Oberhof (Germany) (AFP)
The French team won the Oberhof (Germany) relay on Friday, counting for the Biathlon World Cup.
The tricolor quartet (Simon Desthieux, Quentin Fillon-Maillet, Fabien Claude, Emilien Jacquelin) beat Norway (Christiansen, Dale, Tarjei Boe, Johannes Boe) by 4.2 seconds and Italy (Bormolini, Hofer, Giacomel, Windisch ) 1 minute and 6 seconds.
After their first two failures this season (8th in Kontiolahti, 6th in Hochfilzen), the Blues have recovered perfectly within a month of the Pokljuka Worlds (February 10-22) where they will defend the title won in 2020 in Anterselva with Martin Fourcade.
At the forefront throughout the race, the French were also able to count on the failure in shooting of the Norwegian Johannes Dale (1 penalty lap) and especially of Philip Horn (3 penalty laps), the last German torchbearer at the fight for victory with Emilien Jacquelin.
This success constitutes a great revenge for Jacquelin, irreproachable in a new position of last torchbearer after having weighed down the first two races of the Blues this season.
It is also a little breath of fresh air for the French men's team, orphaned by Martin Fourcade, retired, and largely dominated by the Norwegians on an individual level with only one success in the World Cup.
© 2021 AFP