A hard-fought, neck-and-neck battle between a French trio and Italian Lisa Vittozzi came down to the final uphill into the stadium when Julia Simon powered past her rivals, winning the Nove Mesto Women’s 12.5 km Mass Start in 33:39.4. With just 200 meters to go, Simon, Oceane Michelon, and Vittozzi were locked in heated battle until Michelon attacked and Simon responded with a brutally fast sprint, securing the victory. All four women had a single penalty.

“Push, push, push!”

Simon explained her tactics in the last loop and final sprint. “I was trying to shoot clean and survive on the track. After the last downhill, it was very difficult; I was behind. I said, ‘the win is there.’ Push, push, push and we will see.’ I am really happy. It is a special place for me; I like this place. The crowd is crazy, so it’s perfect.”

“Ski calm; put the targets down”

Simon’s first victory of the season and her fifth career World Cup mass start victory had little bearing on her approach to the Antholz competitions next month. “For me, it was important to have a good feeling on the tracks and with my rifle and enjoy. I think it does not matter if it is the last one (competition) before the Olympics. I am not in my best shape yet, so the most important thing was to ski really calm, put the targets down. It was a perfect race today.”

Michelon tied her lifetime best in second place, .5 seconds back. Vittozzi finished third, 2.7 seconds back. Yellow Bib Lou Jeanmonnot finished fourth, 8.9 seconds back, further adding to her lead, 202 points over Suvi Minkkinen in the World Cup Total Score.

Camille Bened shot clean in fifth, 38.7 seconds back, giving France four of the top five places. Finland’s Minkkinen, with two penalties, finished sixth, 49.2 seconds back.

France versus Vittozzi

The final World Cup competition before the Olympic Winter Games was conducted under the lights on a foggy evening in the packed Vysocina Arena. Vittozzi cleaned the first prone the quickest, with the French trio of Simon, Jeanmonnot, and Michelon a few steps behind her.

Bened cleaned the second prone; Vittozzi, Simon and Michelon all with penalties followed 4 seconds back. The Yellow Bib trailed by 10 seconds. The Italian took pushed the pace into the first standing, with her four French rivals following closely. Simon led the group of five out of standing, after all cleaned.

Simon Unleashed; 1-2 French Podium

By the time the leaders reached the range for the final time, Bened was 5 seconds off the pace set by Vittozzi. Simon and Vittozzi cleaned simultaneously, with Jeanmonnot and Michelon two steps behind as they left for the final loop. Simon and Michelon pressured Vittozzi, but she responded, retaking the lead briefly. The trio jockeyed until the final small climb into the stadium, where Simon unleashed her final push, dragging Michelon along to a 1-2 French podium.

Photos: IBU/Jaroslav Svoboda, Yevenko, Nordic Focus