Biathlon | Kontiolahti: why Emilien Jacquelin was caught by Vebjoern Soerum when he still had a 10 second lead 600 meters from the finish | Nordic Mag | No. 1 Biathlon

Biathlon: Emilien Jacquelin caught on the gong by Vebjoern Soerum

This Saturday afternoon, during the Kontiolahti Biathlon World Cup Mixed Relay (Finland), the end of the race was breathtaking. While we imagined that Emilien Jacquelin, still having a 10 sec 6 margin over Vebjoern Soerum 600 meters from the finish line, would offer victory to Francethe Norwegian came back at him, winning in a sprint.

This feat caused a stir in the kingdom's press. On the antenna of TV2broadcaster of the event, the commentators had a field day. “What he does on the last lap is something that no one else in the Norwegian team, or in the world, does”first estimated Ole Einar Bjoerndalen. Marius Skjelbækhe said, without half-measure: “This is the sickest thing I’ve ever seen!” »

Opposing race managements

It must be said that Vebjoern Soerum's express return was impressive. But there is (at least) one explanation: his race management was totally different from that of Emilien Jacquelin.

“I know that he is an athlete who is used to starting with an effort at the threshold and then finishing very strongadmitted the latter in the mixed zone at the microphone of The Channel L’Equipe about his tormentor of the day. My strength is to leave quickly without it costing me too much energy. They are two different managements, but I think it is especially him who finishes very strongly because I did not explode at the end [son temps de ski est seulement 2 secondes plus élevé que celui de Vebjoern Soerum, NDLR]. There is frustration at being overtaken in the last meters by our best Norwegian enemies, but it's only a postponement! »

“I didn't look behind me once.continue Emilien Jacquelin. I even thought it was [Martin] Ponsiluoma who was behind me! It was at the very last moment that I realized that it was [Vebjoern] Sister »

Eric Perrot's frustration

The only error that the Villardian notes on his part, it is to have attacked the big bump of the final route “barely too strong”. “I had difficulty finishing this climb”he admits. It is from there the gap narrowed with his opponent. The rest is now known to everyone.

“It was very frustrating to watch that. He explodes a little, it's human and I couldn't have done better. It’s just frustrating and the game. You have to know how to satisfy yourself and be happy with this second place”also says on this subject Eric Perrotinterviewed by Nordic Magazine after the podium.

Live data from the mixed relay

Also read

• Kontiolahti: Lou Jeanmonnot, Justine Braisaz-Bouchet, Eric Perrot and Emilien Jacquelin beaten at the finish by Norway in the mixed relay
• Kontiolahti: Quentin Fillon-Maillet and Julia Simon second in the single mixed relay behind Sweden and ahead of Germany
• Kontiolahti: this technical problem which prevented Simon Eder's Austria from reaching the podium until the end of the single mixed relay
• How Julia Simon experienced her first World Cup race of the winter: “It was a bit like letting loose the wild animals, it was electric”
• The entire Kontiolahti World Cup program, first stage of the 2024/2025 season
• Corinne Niogret: my best memory at… Kontiolahti
• The composition of the French mixed relays lined up on Saturday for the opening of the World Cup in Kontiolahti
• Kontiolahti: an opening day without Johannes Thingnes Boe, Hanna Oeberg, Endre Stroemsheim, Anna Gandler, Sturla Holm Lægreid, Johannes Kuehn or Tarjei Boe
• Kontiolahti: the reasons why the French men's team is starting the World Cup with only four biathletes
• Anaïs Chevalier-Bouchet and Antonin Guigonnat victorious, Italy triumphant, Martin Fourcade at rest: what happened the last time mixed World Cup events took place in Kontiolahti
• Top 3 objective of the Nations Cup for France: the hunt for Olympic quotas for Milan/Cortina 2026, the other key issue of the 2024/2025 season

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