He has dominated since the beginning of the season and did not wait for it to end to win the big crystal globe. With sixteen victories on the clock, Johannes Boe flies over the World Cup. He won the general classification for the fourth time in his career and succeeded Frenchman Quentin Fillon Maillet on the list.
But the 29-year-old Norwegian will not participate in the round of Östersund (Sweden), which begins on Thursday. Like his brother Tarjei, he tested positive for Covid-19. It won’t be reinstated until Sunday at the earliest. In his misfortune, his compatriot and dolphin in the classification Sturla Laegreid is also contaminated. Hence the assurance for Johannes Boe to win the World Cup.
With four big crystal globes to his credit, the youngest of the Boe brothers joins some legendary names. He equals the Frenchman Raphaël Poirée, but also the German Frank Ullrich. The record is held by Martin Fourcade with seven titles. But Johannes Boe has not only shone in the World Cup this season. He also dominated at the World Championships in Oberhof (Germany) in February with seven medals gleaned including five gold.
The inconstant French
For the men’s tricolor contingent, this season is proving to be more delicate. Quentin Fillon Maillet currently occupies seventh position in the general classification. The Frenchman has not managed to regain his impressive rhythm of the year 2022, punctuated by five medals at the Beijing Winter Games. Émilien Jacquelin is also inconsistent this season with a 13th place in the World Cup, three places behind his compatriot Fabien Claude.
On the women’s side, however, nothing stops Julia Simon. She is 158 points ahead of her runner-up in the general classification, Sweden’s Elvira Oeberg. Two rounds from the end of the World Cup, a first big crystal globe is emerging for the 26-year-old biathlete.
