The tricolor biathlete finished third at the end of the 20 kilometers of the individual during the first round of the season, in Ostersund, Sweden. Norwegian Sturla Lægreid has been imposed, like the Czech Marketa Davidova in women.
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Revelation of Biathlon’s 2020-2021 season, of which he finished second in the general ranking behind his compatriot, the untouchable Johannes Boe, Sturla Lægreid had never played a world cup handle in front of an audience because of a public. of the pandemic of Covid-19.
For his first first before spectators, the young Norwegian (24 years old) heard applause and bells resounding in his honor behind the finish line. Thanks to a 20/20 on the firing step, he won the individual with the individual (20 kilometers, two shots while lying down, two shots standing) of the first round of the season, Saturday, November 27 in Ostersund, in Sweden. This is the eighth victory of his career.
At a second, a Frenchman could have climbed on the second step of the podium behind the Scandinavian. What does it matter, the third place of Simon Desthieux – behind another Norwegian, Tarjei Boe, Johannes’s brother – is enough for the happiness of the France team.
But, during this first test of the World Cup, there is not really a Norway-France match as a number of biathlon specialists announced it in recent days. Party in the first group, Quentin Fillon Maillet and Emilien Jacquelin have committed too many mistakes in front of the targets – respectively at 17 success on 20 and 15/20 – to mingle with the fight at the top of the ranking.
“It’s frustrating to find themselves a little bit in the last year, that is, to miss shots at the beginning of the race. To be honest, at the end of the warm-up, during The fifteen minutes I changed warm, I had his hands trembling, “said Quentin Fillon Maillet, eighth of the race with the seventh skiing time, at the chain microphone.
The French people imprecise behind the rifle
Earlier in the day, in women, there has not even been the beginning of a possible boreal participation in the final fight. Expected as headsets of the tricolor clan for the great Olympic goal (from 4 to 20 February 2022, in Beijing), Julia Simon and Anaïs Chevalier-Bouchet disappointed.
The two biathletes have mortgaged their chances of success from the first shot lying – with three minutes of penalty (one for each shot failed) for Julia Simon and two for Anaïs Chevalier-Bouchet. First French, Anaïs Bescond ends at 28 e place. “I did not feel very well physically, I need races. It’s frustrating. It’s hard to start with an individual, it’s long,” said Julia Simon, 72 e from the race, at the microphone of the chain the team.
At the discharge of the French and French, this first date of the season has not been very successful for a number of favorites and favorites. In particular among the Norwegians, the winners of the general classification last season: neither Johannes Boe (5 e ), in men, nor Tiril Eckhoff (only 30 e ), in the women, finish on the podium.
If many renowned biathletes are parties to the fault, it was not the case of the Czech Marketa Davidova. The title world champion has won this 15 kilometers by managing a full cardboard on the firing step.
No podium for Norway in women, since it is the Austrian Lisa Theresa Hauser and the German Denise Herrmann who finish second and third, more than a minute from the Czech victor. At home, Swedish Elvira Öberg must be content with the best skiing time.