Sebastian Samuelsson and Martin Ponsiluoma had hitting position in the mass start after the prone shooting. But several hurdles in standing crushed the hopes of close placings.
– It feels quite good, but there are small margins, summarizes Martin Ponsiluoma.
Photo: MATHIAS BERGELD / BILDBYRÅN
Photo: SIMON HASTEGÅRD / BILDBYRÅN
There were hopes of advanced placings in the men’s mass start in Annecy. Sebastian Samuelsson shot full in the two lying series and Martin Ponsiluoma got away with a boom and both were in the lead after half the race.
But just like for Ella Halvarsson a couple of hours earlier, they shot away in the first standing shoot.
Both Swedes missed two shots and thus the hope of victory was gone, even though they were fast in the tracks. In the final shooting there were further misses for both Swedes.
Samuelsson: “Some boom too much”
Martin Ponsiluoma was happy with the race, despite weak shooting.
– It feels quite good, but there are small margins. There is a lot going on around you and it felt like many shots could be close, says Martin Ponsiluoma.
Samuelsson was also on the same track.
– There is a lot that was good, but unfortunately there will be one boom too many. I would have had to hit one more shot, then it could have been good.
As a biathlete, do you feel that there is often one boom too many?
– As a biathlete, I think everyone feels it. It goes up and down. If you look at the big picture, I have performed very well so far.
Samuelsson was the best Swede in eighth place, while Ponsiluoma was eleventh.
Italian Tommaso Giacomel won the pursuit start, before Frenchman Éric Perrot and Norwegian Vetle Sjåstad Christiansen rounded off the podium.
The Swedish results
11. Sebastian Samuelsson
11. Martin Ponsiluoma
27. Jesper Nelin
