Behind the Norwegian ogres, Simon Fourcade’s Blues had to settle for three places in the top 10 this Thursday in the Grand-Bornand sprint.
He advanced into the Bouchet valley. Accompanied by Romain Hurtault, the physical trainer, greeted by the slightly smaller crowd at this remote location and even a Catalan flag, Simon Fourcade took up a position at the end of the loop.
In the slightly calmer rain, he sits next to Slovenian and Ukrainian colleagues and an exuberant Italian coach, still demanding the stick. With two spare poles, his radio on and his phone screwed into his left glove to follow the race with data and intermediate times.
And then, each time one of his Blues passes, despite knee pain, he indulges in a false flat sprint while shouting his instructions and the positions in the race. The Villardien can also come across them again on the descent. “You’re off to a great start,” he says to Eric Perrot, running less than 50 centimeters from the Savoyard. Also hearing the echo of the clamor from the stadium below, he will even do a nice goat jump while learning his flawless shooting (7e in the end)!
“It’s nice to see him with his mouth open”
The coach will push his troops to the end. Notably Emilien Jacquelin, solid on the skis despite two shooting errors, and who never gave up (8e). “It’s nice to see him with his mouth wide open. He had it under his belt at the end and gave it his all. » Simon Fourcade is also in the front row to witness the Norwegian demonstration. The power of Johannes Boe is usual but it is the young Martin Uldal, 23, who is causing a sensation and – thanks to his flawless performance – is heading towards his first success. A new Viking at the top. Hardly a surprise.
The Blues are just behind. With a trio placed in the top 10. “We told them to stay themselves despite the crowd and the fact of racing at home,” said Simon Fourcade, once he returned to the finish line. “I am neither satisfied nor disappointed,” summarizes Jacquelin, very tense before this first Bornandin meeting. “In skiing, I gave my all,” explains Quentin Fillon Maillet (10e). There is a bit of misunderstanding. The sensations are good but the skiing time is not as expected. »
“It was a great fight, according to Eric Perrot, best Tricolor (7th). It’s missing a little. There is a bit of frustration because by doing a 10/10, you always hope to be further ahead. There are two races left to play in front. With the pursuit on Saturday and the mass start on Sunday to go hunting for the Norwegians again. Simon Fourcade will return to the bottom of the valley.
