The icing on the cake. After having officially won the big crystal globe rewarding her first place in the general classification of the World Cup on Saturday, Julia Simon offered herself a bonus, Sunday March 19, by winning the small globe of the mass-start. Already at the top of the specialty classification before the last race of the biathlon season, in Oslo-Holmenkollen (Norway), the Frenchwoman made sure to lift a new trophy by finishing in 5th place.
In the fog of Oslo, which almost caused the cancellation of the race, Simon had to keep an eye on his compatriots Anaïs Chevalier-Bouchet and Lou Jeanmonnot, respectively second and third in the classification of the specialty, the only ones to be able to mathematically prevent you from winning the little crystal globe. After two perfect lying shots (10 out of 10), Julia Simon was in more difficulty on the standing shot (6 out of 10), but in the same way as her pursuers.
The great outing of Chevalier-Bouchet
Imperial in shooting, it was the Swedish Hanna Oeberg who won ahead of Marte Olsbu Roiseland (2ᵉ) and Chevalier-Bouchet (3ᵉ). The latter has a great outing, with a podium, her 23ᵉ in the World Cup, for her last career race. This place of honor and the 60 points that come with it did not allow her to steal the little crystal globe from the mass-start, which therefore goes to Julia Simon. Simon and Chevalier-Bouchet finished first and second in the specialty, ahead of Hanna Oeberg. Lou Jeanmonnot, third before the race, finished fifth due to a disappointing 18ᵉ place in Oslo.
Julia Simon will now be able to savor her titles. “The mass-start will have to be over for me to realize that it’s over, it’s over. It’s just starting to get real with everyone talking to me about it.”, explained the 26-year-old Frenchwoman yesterday, with a smile on her face. Winner of the big crystal globe and two small globes (mass-start and pursuit), Julia Simon is completing the best season of a career that is far from over.
On the men’s side, the season ended with a victory for the insatiable Johannes Boe – his 19ᵉ success in the 23 individual races in which he participated this season – and the little crystal globe of the mass-start awarded to his compatriot Norwegian Vetle Christiasen. Among the French, Quentin Fillon Maillet finished 4ᵉ. For the first time in 26 years, no Frenchman has won this Biathlon World Cup season. A disappointment when the break between the biathletes and their coaches has been recorded since Friday.