“I am counting on Quentin Fillon Maillet to blow up the race”, declared Martin Fourcade in the columns of Ski Chrono. The message has obviously got through very well. If there were naturally no snowflakes this weekend near Annecy, that did not prevent Quentin Fillon Maillet from triumphing at the Martin Fourcade Nordic Festival, a small friendly competition, without sporting stakes, organized for several years by Martin Fourcade, former five-time Olympic champion. In full summer preparation, this exhibition tournament allows participants to assess their state of form before entering the heart of the matter.
The 11 competitors on the starting line, which included no Norwegian stars, competed in a mass-start format. Equipped with wheel skis, everyone set off at the same time and covered six laps in the streets of Annecy for a total distance of 10.2 km. Seven months after his five medals gleaned at the Beijing Winter Games, Quentin Fillon Maillet appeared in good shape despite a difficult first pass on the prone shot. The Jurassien quickly set his sights and climbed into the race for final victory. Thanks to an excellent 4/5 on the last standing shot, “QFM” was able to come out on top and charge towards victory.
A success for butter but which confirms the ambitions of Fillon Maillet for the coming season. The head of the gondola of world biathlon will once again aim for the lead in the general classification of the World Cup. “Last season made me want to win even more. So today it’s done. I’m a little surprised because I still finished with eight penalties but I’m very happy to win today (Saturday). There are still a lot of things to correct in terms of shooting but I’m happy to share that with the public, it’s a good time. Thank you to the organization and thank you Martin for this beautiful event, ”he commented at the microphone of La Chaîne L’Équipe.
