The black series stops for Quentin Fillon Maillet. Deprived of a podium in the first eight individual races of the 2022-2023 season, the Frenchman obtained second place on Saturday January 7, during the pursuit of Pokljuka (Slovenia). Very fast on skis, Quentin Fillon Maillet was also precise against the targets (19/20), to offer himself a return to the front of the stage. Still, his performance was not enough to get first place, the preserve of Johannes Boe this season. Once again well above the pack, the Norwegian won with more than a minute ahead of the competition. All while releasing his effort during the last lap.
“It’s sorely lacking in energy on the skis. It’s frustrating, when you were used to good places last year, to have trouble fighting., confided yesterday Quentin Fillon Maillet, at the microphone of the L’Equipe channel, following a sprint that ended in a disappointing ninth place. Far from the best, and especially from Johannes Boe, the Frenchman also seemed to have mortgaged his chances for the pursuit (during which the riders start with the delays recorded compared to the winner at the finish of the sprint race).
A frustrating situation for Quentin Fillon Maillet, author of an extraordinary 2021-2022 winter, which he ended with two Olympic titles and a crystal globe, rewarding the winner of the general classification of the World Cup. In the Pokljuka chase, the Frenchman built his comeback lap after lap, shot after shot, only missing a ball on his last standing shot.
End of series for Norway
On the contrary, his two rivals Sturla Lægreid (fourth) and Tommaso Giacomel (fifth) were more imprecise at the end of the race, each missing two balls. A golden opportunity that Quentin Fillon Maillet did not miss, who therefore finished on the podium alongside Johannes Boe and his big brother, Tarjei (third).
” It feels good. Finally a podium, finally real sensations on skis. We had to fight until the end. It was great, a treat” the Frenchman told L’Equipe after the race. If his performance does not allow him to put an end to the supremacy of the youngest of the Boe brothers, it has at least the merit of (slightly) upsetting the domination of the Norwegians. In the last three individual races, Johannes Boe and his compatriots had always managed to score a hat-trick. This time, they have to “settle” for first, third, fourth, sixth, seventh and eighth places…