![Biathlon Pursuit: French Women Close to Podium | [Date]](https://www.leparisien.fr/resizer/LOoguxQxaImkl7x9GzRP_3VadyA=/1200x675/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/leparisien/5MTOHHOW7VFP3H2LUHLWIRV45M.jpg "Biathlon Pursuit: French Women Close to Podium | [Date]")
On the virtual podium until the last shot of the chase, Lou Jeanmonnot thought he would achieve a second podium in a row. But her shot failed her at the end of the race and the 27-year-old biathlete missed her chance. Camille Bened, part sixth, and Justine Braisaz-Bouchet, part fifteenth, finished in the top 7 alongside Lou Jeanmonnot.
After his victory in the sprint race in Hochfilzen, Austria, this Friday, Lou Jeanmonnot started at the head of the pursuit. Starting with 15 seconds ahead of her direct competitors Maren Kirkeeide and Anna Magnusson, she started her pursuit perfectly with a perfect prone shot.
Close on the heels of Anna Magnusson, the second in the general classification last season crashed on the second lying down with a mistake. For her part, the Swedish biathlete achieves ten out of ten. After her penalty lap, it is now the Frenchwoman who is 16 seconds behind at halfway.
The mano a mano between the two women continues. And during the first standing shot, it’s Lou Jeanmonnot who takes the upper hand. With a flawless performance and the Swede’s mistake, the Frenchwoman regains the lead of the race. With the return of Lisa Vittozzi, three contenders compete for victory on the last shot.
The Italian shoots quickly and well. Lou Jeanmonnot cracks and commits two fouls. The two penalty laps will deprive her of a new podium. Justine Braisaz-Bouchet thinks to take advantage of it but Maren Kirkeeide, despite having a bad start, comes to beat the Frenchwoman in the sprint for third place. After starting from fifteenth position, the 29-year-old French biathlete still achieved a great performance.
Starting 14th, Lisa Vittozzi ran a perfect race to secure her first victory since her return in this pursuit!
At the end of a crazy final lap, Justine Braisaz-Bouchet finished first Frenchwoman, just off the podium. #lequipeBIATHLON pic.twitter.com/6Fu9DenfwM
— the L’Équipe channel (@lachainelequipe) December 14, 2025
Lisa Vittozzi won ahead of Anna Magnusson, once again second. The Blues are well represented in the top 10 but miss the podium. Justine Braisaz-Bouchet finished fourth, Camille Bened sixth and Lou Jeanmonnot, who spent almost the entire race in the lead, finished seventh.
