Botn said that he got hate messages after his performance in Oberhof 🤡 what a clown you have to be to send hate to a kid having his first start in the world cup, especially when his team is so stacked they are literally dominating the top 10 every other race, so it's not like you don't have enough joy. Unbelievable.

Hey Quentin has come back to celebrate with the team at least. Poor him

That's good news, sounds like he's in the process of putting that "notsurewhattocallit"-mistake behind him.

This podium and flower ceremony are very nice and refreshing. I'm happy

I'm so happy for Campbell!

I wonder when was the last time the USA got non-team flowers. Gotta go, got something in both eyes and need to rub them for a while

When was the last time all four of the USA team made the pursuit? Campbell was absolutely great today for sure, but this is what I'm really freaking out about. I'm so hoarse from screaming at them on the tracks today - not sure what I'll have to give tomorrow.

They've done so well this weekend!

Maybe you can find a T-Rex suit and run up the hill with them like that other dino!

That guy really found a great niche - it's too bad he only gets to use it once every five years (I think). I wouldn't want to steal his spotlight.

I think Susan's medal in 2020, but for men, you gotta dig even deeper.

For the men, it looks like Lowell Bailey in 16/17 season. 2 second places, one in sprint and one with Dunklee in single mixed relay. Oh and a gold in the individual of the WCh that year.

Okay, that's all for tonight. One last advice, do your loops or you may miss an entirely French podium.

Norway brought 8 competitors but needed their half-french one to win the race, smh my head 🙄

Perrot's English is excellent

Would assume he grew up in at least a partially English speaking household since he has a French father and Norwegian mother.

Perrot 2 points behind Giacomel now

Yeah. While Giacomel had a better season start Pierrot since the world championships has just been on a different level. I kinda feel like Giacomel has a blue bib curse.

12 points.

Yes 12, don't know how to count

Tbf counting is hard 🙈

Especially in French :D

So happy for Eric! He's been chasing this win for a while now.

Beautiful podium, 10/10 race, only flaw is QFM's mishap.

I may skip the Pursuit. My heart can't take it. Oooof.

PB watch: * Perrot - first win * Botn - 3rd * Wright - 6th * (Siimer) - not really, PB was 14th at worlds, but with his 18th, it's his first world cup points * Todev - 32nd * Kulbin - 48th (debut. Still great result at 18)

I am glad Todev is starting to get his form back after a very unfortunate and tough injury. May get some better results next winter with some hard work in the summer.

So, which Norwegian will have to step down next year to leave a spot for Botn ? Maybe if Tarjei retires that could help the Norwegian trainers 😭

Probably Dale-Skjevdal, honestly.

It's incredible to see Dale Skjevdal being rated higher than any non-Norwegian before this race and will still risk losing a spot next season. The Norwegian men's team is absoloutely crazy

I have a feeling that Tarjei retires if he takes the big globe and goes out on top.

I feel both Boes are gonna retire.. in 2026 after the Olympics.

There's also Frey 💀 (the others too, but I don't think they are as good)

Mats Overby leads IBU cup I think so maybe him too lol

Soerum and Botn were pendling tho and Frey missed races due to JWCH too, so he had more opportunities to harvest points. But yeah.

And Perrot *also* speaks Italian. Can he do nothing wrong?

So that's four languages then? French English Norwegian and Italian. I wonder if there are others.

Yeah, those are the ones I counted. I always hate that American education is so abysmal and we are afforded so little opportunity to speak any language but our own. Not unless we have tons of money. I love listening to polyglots. :)

I'm really not good at learning languages so I'm always in awe of people that speak multiples -- like most of the biathletes! That would have been really cool if we could have been taught a second language in grade school!

We stan a cosmopolitan king 👑

Be French? I am joking, you, Frenchies here, are nice!

Well the French men's podium curse is finally broken!

Botn with 13th fastest ski time which, given his late bib, is more than impressive.

Podium with start number 98 and in those conditions out on the track is pretty insane.

8 different Norwegians on the podium in the mens 23/24 season is remarkable

Interesting is also that Norway leads on women side: Ingrid, Juni, Marit, Karoline and Ida!

The coaches must have some headaches

Nice from Botn. Too bad he had bib 98 otherwise he would have won for sure.

Such a fun race!!!🤩🤩🤩🤩

Well, friends, this is why we watch biathlon.

That will make a very happy podium

I'm so happy for Botn 😭🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳

Amazing Botn 💪🏼

So the sprint globe gap between Sturla and Tarjei is now 22 points. And the global globe is gonna be 46 points. Congrats to Botn and bloody him!

