The struggle for the women’s biathlon World Cup was only decided this year in the very last race. Quentin Fillon-Millet stood in the front row and kept his fingers crossed for his teammate Lou JeanMonnot. The duel with Franzi Preuss was one of historical dimensions in his eyes.
A dramatic mass start and fall in the last few meters decided this year the fight for the overall World Cup of women. Double Olympic champion Quentin Fillon-Millet would have liked to see a victory of his teammate Lou JeanMonnot. But the circumstances alone also electrified him.
“The assignment was phenomenal. Franziska and Lou had a high-class fight before the last race. It was stratospheric biathlon sport,” he looked back at a “Stade 2” appearance full of enthusiasm.
Fillon maillet sees “historical” biathlon race
The final round was “so gripping”, said Fillon maillet. “Lou had more than enough reserves to be in front, so it’s cruel for her. But that’s sport,” said the French team’s teammate, who only mourned her missed victory shortly afterwards and presented herself as a great second just a few minutes after the difficult defeat.
The race also produced three winners in the eyes of Fillon-Millet: the two biathletes and the entire sport. “For me it will remain a historical race that we will always talk about,” he said.
For him, JeanMonnot was not the loser of the day, but the second winner. “Even if Lou did not win the crystal ball, I congratulate her because it was incredible,” said the French biathlete, who also experienced some hot duels in the trail and at the shooting range last season and finished fifth in the overall World Cup.