With 225 points ahead of his runner-up Emilien Jacquelin four events from the end of the season, the double Olympic champion has come a little closer to the big crystal globe with this 8th victory.

It is now enough for him to finish at least in 23rd place in the mass start scheduled for Saturday to become the 4th Frenchman to finish the winter in the position of world N.1 after Patrice Bailly-Salins (1994), Raphaël Poirée (2000, 2001 , 2002, 2004) and Martin Fourcade (from 2012 to 2018).

A simple formality a priori for the Jura (29 years old) who flew over the 2021-2022 financial year and did not experience any physical or psychological backlash after his historic harvest at the Beijing Olympics (5 medals, two gold, three in silver).

Author of the sprint-pursuit double last week in Kontiolahti (Finland) just after the Games and the small pursuit globe already in his pocket, Fillon Maillet continued his momentum by dominating the race with a very nice 10/10 in shooting, ahead of Norway's Sturla Laegreid by 7.2 seconds and Germany's Benedikt Doll by 11.1 seconds.

French biathlete Quentin Fillon Maillet, on the shooting range, during the pursuit of Kontiolahti in Finland, March 6, 2022 Vesa Moilanen Lehtikuva / AFP / Archives

"Psychological Ascent"

While Fillon Maillet was performing his usual festival, his two pursuers in the general classification of the World Cup sank.

Emilien Jacquelin, author of four rifle errors, only took 32nd place, while Swede Sebastian Samuelsson, world No.3, had to settle for a poor 18th position, making the task even easier from QFM.

"I'm starting to feel the fatigue of the end of the season and a little weariness but I try not to think about it too much, explained Fillon Maillet. I'm quite proud of the way I've been approaching races for some time. "I almost feel like I'm winning before the start. I have a lot of confidence on the shot and the skis. I leave no room for doubt and I arrive at the races in conquering mode."

A warrior state of mind that gives him a "psychological advantage" over his main opponents.

"Some biathletes think I'm unbeatable, and that can scare them on the track," he said.

But despite the non-existent suspense concerning the outcome of the season, the Frenchman does not intend to relax and content himself with ensuring when he has, in addition to the big globe, the small sprint and mass start globes in the viewfinder.

French biathlete Quentin Fillon Maillet during the Kontiolahti sprint in Finland, March 5, 2022 Vesa Moilanen Lehtikuva/AFP/Archives

"I don't want to finish moderately, even if it takes a lot of energy", launched the one who is nicknamed "the Morbac" for his ability to hang on at all costs on a track.

As of Saturday, however, he could free himself from an enormous weight.

© 2022 AFP