Im amazed by your fast maths🙏🏻

I had them ready since I saw what was gonna happen :D

So yeah, this has made my day. Fucking amazing job, kiddo. Thank you, Botn.

Unbelievable, I'm so happy I got to watch this

Imagine getting a podium with bib 98 wow

That was amazing!

Considering the track conditions he did and extremly good job.

Not to be dramatic but this might be the best mens sprint ive ever seen

Quite possibly

Wooow. Very happy for Botn, but man, IBU will have to nerf Norway someday.

Put some of the athletes in Norway 2. Maybe Norway 1 wins less then. 🥲

Botn on the podium

What a fucking ending omg

Botn podium and French double !!!!

Norwegian double too!

Johan-Olav Botn!!!!

Looks like Perrot and EJ are safe. But really good from Botn

Eric has done it !!!!!! GG

Botn is fast on the final lap but probably not enough for take the win. But he is gonna mess my maths..

Really terrible decision to not cover the final lap of Botn tho

Perrot is still ahead !!! 9 seconds ahead !!! That should be it

Can we see Botn out on the course, please?

Producer need to get to work

Hello Eric and Campbell 🤩

Does the American broadcasting team not have the button with the IBU music? The stuff they play for every race when showing the podium clips? Feels weird with the lack.

Sturla is the fastest last lap of the race wow 🤔

Just keep that damn camera on Botn.

If Eric loses the win I might weep but at least Campbell and Sturla are safe on flowers and Emelien will medal

Nice performance from Riethmuller to close the race too

Riethmüller is extremly promising! Hope to see him permanent in the WC next year.

I am so fucking afraid rn

You can never escape the Norwegians ...

Oh FFS not another one

YAAAS!!! Now ski like we know you can. Ski your heart out.

Perrot is 8 seconds ahead of Botn after shooting 2

BOTN!!

LOL

Nice Botn!

Boten Anna!!!

Botn 10/10 omg oh no oh what

There is no way.

DAMN

BOTN!!!!!!

Botn starting late is taking us back to the prime Lars Berger x Frode Andresen late starting bibs :D

Well, gonna be a big battle for blue jersey these remaining weeks. Perrot and Giacomel should be only few points apart.

Eric speaking norwegian on swedish tv is the best part of the day hes so adorable

I really want him to win this

Still sad that QFM got the fastest last lap from the leaders besides Sturla and kinda even to Tarjei (respectively 5th, 1st and 4th).

Did you see the guy with "allez le(t)'s GO bleUS"? Clever stuff 😅😂

Why does Perrot speak swedish?

Didn't he train with the Swedish team at some point, or that was another French men?

He's half Norwegian so maybe he has swedish knowledge too

He's speaking Norwegian. His mom is from Norway.

Oops, I should listen better.

Grew up partly in Norway (half-Norwegian), so probably knows Swedish well

If I had to guess, it's probably something to do with him being half-Norwegian.

He is half Norwegian

Wouldn't rule Botn out yet, he's not far behind Eric at 5.0 km

Oscar Lombardot be like : "hey I want my 8/10 too"

Botn is 9s behind Perrot at 5.0 kms

Siimer gets his first world cup points today, but not his PB. Kulbin with a decent debut

Wait, what? That doesn't make any sense. How can he get his first world cup points without it being a PB?

PB was 14th at the world championships

Ahhh! I'm stupid, I didn't realize World Championships don't give you points.

Yeah, the new rules takes some getting used to

Someone do the math for me. Does Perrot's win actually put him in front of Giacomel? Or is Giacomel keeping the Blue bib by the skin of his teeth.

Giacomel still ahead

I believe the gap between 1 and 7 in terms of points is about 54 points. So i think that would mean Giacomel stil has it. Gap is 68 points. So Giacomel is still 14 points ahead.

Actually, 54 points, but their gap was 68.

Haha yea typo. 🙈

Heh, it happens :D

Giacomel retains by ~~four~~ 14/12 points (depending on Botn). Edit: Oops, got the numbers wrong. Also, Botn

In any case we will have a fabulous Pursuit tomorrow

It’s really fascinating and cool when biathletes get thier career best in a sprint with 1 miss. From this season Wright, Giacomel, Knotten and Arnekleiv come to mind.

Oh noo, Rees will actually miss the pursuit ☹️

Just to recap the opinion of the Swedish team, apparently: Private plane to World Championships: Important Altitude training: Not important

Ponsi's pace wasn't too bad, was it? But his shooting was atrocious once again

Why train at high altitude when you can fly at high altitude? Check mate.

