It was déjà vu for France, an early penalty by Camille Bened put the French women 55 seconds back. Then her teammates shot lights out, flying around the tracks, burying their rivals as anchor Julia Simon brought home the Milan/Cortina Women’s 4 X 6 km Relay Gold medal in 1:10:22.7, 51.3 seconds up on Silver medallists Sweden. The French quartet of Simon, Bened, Lou Jeanmonnot and Oceane Michelon had just that one penalty and six spare rounds, giving Les Bleus a relay sweep in these Games. This was the first French Olympic Women’s Relay Gold medal since the initial women’s competitions at Les Saises in 1992.

“I did it how I do it in training”

Simon, who crossed the finish line wildly waving the French flag, claiming her third Gold medal in Antholz, focused racing as she normally does. “I had the opportunity to carry the French flag at the finish line; it was amazing...I just did my biathlon. I didn’t try to go too fast; didn’t want to go too slow. I raced my race, did everything my way. I did it how I do it in training. It is a little difficult to go when you have such a big gap. There are such high expectations.”

“I never lost the dream”

With three Gold medals so far, Simon still has goals as she did before these Games ever started. “I was dreaming about it (winning Gold medals). It was a dream but I am really happy because it’s never easy. I never lost the dream. It was there and it was big. I was training for it. With this Gold medal, I hope it is not over, there is still the mass start.”

Sweden, with a penalty and seven spares took the Silver medal, their third consecutive Olympic relay medal after Gold in 2022 and Silver in 2018. Norway won the Bronze medal, with seven spare rounds, 1:07.6 back.

Germany, with one penalty and eight spares finished fourth, 1:29.6 back. Czechia, with a penalty and ten spares finished fifth, 2:07.5 back, Poland with twelve spares took sixth place, 2:11.8 back.

Penalty for France

After Tuesday’s snowfall, the women got a break with partly cloudy skies and hard-packed tracks. The competition unfolded like yesterday with France falling well off the pace when leadoff leg Bened picked up a standing penalty falling from the lead after prone to 16th, 46 seconds back.

Preuss Falters

Sweden’s leadoff leg Linn Gestblom took control, tagging Anna Magnusson 5 seconds ahead of Franziska Preuss. Jeanmonnot took over 55 seconds back, remaining 16th. Preuss cleaned prone in five shots, taking the lead, while Magnusson went to the penalty loop, falling 35 seconds back. Ther German star then had a penalty in standing while Jeanmonnot and Magnusson both cleaned in five shots, moving up to 11 and 19 seconds back.

Michelon Paves Way to Victory

Latvia led at the second exchange, but France was rolling as Michelon took over 1.5 seconds back. She used just a single spare, skiing with authority, widening the margin to 47 seconds over Karolin Offigstad Knotten and Elvira after standing.

Michelon tagged Simon 46 seconds up on Kirkeeide with Hannah a second behind. Five quick prone shots and an equally fast five standing shots sealed the French Gold medal, with Hanna heading for Silver after a spare in standing, putting Sweden 22 second sup on Norway.

The last loop was a mere formality, with Simon cruising unchallenged to victory.

Photos: IBU/Vianney Thibaut, Ola Wizor, Nordic Focus