Even before starting the 2024 Biathlon Worlds in Nove Mesto (Czech Republic), the French immediately mentioned a race that they have been ticking off for a long time and want to succeed at all costs: the relay, scheduled for Saturday (1:45 p.m.).
The French have only won this race once in a major championship, at the Albertville Olympic Games in 1992 with Corinne Niogret, Véronique Claudel and Anne Briand-Bouthiaux.
Since this Olympic title, the format has moved to four relay runners and the French women over the generations have collected twelve medals at the Worlds, eight in silver and four in bronze. The latest dates back to 2017 in bronze, the same metal as in 2018 at the Olympic Games in Pyeongchang (South Korea).
This season, they arrived in the Czech Republic with Justine Braisaz-Bouchet (N.2), Julia Simon (N.4) and Lou Jeanmonnot (N.6) in the top 6 in the world.
All three have already been on the podium several times at the Worlds and Sophie Chauveau narrowly missed the box, fourth in the two races she competed in, the sprint and the pursuit.
“This time, they are used to it. Since the start of the season, they appear to be the big favorites. They marked every race. You will have to have long teeth on this relay. There is also the desire to reward coaches even more,” said Sandrine Bailly, Olympic relay vice-champion in 2010 and consultant for Eurosport.
Even before the start of the tricolor biathlon harvest in the heart of the Bohemian-Moravian Mountains (eight medals so far, including four titles), and the unprecedented quadruplet in the sprint (Simon ahead of Braisaz-Bouchet, Jeanmonnot and Chauveau) , the biathletes coached by Cyril Burdet (physics) and Jean-Paul Giachino (shooting) were already talking about this collective race.
“We will be one of the favorite teams to play for the win and it would be good if we could respond,” explained Julia Simon, for the moment queen of the Worlds with three titles (mixed relay, sprint and pursuit) and a bronze medal. (individual).
“The real collective objective is this women’s relay, in which I expect us to approach things as favorites, to assume this status and to produce beautiful biathlon,” affirmed Burdet ahead of the Worlds. .
Winners of the last two of the four relays contested this winter in the World Cup, the French present a quartet which has never left the top 7 in Nove Mesto in three races (Chauveau did not compete in the individual), when the biathletes Norwegians, who won the other two relays this season, will want to make amends for their failed World Championships (13th in the sprint, Juni Arnekleiv achieved their best result, the only one in the top 20).
The Germans, led by Franziska Preuss and excellent in shooting, showed themselves during the individual (Janina Hettich-Walz 2nd, Selina Grotian 4th and Vanessa Voigt 5th), while the Sweden of the Oeberg sisters is a little behind.
Lisa Vittozzi was the only one able to compete with the French in Nove Mesto, with silver in the pursuit and gold in the individual, but she finds herself a little lonely in the Italian collective.
“Saturday we’re at it again, because there’s another one to look for, and I want it to be the same color, it’s really a big goal. On paper, we are really the best, it would really annoy me if we didn’t have it,” said Lou Jeanmonnot Thursday evening after her first world title, in the single mixed relay (non-Olympic) associated with Quentin Fillon Maillet .
Enough to kick off the final weekend with also the men’s relay (Saturday, 4:30 p.m.) where the Blues are the title holders and arrive in a position of outsiders against the untouchable Norwegians, then the two mass starts on Sunday (2:15 p.m. for the women, 4:30 p.m. for men).
