Best career result: Reztsova finished fifth in the sprint at the Biathlon World Cup in Annecy

The program of the fourth stage of the Biathlon World Cup in Annecy, which will be the last in 2021, opened on Thursday with the women's sprint. There were no changes in the composition of the Russian team after Hochfilzen. The coaching staff promises to rotate after the New Year. Anastasia Shevchenko, who looks great at the IBU Cup, is expected to join the team. Whom it will replace is not yet announced. However, most likely, it will be Larisa Kuklina. In the sprint race in Hochfilzen, she was only 64th, although she made only two mistakes on the firing line. The race in France was also a failure for the athlete. With three penalties, she finished 74th, 2.5 minutes behind.

The Annecy track can be called one of Tiril Eckhoff's favorites. The last World Cup stage was held here two years ago. Then the Norwegian won all three races: sprint, pursuit and mass start. The athlete looked good this time too, having closed all the targets on the prone and only once missed on the counter. However, with the move, the owner of the Big Crystal Globe does not yet look as impressive as last season. Therefore, she quickly enough from the first position, and then from the top ten, was ousted by more zealous rivals, among whom was Kristina Reztsova.

The Russian woman, like the ten-time world champion, made only one mistake, however, lying down, while at the same time she was 19 seconds ahead of the Norwegian.

However, in order to fight for medals, this time it was necessary to close all the targets, as Martha Røiseland did.

The overall leader of the World Cup was defeated by the move to Christina, but fast and clean shooting brought her an advantage of 26.7 seconds at the finish line.

Anais Bescon, a Frenchwoman, also managed to cover the distance without penalties. Before the home stage of the CM, she had already won the podium three times this season: in addition to two relay races, she took silver in the pursuit in Östersund.

The support of the stands and the home track had a positive effect on the athlete.

The biathlete was able to finish second, 15.4 seconds behind Røiseland.

Elvira Oeberg demonstrated phenomenal speed again.

Despite two penalties, the Swede continued to fight for medals and could even overtake Bescon.

With a move on the last loop, she won back 20 seconds from the Frenchwoman, but still finished third.

Reztsova remained fifth in the final protocol, letting the cleanly shoot Lisa Teresa Hauser go ahead.

However, such a result is cause for optimism.

He became the best for a domestic biathlete in his career.

She was previously eighth in the individual race at the starting stage in Östersund.

As Christina herself admitted after the performance, the day before she felt not in the best way, so she can doubly bring the sprint into an asset.

“First of all, I would like to wish my mother a happy birthday.

Mommy, I hope you were happy today (three-time Olympic champion Anfisa Reztsova turned 57 years old -

).

I didn't think about places today.

You need to move forward step by step.

We're going to win the Olympics!

I am very glad that today I have finalized the "stand", because it was quite difficult.

I didn't feel very well yesterday.

Today this is an excellent result, ”the athlete said on the air of Match TV.

Irina Kazakevich again had a good race.

The Russian woman in Hochfilzen managed to get into the top ten for the first time in her career.

At Annecy, she finished 17th with just one penalty on standing.

According to the athlete, now it will be possible to try to compete for high places in contact races.

Three more Russians also got into the top thirty: Svetlana Mironova finished 21st, Ulyana Nigmatullina - 23rd, and Valeria Vasnetsova - 24th.

At the same time, Vasnetsova, who showed her best result of the season in the sprint, was unhappy with her performance, or rather her last shot on the “stand”.

“It’s very insulting, angry at myself.

I can't say that I felt good with the move.

But in general I am glad that today I am higher in the final protocol.

This is my mistake, and I cannot deal with it in any way yet.

On Saturday I will try very hard to get another race in 2021, ”the athlete admitted.

The former head of the Russian Biathlon Union, Vladimir Drachev, highly appreciated the performance of the Russians.

At the same time, the specialist noted that the team still has a problem with the speed on the last lap.

"Nice to look at!

And the shooting improved, and the move.

Reztsov - very good, and Mironova and Kazakevich.

There are hopes for the full restoration of the roster.

I liked the girls' performance today: there is a struggle, and they can work, and the shooting is getting better.

Of course, the finish circle fails a little.

We need to restore them after exertion.

Well done! "

- quotes the words of a specialist portal "Championship".

The girls also have good chances for high places after the sprint in the pursuit.

In Hochfilzen, they were able to win back 54 positions in total.

This time the gap from the leader is less: five Russian athletes are at once 70 seconds from Røiseland.