Biathlon: Théo Guiraud-Poillot heads for the IBU Cup
In the next few days, 22-year-old Théo Guiraud-Poillot from Haut-Savoie will be trying to secure his ticket for the Biathlon World Cup in Kontiolahti (Finland). At theIBU Cup in Idre Fjäll (Sweden), the SC Villard-sur-Boëge member will be competing against Antonin Guigonnat, Emilien Claude, Oscar Lombardot, Gaëtan Paturel and Axel Garnier for one of the two places on the most prestigious of circuits.
The selection will take place on Thursday and Saturday during the two Swedish sprints. However, the Montblanc native, who has spent all summer training with the French B team, is not putting himself under any particular pressure.
“I’m not necessarily aiming for the World Cup at the start of the season, but we know that there will be opportunities throughout the season and I’d like to seize them at least once, he explained to Nordic Magazine. Clearly, it’s not necessarily the main objective for the winter, that will depend on whether I manage to do my biathlon well. That will be the objective. The World Cup would just be a bonus.”
It’s not the first time he’s played for a place in the World Cup
It has to be said that his rivals for a place in the World Cup are prestigious and well-versed in the sport. So he’s no favourite. However, Théo Guiraud-Poillot has in his bag the experience of last winter, when he already played – without success since Valentin Lejeune was the strongest – a place on the main circuit during an IBU Cup sprint.
“I wasn’t at my best, so I wasn’t frustrated that I didn’t seize the opportunity,” he recalls.
To get this far, Théo Guiraud-Poillot had to come through the very difficult and cruel selections in Bessans (Savoie) last week. Performing well in all three races, he has earned his place in the IBU Cup.
“These are races where there’s always a bit of pressure, doubt and apprehension because they’re the first on snow, he recalls. We were in Bessans to reski and take off on snow, and the selections followed on from that. So I tried to approach them as a continuation of the course, a bit like we’re used to doing in the summer, with an intensity at the end of the meeting.”
Théo Guiraud-Poillot’s main objective: to finish regularly in the IBU Cup top 10
For the reigning European runner-up in the mixed relay, this positive start to the winter is good news : “Based on my experience last year, when I was also selected for the IBU Cup in Bessans, it’s definitely good to be selected at the start of the winter. After that, it’s a bit more complicated because doubts creep in and there are fewer openings. So I’m very happy to take the selection right from the start!”
The author of three top 10 finishes last season in the IBU Cup, Théo Guiraud-Poillot is looking beyond a possible move up to the World Cup to continue learning and establishing himself on the B circuit.
“Last year, it was a discovery to do the whole early season in the IBU Cup with a big three-week sequence that I paid for in January. Having done it before, and with the extra work I’ve done this summer, I hope I’ll be able to manage it well this year,” he says.
The Montblanc native wants to do better than his sixth place in the sprint at the European Championships in Brezno-Osrblie (Slovakia) and, why not, reach the podium. “Being more consistent in the top 10 will be an overall objective for the season,” he concludes.
They will be playing for two places in the World Cup at the two sprints in Idre Fjäll (Sweden) at the IBU Cup on 28 and 30 November.
- Oscar Lombardot – Entente Sportive Saugette (Massif Jurassien) 🇫🇷
- Emilien Claude – ARMÉE DE CHAMPIONS / Basse sur Le Rupt Nordic skiing (Massif des Vosges) 🇫🇷
- Antonin Guigonnat – ARMY OF CHAMPIONS / Ski Club Morzine Avoriaz (Mont Blanc) 🇫🇷
- Théo Guiraud-Poillot – Ski Club Villard sur Boëge (Mont Blanc) 🇫🇷
- Axel Garnier – Ski Club Sallanches (Mont Blanc) 🇫🇷
- Gaëtan Paturel – SCN Pays Rochois (Mont Blanc) 🇫🇷
- Haanja: Théo Guiraud-Poillot wins Junior Cup sprint
- Gelsenkirchen Show: Jeanne Richard and Théo Guiraud-Poillot second in the Talent Team Challenge
- Bessans: Gaëtan Paturel wins the first selection sprint ahead of Antonin Guigonnat and Théo Guiraud-Poillot
- Brezno-Osrblie: Antonin Guigonnat becomes European sprint champion, flowers for Théo Guiraud-Poillot
- The last two men’s World Cup places will be decided in the sprints at the IBU Cup in Idre Fjäll
- Firsts for Martin Botet, Axel Garnier and Voldiya Galmace-Paulin: the full French team selection for the IBU Cups in Idre Fjäll and Geilo
- “I’ll have to be a natural to produce my biathlon at 100% of what I know how to do”: Oscar Lombardot prepares to stake his place in the World Cup at the IBU Cup in Idre Fjäll
