Biathlon: Emilien Claude finishes in the top 10
While the French disappointed overall on Friday in the men’s sprint at the Biathlon World Cup in Oslo-Holmenkollen (Norway), Emilien Claude from Basle was in a positive frame of mind. With a perfect shot, the 25-year-old from the Vosges placed ninth, his fourth top 10 individual result of the winter.
Currently twentieth in the overall classification, the former world junior champion didn’t start his race ideally.
“I’m very pleased to finish ninth because it didn’t start very well! I was feeling pretty good and I got off to a good start. I thought I was going to be announced as one of the fastest riders… but I was already a long way off! I put a bit more back into it and I’d regained 10 seconds 1 kilometre further on. In spite of everything, I quickly realised that we didn’t have what we needed in terms of equipment, unlike the Norwegians”, he explained to Nordic Magazine.
Placed before the chase
In these conditions, a 10/10 score was essential to stay in the rankings. Which is exactly what Emilien Claude achieved. “I’m happy with the way I managed the race to limit the damage, he enthuses. After my slightly unsuccessful weekend in Pokljuka, I would have signed up with both hands and feet for a top 10 finish. It’s a great result, especially as I wasn’t necessarily very confident in my shooting before the race.”
This ninth place also means that Emilien Claude is now placed in the chase for the day. “Knowing that I’m going to have the opportunity to take part in a flower ceremony or better really puts a smile on my face,” he says.
Finally, after the Oslo sprint, the biathlete from Basse-sur-le-Rupt (Vosges) lifted his first career crystal globe, the Nations Cup, won for the first time in history by Les Bleus.
“We’ve never had such a competitive team, as we’ve shown several times this season, particularly in the relays. It’s a great achievement, admits Emilien Claude. We’ve all made our contribution, so it’s a reward for the whole team. On the other hand, we were thinking that it was a shame that the IBU didn’t make a small copy for each of the biathletes who took part in winning the Nations Cup, like in football! That would have given us a lifelong reminder of the great season we had in 2024/2025…”.
- The full programme for the Oslo-Holmenkollen World Cup, the ninth and final stage of the 2024/2025 season
- Oslo-Holmenkollen World Cup: the full programme for the presentation of the crystal globes
- Corinne Niogret: my best memory of… Oslo-Holmenkollen
- Firsts for Camille Bened and Amandine Mengin, the boys’ sevens: the French team selection for the Oslo-Holmenkollen World Cup finals
- “I want to show myself at my best”: how Camille Bened approached her first steps on the World Cup sprint circuit in Oslo-Holmenkollen
- Chloé Bened’s pride after her older sister Camille Bened won the IBU Cup overall and was selected for the World Cup: “She’s our star, our champion, our idol”.
- Amandine Mengin on the eve of her World Cup debut in Oslo-Holmenkollen: “I have no idea why my season has taken such a turn for the worse…”.
- “She’ll remember this season for the rest of her life”: long-time friend and team-mate Maëla Correia talks about Amandine Mengin, who is about to discover the World Cup in Oslo-Holmenkollen.
- “Help them to repeat what they have done so far”: what Cyril Burdet expects from Camille Bened and Amandine Mengin at their first World Cup in Oslo-Holmenkollen.
- “The small sprint globe is up for grabs”: in addition to the overall podium, Emilien Jacquelin will be going for the crystal in Oslo-Holmenkollen.
- Race for the big crystal globe: the sprint in the Oslo-Holmenkollen finals, a decisive stage in Lou Jeanmonnot’s quest
- Oslo-Holmenkollen: Johannes Thingnes Boe, king in front of his home crowd, wins the last sprint of his career, Quentin Fillon-Maillet and Emilien Claude in the top 10
- Oslo-Holmenkollen: Johannes Thingnes Boe wins the small globe in the sprint, the fourth of his career
- “I felt my left leg shaking…”. how Emilien Jacquelin explains his cracking standing shot in the Oslo-Holmenkollen sprint
- “I’m still very upset”: Eric Perrot angry at the IBU’s decision not to reverse the sprint start list
- Oslo-Holmenkollen: the French men’s team triumphs at the Nations Cup for the first time in its history
- Oslo-Holmenkollen: the photo album of the French men’s team with the Nations Cup crystal globe
- Oslo-Holmenkollen: Franziska Preuss wins the sprint 2 tenths of a second ahead of Lou Jeanmonnot, Julia Simon fifth
- “15 points for 2 tenths is extremely expensive”: despite a full race, Lou Jeanmonnot lost ground to Franziska Preuss in the quest for the big globe
- “I was very relieved when Lou finished his race”: two tenths worth 15 precious points for Franziska Preuss after the sprint in Oslo-Holmenkollen
- Oslo-Holmenkollen: by winning the sprint just ahead of Lou Jeanmonnot, Franziska Preuss takes a 35-point lead overall
- Oslo-Holmenkollen: Franziska Preuss secures the small globe in the sprint, becoming the sixth German woman to win it
- Oslo-Holmenkollen: Jeanne Richard edges out Océane Michelon in the battle for the best U23 trophy
- Oslo-Holmenkollen: for the third year running and the sixth time, the French women’s team lift the small globe in the Nations Cup
- Oslo-Holmenkollen: the photo album of the French women’s team with the Nations Cup crystal globe
- Oslo-Holmenkollen: Lou Jeanmonnot’s photo album with the crystal globe in the individual race
