The pallet was filled with red, blue and white. But there were three different flags when France, Russia and Norway had a fight without any competition from any other nations. And the five riders who stood out were Tarjei Bö and Johannes Thingnes Bö for Norway and Quentin Fillon Maillet and Martin Fourcade for France and Aleksandr Loginov for Russia.
It became a boom for everyone except Loginov and Fourcade, and it was in the ski track that it was to be decided. But even though it looked to be the Bö brothers at the top, it ended after the second shooting when Fillon Maillet took the lead, and pulled away a lot. And when both brothers had made it to the finish, it was double French at the top, and Tarjei Bö in third place.
But when everyone was in goal Loginov came in for the other shooter, and he had gone well. And when the Russian also shot full, he went out in the lead with 7.6 seconds ahead of Fillon Maillet, and had a solid grip on the gold medal. And he matched the Frenchman's tremendous speed on skis. In the finish, he was finally 6.5 seconds ahead, and drew the Norwegian flag off the red-blue-white podium.
- I'm a little disappointed, but at the same time very satisfied with the silver medal, says Fillon Maillet to SVT Sport.
Big star Johannes Thingnes Bö, who has been away for much of the season after becoming a dad, stated to SVT Sport that he did what he could today despite going into fifth place.
- I get nine hits today, and do what I can. It's just to congratulate those who defeat me today.