Braisaz-Bouchet & Jeanmonnot Win: Road to 2026 Olympics

They in turn are full of confidence, two weeks before the Milan-Cortina Olympic Games (February 6 to 22, 2026). French biathletes Justine Braisaz-Bouchet and Lou Jeanmonnot took the first two places in the short individual (12.5 km), Friday January 23, in Nove Mesto (Czech Republic). Both authors of a single shooting fault (19/20), the two French women imitate their compatriots Eric Perrot and Emilien Jacquelin, authors of a double the day before, Thursday, in the men’s individual.

It is not a handful of seconds, but the smallest of margins, a single second, which separates the two friends from the French women’s biathlon team at the finish line. The German Franziska Preuss, who won the big crystal globe of World Cup winner last year, under Lou Jeanmonnot’s nose, completes the podium (3^e), with a minute behind the two French biathletes.

For the second time this season, after her third place at Le Grand-Bornand, on December 21, Justine Braisaz-Bouchet appeared on the podium. With this success in Nove Mesto, she won her first race on the circuit since the sprint in Lenzerheide (Switzerland), on February 14, 2025, at the world championships. “I really did my job today, I tried to get some good sensations”she congratulated herself on the microphone of La Chaîne L’Equipe, after having ended the year 2025 in difficulty on the shooting range.

Lou Jeanmonnot consolidates his lead in the general

The 29-year-old Frenchwoman was immediately congratulated by Lou Jeanmonnot on arrival, despite the latter’s taunts in training the day before. “She told me I won because she made fun of me. Yesterday, she asked me if I had ever had an individual world medal. I told him yes [en bronze, à Östersund, en 2019]. She burst out laughing and told me: “No, that’s not possible”. (…) Today, she is second by a second and I am very happy”laughed Justine Braisaz-Bouchet after the race.

Second for the fourth time this season, Lou Jeanmonnot, for her part, said “disappointed” after the finish, despite the success of Justine Braisaz-Bouchet. “I haven’t managed to validate that 20 out of 20 shooting that I’ve been looking for since the start of the year. This is the disappointing point of this race”assured, on La Chaîne L’Equipe, the 27-year-old Tricolore, who still consolidates her lead in the general classification of the World Cup.

After this double, the French women will take part in the relays on Saturday, still in Nove Mesto. Before competing, in the Czech city, in the mass start on Sunday, in the same way as their male counterparts. The very last stage before the Winter Olympic Games in Milan-Cortina.