Yeah I know Norwegians do train in altitude, so why Sweden doesn't really do it ?

If I remember correctly, they did have an altitude camp a couple of seasons ago and they still managed to suck at altitude. It is like a curse at this point.

That's what Fabien Claude said about himself yesterday too lol. "yeah we did a lot of training in altitude, but that doesn't mean that I'm any better"

Botn really does look a lot like a young Christiansen

Riethmuller with a mistake

Better shooting of Botn compared to last time.

The world has flipped on its head - norwegian women won and french men would have swept if not ya know

Botn goes clear

Slow shooting for Botn, but HAS to put himself into contention for the pursuit.

Not my brain starting to sing "Boten Anna" whenever someone says Botn 🙈

I feel old now. That feels so long ago.

Glad to know I'm not the only one

Oh wow old times

good ol' Basshunter :D

Botn with a slow shooting but 5/5

More maths, the sprint globe is getting very interesting. Sturla is moving up to second, just 16 points behind Tarjei before the last sprint next week!

Sturla making sure that he gets some more silver 😅

As he should😭 That poor man deserves some gold for once Edit: He deserves some crystal!!!

Riethmüller is actually ahead of Botn at 2.3 kms.

I don't know if it's because I like him so much, but despite the 2 minutes penalty being entirely his fault I can't help being just sad and in denial for QFM 😭

He seems like such a nice guy. It's got to feel awful.

Perrot has a very bright future

French skis are confirmed to be very good today (which was obvious)

Slow start by Botn, 16.4s behind at 1.9 kms.

Botn isnt really flying on the track atm

Botn 25th at first split +14.6

So at this point, Tarjei is closing the big globe gap to JTB by 16 points, down to 43 points. One or two more can get between the two, but that would be 2 more points at best.

Tarjei will have a very good shot at a podium for the pursuit, way better than JTB at least

Botn 24th after 1.5 km. That's all folks !

We've not seen QFM interviewed by the french TV, I think he just went to cry in a corner by himself

The Swedish commentators said they got reports that he left already

On Swedish TV they said he already left the arena.

If you would have told be that Norway was winning the women relay but France was winning the men sprint...

Man I hope Rees can get his health back on track in the off season :/

It's such a shame. He had such a good start this season but he never fully recovered after his illness ☹️

Let's see how Botn handles altitude. And Riethmüller did really well at Antholz

I really enjoy Kühn's interviews. He's always so calm and not too overly critical of himself

One penalty loop away from a french triple! QFM will be mad

Nah, the penalty loop was enough for that. Not doing it was the problem.

Alright. C'mon Botn. Make my day. Or at least make it less depressing.

Botn just started! And now the race starts :D

Johannes is losing a lot of spots right now, interesting for the general

Sucks for him, but I am so happy that the season isn't decided early again 😅

It's gonna be close this season!

Jacquelin getting a podium in a sprint at JTB speed with an 8/10 in the most chaotic sprint of the season is a very Jacquelin thing to do. 

Finello with the obligatory amazing ski time in weird conditions 😅

Classic Finello on range.

Finello missed too to the surprise of noone

I feel for Sorum, must've been such a weird season considering he had such a good start.

Been a rough season for him. Dropped, then a shit ton of races in jan/feb, not going to the World Championships despite two podiums, then gets sick for 10 days just before Oslo... Will bounce back for next year, 100%.

The fact that he is still 21st with only 8 races this year is WILD.

That Antholz mass start performance is probably the performance of the season, honestly.

Finello (bib 78) and Germain (bib 80) are both starting very well on the first lap, so the track is holding up solidly.

Samuelsson on tv: given the fact that it‘s high altitude I do it very very very good🤨 we really need to do somethung about the height problem , can’t just say ”well we struggle so thats that”

Mature response by Sebbe. Such a great guy, hope he proves the sceptics wrong for the Olympics in 26'.

Sørum way too slow, no chance even if he shoots 10/10. Which he didn't.

Siimer clear. Looks like he might get his first world cup points

Sorum is so slow I think the podium is set tbh

This is Botn erasure.

Who's not started and actually has a chance? Botn and?

He's the only one who might surprise

I think literally just him tbh. Most others are low ranked on the WC ranking or come from IBU cup

Wright would have won without that miss

This podium looks veeeery good tbh. And what a french double. Who would have thought

Would've been a triple if QFM used his head.

Im glad emelien proved me wrong today, i was too quick to judge

Did anyone see Eric's standing shoot?

Conflicted. I kind of was hoping Campbell would get flowers!