Martin Fourcade comes from a heavier last season, where the last victory in the World Cup came a year ago. Since then, there has been Norwegian dominance in the track where Johannes Thingnes Bö clinched the title in the overall World Cup, after Fourcade won it seven times in a row.
This weekend, the Bö brothers placed first and second in the sprint, but in the day they were completely eliminated after a whaling miss. Johannes Thingnes Bö was over three minutes after Fourcade.
- If the French wharves are happy, it is probably not a party down in the Norwegian wallet right now, says SVT's commentator Ola Bränholm.
"The hits counted"The French 31-year-old stood for a strong race both in the track and on the shooting range. Until the fourth and final shootout, Fourcade did not have a single boom.
- It takes him 38 seconds but it doesn't matter a day like this, it's the hits that count, says Ekholm.
Despite a miss in the final, the victory, the 77th World Cup victory, was the first since December 15 last year.
- It's probably the toughest victory. Earlier in my career, I won fairly easily. After the last season I have struggled hard to get back to the top. This time it's not a gift, it's something I've fought hard for.
Norway had poor skiing, Sweden had poor shooting. Peppe Femling was the first and had a total of five bars and finished far down in the results lists.
- It's nice conditions to be Östersund so shooting is a big disappointment. I do not know why, where you should be able to take the chance, he tells SVT.
- Five bombs should not be fired, it is far too much, says Helena Ekholm.
Sebastian Samuelsson became best Swedish as 23rd with a total of two misses, both in the first shoot.