You have to go back to 2009 to find traces of a major international event that ended without a French biathlete climbing on an individual podium.

At the time, Martin Fourcade was 20 years old and took part in his very first Worlds, in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

Since then, with the exception of the post-Olympic 2019 Worlds, the French men's team has even got into the habit of bringing back at least one individual world or Olympic title year after year.

In Oberhof, there is only one opportunity left for the Blues, with the mass start on Sunday.

For the moment, the two tricolor medals gleaned in the Thuringian forest have come from Julia Simon, crowned world champion in the pursuit, and in the mixed relay, in bronze at the start.

Asked about the half-mast confidence of the men's group, only four individual podiums to their credit since the start of the season (1 for Fillon Maillet, 3 for Jacquelin), "we are the first frustrated by this situation, the team, the staff , the coaches", replies Emilien Jacquelin, himself in a negative spiral and remained outside the top 30 at Oberhof.

Frenchman Emilien Jacquelin trains before the individual race of the Biathlon Worlds in Oberhof (Germany) on February 14, 2023 © Christof STACHE / AFP

"The years followed and resembled each other"

"The years followed each other and looked alike for the (men's) team, this is the first year where things have gone wrong", continues the double pursuit world champion, who did not defend his status over the weekend. last after his 36th place in the sprint.

Frenchman Fabien Claude at the finish of the Biathlon World Championships sprint in Oberhof (Germany) on February 11, 2023 © Tobias SCHWARZ / AFP

"As long as we try to grow all together, it can be positive. But we have to do this work," he says.

Only Quentin Fillon Maillet, struggling since the start of the season after his brilliant previous winter, punctuated by five Olympic medals and the big crystal globe of the World Cup, approached the podium in Oberhof by finishing fourth in the 'individual.

In total, in three individual races (sprint, pursuit and individual), the men's collective only obtained three top 10s (two for QFM, one for Antonin Guigonnat).

After his 37th place in the individual, tied with Fabien Claude, Jacquelin recognized that he "did not have the means to play in front".

Before the mass start which will conclude the world fortnight, the French nevertheless intend to shine in the relay on Saturday.

"Everyone wants a medal around their neck"

"This relay has often been a driving force in the history of French biathlon. They must get up to speed with what they are capable of doing, what they know how to do", expects their coach Vincent Vittoz.

"We will all be keen to show our best face," promises Jacquelin.

"We all want to make a big collective performance and save the Worlds for the men's team, that's clear, adds Claude. We all want a medal around our necks. Count on us."

"We know how to do it, we have done it almost every time in the World Cup" since the start of the season, he underlines.

The Blues have indeed climbed to three of the four relay winter podiums - all dominated by Johannes Boe's Norway: twice on the third step (in Kontiolahti and Ruhpolding) and once on the second, in Anterselva ( Italy) at the end of January.

The French, in the wake of Simon, freshly world champion, and victorious in two of the four relays contested this season (in Hochfilzen and Anterselva), they feed golden hopes.

The Blues have never adorned themselves with world gold in the relay, which will also be disputed on Saturday.

© 2023 AFP