Nové Mesto na Morave (Czech Republic) (AFP)
The Norwegian Johannes Boe made an excellent operation in the race for the big crystal globe by winning on Friday the sprint of Nove Mesto (Czech Republic) counting for the Biathlon World Cup in front of the French Quentin Fillon-Maillet.
The loser of the day is Martin Fourcade, only 6th. The five-time Olympic champion, looking for an 8th crown in the World Cup, maintains his position as leader in the general classification but sees the gap narrow with his two rivals to six events at the end of the season.
Author of a 10/10 shooting and untouchable on skis, Boe signed the 46th victory of his career, the 8th of winter. The holder of the big crystal globe remains 3rd but only has 76 points behind Fourcade. Fillon-Maillet is 2nd at 60 lengths from his compatriot.
According to the rules of the International Biathlon Federation (IBU), it will however be necessary to deduct from each biathlete his two worst results at the end of the season, which should even more benefit Boe who missed two stages in January due to paternity (Oberhof, Ruhpolding) and will therefore not have points removed, unlike Fourcade and Fillon-Maillet.
"I was off to a good start but I broke a stick at the start of the second round, it was a long time before I ran into a staff member who gave me a broken stick," said Fourcade on Channel L "Team. I did half of the 2nd round with a single stick and that handicapped me well for the rest. There are days like that where it does not want. It's a shame, I had good sensations and a good feeling today. I’m obviously a little disappointed but it’s still a nice race despite the vagaries. "
This stage of Nove Mesto takes place behind closed doors due to the coronavirus.
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