions that we’ll be continuing and other, more strenuous sessions that we’ll be working on,” reveals Simon Fourcade. Even so, these won’t be intense efforts. We’re going to be working more on intensities on the athletics track, with two sessions planned, one at the start and another at the end of the course.
It should be noted that Eric Perrot, from Savoie, will not be present on the first day of the training camp, as he has commitments with his partner. Le Peiserot, for the same reason, will also miss the last day, as will the Claude brothers.
The French men’s A biathlon team’s training programme for the 2025/2026 season
- 14-20 June: Corrençon-en-Vercors 🇫🇷
- 30 June-2 July: Prémanon 🇫🇷
- 15-25 July: Ceillac 🇫🇷
- 12-24 August: Bessans 🇫🇷
- 8-18 September: Antholz 🇮🇹 (then participation in the Summer Tour d’Arçon)
- 7-17 October: Font-Romeu 🇫🇷 (then participation in the Loop One Festival in Munich or the Summer Tour in La Féclaz)
- 4-16 November: Geilo 🇳🇴 (with participation in the Norwegian opening races)
The official composition of the French men’s A biathlon team for the 2025/2026 season
- 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) 🇫🇷
- Antonin Guigonnat – ARMY OF CHAMPIONS / Ski Club Morzine Avoriaz (Mont Blanc) 🇫🇷
Staff
- Coach: Simon Fourcade
- Shooting coach : Jean-Pierre Amat
